As mentioned in an earlier post, our bedtime routine is pretty standard, and pretty established. Often Todd and I will engage in a little conversation while snuggling, before we drift off to sleep. If he's in a good mood, it's a perfect time to get him to open up with more details about what he did at school that day. Or we'll just talk about random things.
Tonight the conversation started before finished his prayers. As he was about to launch into the Lord's Prayer, he paused and asked quizzically: "Why is the Lord's Prayer so long?"
I seized the opportunity to go through it line by line and explain in kiddie terms what it meant. That in turn led to questions about what heaven must be like.
I gave him my best guess, explaining that it was a place where people could live peacefully and lovingly and not hurt each other by lying or stealing or cheating. Upon my mention that I believe animals are in heaven too, Todd objected:
"If animals are there, they'll go RAWR at you!"
I quickly allayed his fear that he might get chased by a ferocious lion up in heaven, and pointed out that up there, there would be no need for animals to hunt one another. Sharks would not attack turtles, lions could sit peacefully with deer.
Todd digested this and then added his own opinion of what else heaven might consist of:
"There will be music in heaven. That's what I think."
I agreed. After all, what better way to express peace and love than through music?
Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Musings. Show all posts
Routines
After a couple weeks, we've finally begun settling into a routine.
At first, when I found out that Todd would be dismissed after lunch, and the school didn't provide after-school care long enough, I was a bit dismayed. It would mean having to drive to school to pick him up and drop him off at an after-school care center somewhere else.
But soon I realized that this minor inconvenience was more than made up for by the fact that Todd would get to eat lunch with us!
When he was in preschool, my chief concern (aside from hygiene and staying dry) was that he wasn't eating/drinking (well) enough. There were many days when I'd pick him up at 5pm only to discover more than half of his lunch still in his bag. No amount of cajoling, threats or bribery worked. Harder still was providing a variety of healthful things to eat-- just about the only thing I could really pack, that would ensure he ate it all, was sandwiches.
But now? I can send him off to school with just a little bit to eat (some fruit for morning snacktime and a small sandwich and juice for lunchtime), and then whisk him home for a proper, nutritious, hot lunch. Top it off with plenty to drink and making sure he gets scrubbed down clean before sending him off for a few hours of after-school care.
Another good thing is that it breaks up the monotony of the day for Todd. Rather than spending 8 hours nonstop at a child care facility, he gets to see his parents in the middle of the day, a nice little change. It's fun for us, too, to eat together as a family. Makes a nice break for Mommy and Daddy, as well!
We can also change him out of his uniform and into regular clothes for Boys and Girls Club. You know how boys like to roughhouse. This is good way to preserve his uniforms :-)
Todd has taken to going poopies at lunchtime, which is great because it ensures that one of us can wipe his little po-po properly, rather than have him attempt to do it himself at school. It's yucky enough to have him walk around with skid-marked undies, but its even worse if he gets some on his hands and doesn't wash it off properly.
So, all in all, this difference in venue for both school and after-school is working out to be a blessing! We're certainly settling into our routine nicely :-)
At first, when I found out that Todd would be dismissed after lunch, and the school didn't provide after-school care long enough, I was a bit dismayed. It would mean having to drive to school to pick him up and drop him off at an after-school care center somewhere else.
But soon I realized that this minor inconvenience was more than made up for by the fact that Todd would get to eat lunch with us!
When he was in preschool, my chief concern (aside from hygiene and staying dry) was that he wasn't eating/drinking (well) enough. There were many days when I'd pick him up at 5pm only to discover more than half of his lunch still in his bag. No amount of cajoling, threats or bribery worked. Harder still was providing a variety of healthful things to eat-- just about the only thing I could really pack, that would ensure he ate it all, was sandwiches.
But now? I can send him off to school with just a little bit to eat (some fruit for morning snacktime and a small sandwich and juice for lunchtime), and then whisk him home for a proper, nutritious, hot lunch. Top it off with plenty to drink and making sure he gets scrubbed down clean before sending him off for a few hours of after-school care.
Another good thing is that it breaks up the monotony of the day for Todd. Rather than spending 8 hours nonstop at a child care facility, he gets to see his parents in the middle of the day, a nice little change. It's fun for us, too, to eat together as a family. Makes a nice break for Mommy and Daddy, as well!
We can also change him out of his uniform and into regular clothes for Boys and Girls Club. You know how boys like to roughhouse. This is good way to preserve his uniforms :-)
Todd has taken to going poopies at lunchtime, which is great because it ensures that one of us can wipe his little po-po properly, rather than have him attempt to do it himself at school. It's yucky enough to have him walk around with skid-marked undies, but its even worse if he gets some on his hands and doesn't wash it off properly.
So, all in all, this difference in venue for both school and after-school is working out to be a blessing! We're certainly settling into our routine nicely :-)
Meltdown
Ever since Todd was very little, before he was even walking, he showed a propensity for violent and aggressive outbursts. Since it was evident in him at such a young age, it's quite obviously attributed entirely to nature, not environment. Which just means we'll have to work doubly hard to reign him in and make sure that outside influences don't make it even worse!
Today's episode after school only exemplified how difficult it is to "tame" him.
I let Todd play on the playground with his friends after school. When it came time to go home, he outright refused. Many times he'll simply bawl and beg (like most little kids do), but often he'll resort to fits of anger and lashing out. Hard. Today he chose the latter, and a very severe form of it at that! He started screaming and kicking. So much so that everyone turned and stared, and the kids he was playing with shrank away from him. He was flailing about so much that I could not drag him to the car, and so I had to pick him up-- one arm holding his chest, and the other hooked behind one leg (to minimize the kicking). Then when we got in the car, he refused to sit down. I'd push him into the car seat and he'd immediately get up, making it extremely difficult for me to strap him into his seat. It took every last ounce of energy I had to finally buckle him in and get on the road. I realized then that it wouldn't be long before he would become too strong (physically) for me to overpower him in future such situations.
All along the drive home he screamed and kicked violently, begging to go back to the playground, and ordering me in no uncertain terms to turn around and go back to his school. For the first time in my life I had to yell at the top of my lungs in order to make myself be heard above his screams. I realized it was pointless to try to reason with him when he was that agitated, so all I could do along the drive home was to warn him to calm down. He finally did, and at that point I could explain to him what happened and why I took him out of the playground.
This isn't the first time something like this has happened. He is only 3 years old but exceptionally strong for his age, and very stubborn. Okay, most kids can be stubborn and refuse to listen, but most kids will simply cry. Or if they do throw fits, it isn't particularly violent. This kid? Brings a whole new definition to the terms "mean" and "destructive".
It's going to take a lot to keep his attitude in check, but I hope in the end all our efforts will pay off. They say that nature and nurture go hand-in-hand in shaping a child's personality and character. I agree. Todd's already got nature working against him, which only means we'll all have to make an extra effort to make sure that the nurturing portion of his upbringing will cancel out nature.
Today's episode after school only exemplified how difficult it is to "tame" him.
I let Todd play on the playground with his friends after school. When it came time to go home, he outright refused. Many times he'll simply bawl and beg (like most little kids do), but often he'll resort to fits of anger and lashing out. Hard. Today he chose the latter, and a very severe form of it at that! He started screaming and kicking. So much so that everyone turned and stared, and the kids he was playing with shrank away from him. He was flailing about so much that I could not drag him to the car, and so I had to pick him up-- one arm holding his chest, and the other hooked behind one leg (to minimize the kicking). Then when we got in the car, he refused to sit down. I'd push him into the car seat and he'd immediately get up, making it extremely difficult for me to strap him into his seat. It took every last ounce of energy I had to finally buckle him in and get on the road. I realized then that it wouldn't be long before he would become too strong (physically) for me to overpower him in future such situations.
All along the drive home he screamed and kicked violently, begging to go back to the playground, and ordering me in no uncertain terms to turn around and go back to his school. For the first time in my life I had to yell at the top of my lungs in order to make myself be heard above his screams. I realized it was pointless to try to reason with him when he was that agitated, so all I could do along the drive home was to warn him to calm down. He finally did, and at that point I could explain to him what happened and why I took him out of the playground.
This isn't the first time something like this has happened. He is only 3 years old but exceptionally strong for his age, and very stubborn. Okay, most kids can be stubborn and refuse to listen, but most kids will simply cry. Or if they do throw fits, it isn't particularly violent. This kid? Brings a whole new definition to the terms "mean" and "destructive".
It's going to take a lot to keep his attitude in check, but I hope in the end all our efforts will pay off. They say that nature and nurture go hand-in-hand in shaping a child's personality and character. I agree. Todd's already got nature working against him, which only means we'll all have to make an extra effort to make sure that the nurturing portion of his upbringing will cancel out nature.
TV shows
Mommy and Daddy grew up on Sesame Street, 3-2-1 Contact, and Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. Nowadays, the selection of children's TV shows, particularly educational ones, has expanded.
Among Todd's regularly-watched shows? Caillou, Blue's Clues, Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego Go!
Caillou reminds me of Todd-- little bald boy playing imaginatively. I like Blue's Clues because-- well, it features a darling doggie! The interactive nature of it is fun too. But I think Dora and Diego top the interactivity factor, as well as the puzzle-solving nature of the show.
Today, as Todd was watching Diego, he proclaimed: "I think this is my favorite!"
I would have to agree-- as I said, I like the interaction and thinking factors of the show. But what I like best about it is the recap at the end-- a bit of comprehension testing to review what the kids have learned on the show. Plus-- it's all about rescuing animals-- and instilling a love for animals is definitely something I want for my son :-)
Among Todd's regularly-watched shows? Caillou, Blue's Clues, Dora the Explorer and Go, Diego Go!
Caillou reminds me of Todd-- little bald boy playing imaginatively. I like Blue's Clues because-- well, it features a darling doggie! The interactive nature of it is fun too. But I think Dora and Diego top the interactivity factor, as well as the puzzle-solving nature of the show.
Today, as Todd was watching Diego, he proclaimed: "I think this is my favorite!"
I would have to agree-- as I said, I like the interaction and thinking factors of the show. But what I like best about it is the recap at the end-- a bit of comprehension testing to review what the kids have learned on the show. Plus-- it's all about rescuing animals-- and instilling a love for animals is definitely something I want for my son :-)
Todd-lers
I got an immense kick out of the above cartoon, taken from this week's "One Big Happy" comic strip.
Hey-- we have a bona fide Todd-ler!
:-D
Who's the mature one?
This afternoon Todd and Daddy played baseball in the backyard while Mommy was cleaning up in the kitchen. She soon joined the boys and next thing we knew, it was Mommy and Daddy playing baseball while Todd got distracted by toys on the back patio. Bored, he decided to climb onto a chair and sit comfortably while watching his parents play.
And the look on his face! It read: "What are these kids doing? I'm waaaayyyy too mature for games like this. I'm just gonna sit her and keep an eye on them, make sure they stay out of trouble!"
And the look on his face! It read: "What are these kids doing? I'm waaaayyyy too mature for games like this. I'm just gonna sit her and keep an eye on them, make sure they stay out of trouble!"
Simpsons Fun
A bit of silliness from this website. Here's me, Allan and Todd as Simpsons characters:
That's supposed to be a five o'clock shadow on Daddy's face, but it ended up looking too Homer-like. D'oh!! And it was VERY hard to do babies and little kids, because there just wasn't enough variety of features. This was the best I could whip together. No crew cut, no big ears, just the trademark blue hooded sweatshirt.
And, for a bit of fun: Grandma and Grandpa :-D
That's supposed to be a five o'clock shadow on Daddy's face, but it ended up looking too Homer-like. D'oh!! And it was VERY hard to do babies and little kids, because there just wasn't enough variety of features. This was the best I could whip together. No crew cut, no big ears, just the trademark blue hooded sweatshirt.
And, for a bit of fun: Grandma and Grandpa :-D
Multilingualism
It's no secret that kids are amazingly adept at picking up languages. In the spirit of that, we're trying to raise Todd with more than one language. So far, he's got 3 of them downpat-- English, Chinese and a Chinese dialect my grandmother speaks. We're attempting to throw German into the mix but everyone is so rusty at it, we keep forgetting and lapsing into our own native tongues. Anyway, Todd speaks solely English with Mommy and Daddy, solely Chinese with Opa, solely Chinese dialect with Ama-ama, and a mix of English and Chinese with Oma.
But it's not just different languages. My parents, having immigrated to the United States when they were in their late 30s, speak English with a noticeable accent. Daddy and I, however, do not. Todd has picked up on the subtle differences in our accents, and speaks in a slightly different accent to Oma than he does to me or Daddy. A good example is the middle "t" in words-- something Americans pronounce as a hard "d": turtle = tur-DLE; water = wa-DER, etc... but my folks pronounce as a soft "t", very much like the British pronunciation.
I can understand firsthand why its natural for him to do so-- I do the same. I use the same accent with my parents that they speak in, but adopt a 100% American accent when speaking to anyone else outside the family. It just seems so unnatural for me to speak with an American accent to my parents, and vice versa. I cannot bring myself to adopt one universal accent for use with everyone.
And now Todd has picked up this same habit. To my mom he'll clamor "I want wa-TER", but to me he'll ask for "wa-DER". It kind of reinforces the notion that my own dual-accent is not a conscious decision.
Fascinating what kids pick up, isn't it!
But it's not just different languages. My parents, having immigrated to the United States when they were in their late 30s, speak English with a noticeable accent. Daddy and I, however, do not. Todd has picked up on the subtle differences in our accents, and speaks in a slightly different accent to Oma than he does to me or Daddy. A good example is the middle "t" in words-- something Americans pronounce as a hard "d": turtle = tur-DLE; water = wa-DER, etc... but my folks pronounce as a soft "t", very much like the British pronunciation.
I can understand firsthand why its natural for him to do so-- I do the same. I use the same accent with my parents that they speak in, but adopt a 100% American accent when speaking to anyone else outside the family. It just seems so unnatural for me to speak with an American accent to my parents, and vice versa. I cannot bring myself to adopt one universal accent for use with everyone.
And now Todd has picked up this same habit. To my mom he'll clamor "I want wa-TER", but to me he'll ask for "wa-DER". It kind of reinforces the notion that my own dual-accent is not a conscious decision.
Fascinating what kids pick up, isn't it!
