It’s such an amazing journey to watch the kids as they work through understanding and the English Language. John John just started Kindergarten and is being exposed to the wide wide world outside of his relatively sheltered pre-school existence. He knew about things in pre-school, like Star Wars, and Power Rangers Ninja Steel, and Ninjago, but “knew” in a way that’s like he’s the fourth person in a game of kid-culture telephone. But now, he’s at Kindergarten. He is around kids his age through 8th grade. They “know” things and he’s impressed. He’s learning and trying his best to hold his own.
We have a small fake game boy in the house. It’s not the height of modern technology, but it has a color screen and a ton of games, at least by what the box says. I won it at Christmas though still haven’t opened it or powered it up. But John John loves to look at the box. The box says it’s for ages 8+. He knows he’s too young to open it to play (plus, it’s mine – right?) but is holding out till he is old enough.
So, he comes home from school the other day asking me, when he turns eight, can he also play Fork Knife. His question was in such earnest, I had to turn away to crack my smile at the cuteness.
But this episode reminded me of a few things that I have been meaning to write about and need to do it before too much more time passes.
Story 1:
It was a weekend morning, and we were at the breakfast table. The kids were getting rowdy due to hunger and I was making toast.
“I’m hungry!” the kids complained.
“The toast will be done in a minute,” I said, as I took the pieces out of the toaster and began buttering them.
“That toast is bad,” John John declared.
“What do you mean? It has butter and jam. It’s going to be good!” I said in exasperated tones.
“No, it’s bad,” John John assured me. “It’s not kind.”
I have so many questions.
Story 2:
John’s sunglasses case is on the kitchen table waiting to be put back in the car. John John saddles up to the table and starts messing with the case. “Papa, your glasses are on the table,” he informs us.
“We know,” says John, “just leave them alone.”
John John picks up the case and starts messing with it again. Not being super rough, but what is the purpose of touching something like that – it’s only going to potentially damage the contents.
“Be gentle with them,” says John, quickly followed by, “John John, yuk! Stop kissing my glasses!”
Koko’s on her own trip, with much influence from her big brother. Right now she’s on a Mother Goose kick, her favorite rhyme being “Humpty Humpty.”
I can’t wait to see what comes next.
