Yesterday morning while she was sitting at the kitchen table, my two year old very casually blurted out an expletive when she dropped her pink play dough on the floor. Later in the day, when I removed a dirty nickel from her mouth, she looked me in the eye and playfully declared, "You're a jerk, Mommy." This morning I sent her into her room to find and put on a pair of socks. She did her best, but her efforts resulted in a backward, twisted and obviously uncomfortable sock configuration on her little feet. "Oh no!" she wailed dramatically from inside her bedroom, "My socks are RUINED!!"
I rushed in to help with the sock situation since I recognized her words and her frantic tone. She learned them both from me. In fact all of the phrases I quoted above could have come from my mouth under different circumstances. Is it any wonder that a two-year-old's favorite word is,"no"? That is the word they most often hear coming from their friends and loved ones. "No! Stop That! Oh my stars, the wall is RUINED!!"
Hearing my own words and inflections coming from the sweet lips of an innocent child should give me pause. I really should stop and think before I angrily suggest that the poorly performing ice maker has violated someone's mother. Honestly it's on my 'to do' list.. right after I fix that bloody ice maker.
Most of the time the learning of language and Mom-mimicry is pretty wonderful and adorable. Lili often corrects me when I offer her a "little bit" of something that she wants. "No, Mommy!" she explains, "I want too much of that!" Obviously in her two-year-old brain, there are two amounts of gold fish crackers to be had: "a little bit", and "too much." Clearly the "little bit" that Mom usually offers is not sufficient.
She is learning, and the third time around with a two-year-old I am still learning too. Witnessing learning is always fascinating and magical. Perhaps this is why I was drawn to teaching and why I enjoy children so much. Leaving babyhood in the past is bittersweet, but growth and change is exciting. I do so love being repeatedly astonished by the 'darndest things' these children of mine say. You just try not to smile when this little face looks up at you and says...
I rushed in to help with the sock situation since I recognized her words and her frantic tone. She learned them both from me. In fact all of the phrases I quoted above could have come from my mouth under different circumstances. Is it any wonder that a two-year-old's favorite word is,"no"? That is the word they most often hear coming from their friends and loved ones. "No! Stop That! Oh my stars, the wall is RUINED!!"
Hearing my own words and inflections coming from the sweet lips of an innocent child should give me pause. I really should stop and think before I angrily suggest that the poorly performing ice maker has violated someone's mother. Honestly it's on my 'to do' list.. right after I fix that bloody ice maker.
Most of the time the learning of language and Mom-mimicry is pretty wonderful and adorable. Lili often corrects me when I offer her a "little bit" of something that she wants. "No, Mommy!" she explains, "I want too much of that!" Obviously in her two-year-old brain, there are two amounts of gold fish crackers to be had: "a little bit", and "too much." Clearly the "little bit" that Mom usually offers is not sufficient.
She is learning, and the third time around with a two-year-old I am still learning too. Witnessing learning is always fascinating and magical. Perhaps this is why I was drawn to teaching and why I enjoy children so much. Leaving babyhood in the past is bittersweet, but growth and change is exciting. I do so love being repeatedly astonished by the 'darndest things' these children of mine say. You just try not to smile when this little face looks up at you and says...
"Leave me alone. I'm trying to dance. SERIOUSLY!!"
"Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth." ~Victoria Secunda
"Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth." ~Victoria Secunda
1 comment:
Tsk, tsk, tsk. Watch your language!
Post a Comment