I went to pick Marta up at kindergarten today and Olga, one of Marta's two teachers, told me that there is a new kid in the Catholic School kindergarten who speaks English as a native language and doesn't know any Estonian. Supposedly it's his second day and he's not taking his new language environment well.
Olga told me that they've elected Marta to be his friend, as she is bilingual, and the Catholic school kindergarten and her kindergarten play together on the playground. I asked Marta about it on the way home, but she said she was too shy (!) to play with him, which is very funny if you know Marta. I told her that I understand she is shy, but that she is very funny and likable and he is lonely and he needs her help. I will ask her again tomorrow if she played with the lonely English-speaking boy.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
parenting
I don't pay too much attention to ongoing debates in parenting. In the US, it seems there are libraries of books on how to do it, and there are even simmering arguments between those who believe it "takes a village" versus those who believe it "takes a family," or those who recommend "conditional" parenting (witholding love from child to make child do what you want) versus those who recommend "unconditional" parenting -- "Moving from rewards and punishment to love and reason."
In our own way, we've become lifestylists, too, putting our older daughter in a Waldorf-style school, trying to adhere to some green values, creating a home kindgarten for our younger one based on a model popular in Finland. I don't think of us as being ideologues, but we certainly have developed some philosophy towards parenting. I definitely have some values, though I am not sure I could articulate them.
The best advice I got on parenting was from a former Royal Marine. He was my cab driver in Cambridge, UK, in March. He told me his life story, how he was stationed in Kirkenes, Norway, how he met his Norwegian wife in the post office, et cetera, et cetera. And he said, "Whatever you do, always show your children that you love their mother. This will take any bad feelings out of the family." I've been trying to follow his advice. I think he was right. I mean, he was a former Royal Marine.
In our own way, we've become lifestylists, too, putting our older daughter in a Waldorf-style school, trying to adhere to some green values, creating a home kindgarten for our younger one based on a model popular in Finland. I don't think of us as being ideologues, but we certainly have developed some philosophy towards parenting. I definitely have some values, though I am not sure I could articulate them.
The best advice I got on parenting was from a former Royal Marine. He was my cab driver in Cambridge, UK, in March. He told me his life story, how he was stationed in Kirkenes, Norway, how he met his Norwegian wife in the post office, et cetera, et cetera. And he said, "Whatever you do, always show your children that you love their mother. This will take any bad feelings out of the family." I've been trying to follow his advice. I think he was right. I mean, he was a former Royal Marine.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
ice cream store
Anna likes to play with cars (she calls them "autos"). But where are those cars going? Today, I found out.
Me: Anna where are those cars going?
Anna: To the ice cream store.
According to Ester, the teacher in Anna's half-day pre-school, Anna's cars are always heading to the ice cream store. They never go anywhere else.
Me: Anna where are those cars going?
Anna: To the ice cream store.
According to Ester, the teacher in Anna's half-day pre-school, Anna's cars are always heading to the ice cream store. They never go anywhere else.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
child development
There was a time when I tried to force education on Marta. Now I am happy to report that things seem to be developing by themselves. She has learned to spell, is interested in reading, and now, for some reason, wants to know about numbers. When I walk her to school, she asks me:
Marta: Why do houses have numbers?
Me: So that the postman can find the right house when he delivers letters. The postman doesn't know everyone's name, so people have to write the house number on the envelope.
I am not sure if that's a good answer, but she seemed to accept it. And another thing -- Marta has a musical ear. I heard her singing the other day (she learns lots of songs and poems in school). And the way she did one section was very impressive. It's not just that she hits the right notes, but that she can move between them, and maybe take one down a half step, then swing back up to it. I realized that she is listening and can repeat. There are a lot adults who can't even carry a simple tune. But Marta can, and she's not even six years old yet!
Anna's vocabulary is impressive. Of course, most of it's in Estonian, but at the same age, Marta favored Estonian, too. It's mommy's language. She understands everything I say, though. We have conversations. If I ask her a question, she'll answer. If it's about food, then Anna speaks English. Her favorite English word is "More." I can't believe that even as of April, her vocabulary was limited to something like 20 words. I was afraid she had some speech development problem. That's the thing about kids: you always worry. A kid gets a runny nose and you check on the Internet and basically a cold is a symptom for almost every known disease. I guess it's normal to worry. It's what parents do.
Marta: Why do houses have numbers?
Me: So that the postman can find the right house when he delivers letters. The postman doesn't know everyone's name, so people have to write the house number on the envelope.
I am not sure if that's a good answer, but she seemed to accept it. And another thing -- Marta has a musical ear. I heard her singing the other day (she learns lots of songs and poems in school). And the way she did one section was very impressive. It's not just that she hits the right notes, but that she can move between them, and maybe take one down a half step, then swing back up to it. I realized that she is listening and can repeat. There are a lot adults who can't even carry a simple tune. But Marta can, and she's not even six years old yet!
Anna's vocabulary is impressive. Of course, most of it's in Estonian, but at the same age, Marta favored Estonian, too. It's mommy's language. She understands everything I say, though. We have conversations. If I ask her a question, she'll answer. If it's about food, then Anna speaks English. Her favorite English word is "More." I can't believe that even as of April, her vocabulary was limited to something like 20 words. I was afraid she had some speech development problem. That's the thing about kids: you always worry. A kid gets a runny nose and you check on the Internet and basically a cold is a symptom for almost every known disease. I guess it's normal to worry. It's what parents do.
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