I had a nightmare moment yesterday afternoon. The phone rang at work and I immediately recognized the number as Monkey's daycare; I answered thinking it was the worst and Monkey needed to go to the hospital or doctor or something....it is quite amazing, how many vivid (and awful) scenarios your mind can produce in the 3 seconds it takes to reach out, grab the receiver, and say hello.
It wasn't anything like that, just that her main teacher wanted to talk to me one-on-one about Monkey's language. Needless to say that very short conversation gave me a heart attack, and I was convinced we'd have to put Monkey into an early intervention class starting today.
After a much longer conversation when I picked Monkey up at school, I learned that Monkey is lagging a bit in language skills, at least compared to what she comprehends and the kids she is in class with. However, after talking with Monkey's godmom (the pediatrician), I am satisfied that Monkey is well within the normal range of language developement - although admittedly at the less developed end of the spectrum.
Turns out she uses a lot more words with us than she does at school, and a lot of that is personality driven. She is stubborn and if someone else answers the question or says the word first (like in response to flash cards) she won't answer. Period. I imagine her internal dialogue runs something like this: "what, are you deaf? that kid ALREADY said doggy. let's get a move on, folks..."
She also gets stubborn (and I do mean mulish) and will use some words with some teachers but not with others. Manipulative little bugger! So, we do need to work with her on language, and make her (um, hello temper tantrums) use her words instead of asking her a series of yes/no questions and letting her communicate that way. In other words, stop making it easy on her.
On the way home I bought some flash cards at a childrens book store, thinking we'd "try" it....and lo and behold, she really liked it! Huzzah! Best 3 dollars I ever spent. Turns out she even knows words I've never even tried to teach her - like fish. Cool. And so interesting to realize how much she knows that I don't even know she knows. (And if that isn't an awkward sentence I don't know what it.)
I called one of my closest friends to tell her this story, and she asked if my parents laugh when I tell them stories about how pig-headed stubborn Monkey can be. I said yes, they think it is hilarious. So apparently it's my karma, to have a stubborn kid.
Everyone that knows me? All together now, nod your head and laugh.
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