A new achievement @16 months

Cherry

By Rhiannonw

Tue, 15 Dec 2020
  • 1894 reads
11 comments
 

9 cubes in a square box,
tip them out,
chuck one back in anyhow,
then 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th –
7th, 8th – maybe need
a bit of a shove and push
in one of the odd-shaped spaces now left,
until they slide in.

Now one left –
sometimes the shoving has left
a neat square space left,
but often there are now a lot of little
funny-shaped gaps here and there.
Push hard at one of them, wriggle, shove, press,
slide them around
(maybe give up on working at one gap,
and try another)
– but eventually in it goes,
and it all looks tidy again.
Adult: clap hands! Well done!
child: beams

Then, chuck them out again, and work away
until all done and praise  again.

Repeated about 10 times, until adult decides both need
a change!

Certificate U
Poem
Families
Children's
Humour
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you for the cherries. It was fun writing about this! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

This is very very nice Rhiannon and educational! The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

&&

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks. It's fascinating noticing how children experiment and learn skills, and copy adults in speech and actions, and also persevere at something they find they can do, but with difficulty, especially if they know someone notices and praises their efforts! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

Yes and we learn mostly by playing, which may sound contradictory but I am sure you agree. Sometimes I feel sorry for today's kids just tv and internet and electronics they hardly even go outside and they learn all kinds of ugly things instead. Can't even ride a bicycle.

 

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Yes, the TV or computer can become a sort-of nanny, and parents can be scared of how to let their children spend time outside safely, and play with real toys indoors on their own, experimenting, but with their parent watching, and involved with them at times. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Brought back so many memories!  The feeling of pleasure when you've found something they like doing and that will keep them occupied.  The feeling of hysteria when they like it so much you're doing it or reading that story for the 240th time!  Lovely poem, Rhiannon.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thanks, yes! And it is lovely to see them gaining a skill, and fascinated by something new they can do, and their pleasure in it, but distraction is sometimes necessary! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Little ones can teach us adults so much don't you think? That all important effort and concentration of placing those shaped cubes in the box and deriving so much fun from doing the task, that there's a need to do it over and over again.

For me repetition is important as I've always been a slow learner, not only as a child but even to this day. We need to have more patience with these kind of people, however frustrating it may seem, because it's important for their confidence.

A great poem Rhiannon, teaching that importance.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Jenny. That is an interesting comparison. Here I think the child was so chuffed in her achievement that she just wanted to repeat. But yes, I think most of us find repetition necessary to fix practical skills in our brains. I certainly am not practical, and I can't remember what my husband explains to me (frequently to do with the computer!) unless I wrtie it down in some way and then do it again and again. So often, the skill isn't needed for a while, and by then the method has faded away from my mind! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I liked your poem :0) Though this has occured often when helping out at toddler group or primary school, never with my son! However, now he has a computer he has learned to persevere :0) Enjoying these mam gu diaries very much

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you, Di. Children are all so different, and some are more easy to 'read' than others who keep their thoughts and pleasures less visible! Interestingly this child says/copies so few words, and is so used to getting understaniding with an 'eh' for everything at present, and yet her facial expressions are quite revealing! Thank you for remembering 'mamgu', though it is one word!

Rhiannon