Motor Mouth

Let’s see…in a period of 6 days S lost a toenail, graduated from PreK, had a gymnastics showcase and lost her first tooth.

Today we’ll talk about J. One of the things I have been doing with the kids is whenever I send an email about an accomplishment or a ‘kids say the darnedest things’ incident I save it in a file for them to see when they get older. Such was not the case from the beginning, though, so this particular story can’t be cut and pasted I have to retype it…

When J was quite young (9-10 months?) and we were grocery shopping, she was sitting in the toddler seat part of the cart and wanted to hold the groceries. I gave her the havarti dill cheese to hold (cheese type I know, child’s age-not so much). She held that cheese and babbled at it non-stop for the rest of the shopping trip. She was so animated in her chatter that at one point a man walking by said, “I don’t know what it did, but it is never going to do it again.” I told people then, that I had a feeling I was going to have a very verbal child.

She is very articulate, social, inquisitive and there is never any reticence in discussing any topic at pretty much any opportunity. One of her teachers has nicknamed her motor mouth…so, no surprise she has gotten talked to more than once about talking. She has come home a few times lately complaining that no matter how many people are talking, it is always J that gets in trouble. WELL…in addition to the standard parent line of “If you are quiet when you are supposed to be…” I have pointed out to her that she has a very loud, strong voice and perhaps that is why people hear her talking easiest – she insists that she IS whispering very quietly.

Last night she came bounding out after school saying, “oh and mom, bad news. I can’t have field day…I got in trouble for talking…but C and H and G and T were talking and I was the only one that got in trouble…” More discussion about how come only she got in trouble, when it happened, why she shouldn’t have been talking (and I’m thinking – “well, I am NOT volunteering for that field day if you aren’t going to be there!!!!” )

We left school and were on to S’s last gymnastics class. J and one other big sister were allowed to participate…dive rolls, tumble track, through the raised hula hoop rolls, vaults….all around fun for all involved. Well, almost all fun…there was that issue of standing in line waiting your turn and there was J chattering away with the other big sister. From the other end of the room I couldn’t hear a thing but what I saw explained it all…other big sister was standing still looking at J and talking. J was chattering away smiles ear to ear, hands gesturing, bouncing from one foot to the other, head bobbing…I have more than solved the mystery of why she is always the one caught…

Today's lesson to J - it is just as important for your body to whisper as your voice.

Note: J's teacher was out for the 'barred from field day' incident and she intervened...J got field day and below we see her after a hard workout...