On Tuesday I volunteered in Ironflower’s class. I participated in circle time and then read the kids a story. It was so weird to be using my teacher voice but not be able to correct behavior and whatnot. Not that I wanted to correct very much behavior (her class really is very well-behaved), but it was very odd not having it be my job.
Still, it was a lot of fun. I thought Ironflower might show off in front of me, or shut down as some of the other moms reported their kids doing when they went in to read. But no, Ironflower handled the situation with total aplomb. She was her typical self - about four times more verbal then the other kids. Seriously, she’s a talking prodigy. During circle time, Mrs.G. asked each kid to talk about his or her Easter. Most kids replied with a few sentences, some replied in short answers to Mrs.G’s prompts. And then came Ironflower. Mrs.G. actually had to interrupt her, so detailed and lengthy was her description of Easter.
That afternoon she talked throughout her entire nap time. TWO HOURS. Sure some days, she doesn’t sleep the whole time and I hear her chattering away. But I was within ear shot the whole time and she never, ever paused. It was amazing. She was telling stories, and having conversations with her kitty AND talking to her imaginary friends the dinosaurs - sometimes all at once.
No wonder I sometimes worry about Lovebug’s language skills - he speaks like a normal child. By the time Ironflower was his age, she spoke in complete sentences ALL the time. And now she talks in paragraphs. She’s even developed a game that emphasizes talking. She describes an animal and then it’s your job to guess what it is. Then you describe an animal and she guesses what it is. Yesterday she and Hubby were playing in the car (Ironflower is adamant that this is a two person game only) and he was describing a zebra, “It’s black and white, kinda looks like a horse and stars with ‘zzz’”. Ironflower was stumped long enough for Lovebug to chime in, “Ze-Buh!”
He may not be the talking prodigy his sister is, but he sure doesn’t miss anything!
12 responses so far ↓
Mama Zen // March 30, 2008 at 12:00 pm
My daughter is the same way. Sometimes I wonder if she’s ever going to pause for breath!
anglophilefootballfanatic // March 30, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I think it could possibly be the boy vs girl thing, too. And, by the way you’ve described them, it sounds like she’s all talk & he’s pithy one-liners. My son is pithy like that, too.
Jenny, Bloggess // March 30, 2008 at 4:15 pm
Totally a boy vs girl thing. All the boys in Hailey’s class are quiet but smart. The girls never shut up.
Cris // March 30, 2008 at 8:23 pm
My daughter is like that at home…but out in public? No way. Every year her teachers have said she needs to speak up more and I look at them with a puzzled look and then say “Oh…You have us confused! I’m DIVA’s mom!”
MamaGeek // March 30, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I was going to say what AFF said, I wonder if it’s just a boy versus girl thing! Too cute.
Reiza // March 30, 2008 at 9:04 pm
Girl2 is similar. She doesn’t stop. Girl1 can be if her sister isn’t around. When they’re together, they talk to each other, but when the sister isn’t there, Girl1 will talk to me for hours barely stopping to take a breath. We’ve been searching for the mute button for years.
I thought TheBoy would speak later and wouldn’t be at the same level as his sisters (in part because he’s a boy and in part because I didn’t think his sisters would let him get a word in edgewise), but to my surprise, he signed early then said his first word right after and he said his first sentence before he was a year old. At 2, he’s right on par with where his sisters were at that age.
Although, we’re often in the same situation as some moms above when we go out. Girl1 is likely to chat with you no matter what, but Girl2, while more talkative at home, is often quiet when she doesn’t know people well.
After months of attending story time when the girls were about 3, I had a librarian ask, “Are they always this quiet.” I laughed and said, “Never.”
Jess // March 30, 2008 at 9:12 pm
That is SO awesome. I love the imaginary play aspect- she is truly a prodigy! Did you see this link? http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=19212514
Your story about Ironflower made me think of this.
Kathryn // March 31, 2008 at 10:04 am
I hear boys’ verbal skill develop MUCH slower than girls. Although my second boy was VERY advanced. My first boy hardly said anything until he was close to two. Now he is more advanced than the kids in his class. No worries.
matteroffactmommy // March 31, 2008 at 12:44 pm
jersey, i’m not sure of your kids ages, but i wouldn’t worry about the 2nd child… well, at least i am in the same situation and i am not worrying. my 4yo son started talking very young in my opinion, at about 11-12mos. but my 21-month old still doesn’t say more than 1 word at a time and you can hardly understand what she’s saying when she does talk…
jerseygirl89 // March 31, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Mama Zen - Ironflower doesn’t. She must have the lung capacity of a whale.
AFF - I thought maybe it was an oldest thing, but you’ve got a point about pithy boys.
Cris - I’m sort of afraid of what it will be like when she goes to real school.
MamaGeek - maybe NewBaby will help us figure it out in a few years!
Reiza - At least yours are quite at the library! Mine love to scream there.
Jess - I actually heard part of the story the other day, I’m so glad to have the link - thank you!
Kathryn - Lovebug is probably fine - I’m just no t used to normal!
Matteroffact- See, your kids would go with my oldest/younger theory - BTW, Ironflower is 3 1/4 and Lovebug just turned two.
Becky // March 31, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Hehehe.
My kind of chick.
Leslie // March 31, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Ironflower sounds like Julia. Julia never stops talking. And since I’m a talker, there is hardly ever any silence in our house. Poor Dave. He can’t get a word in at all.
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