Lessons from a Toddler

byGuguGirlGugz

105 followers

5 years ago

My son turned 3 in December and I remember 6 months prior researching how to help him talk and learn playfully. The learning videos and the books I would show him would have him throw a tantrum that he would throw objects at the TV and he would shout wanting a cartoon show he enjoyed. I thought I was a terrible mom. I resisted and didn't give in to that terrible feeling I had and kept showing him and sharing educational videos. I would show him toy objects and make sounds when reading a book (barking for a dog, quaking for a duck) which would just fustrate him. I dreaded it and some tasks I held off because he just hated that learning process! I would get him toys and teach him how to play with them. We would play chase and throw/kick ball outside the house and he only lasted 10 minutes because he really wanted the show.

Fast foward to yesterday, I carried his little sister on my back (as many African women do!) because she is teething and extra clingy. I started walking around my colorful garden with her on my back, to which he followed. I showed him a flower and asked him, "What color is this?"(in English), to which he replied after much hesitation, "Pupo". So exited I went to the next set of blooming flowers and I asked, "And this?", he shouted, "Yewow". I pointed at the sky above and he said, "Boooo"!

It reminded me of how I also hate starting something new. I love learning and I can eat up all the information but I dread ACTUALLY doing it. But once I get the hang of things it's so easy for me to adapt. My toddler reminded my that although I'm not quick to learn and apply what I am learning and also how much I love to procastinate, the most important thing is take a step at a time, because it gets easier to understand through learning and practising what I learned.

I'm exited to teach him about phonics and we will be learning through writing too! I'm trying to cut down TV to play through learning (although it's difficult while trying to be an affiliate blogger) I know in 6 months what I teach him today will be so easy for him to grasp and open up his brain to being a smart little man. (Of course he can watch his favourite cartoon too)

Learning from a 3 year old,

Gugu