Counting, Writing, and a New President

A few recent happenings . . .

In those unstructured days between Christmas and starting back to school, Christopher started making to-do lists.  (Yep, he’s my son!)  I’ve been told that next year in kindergarten he will be doing some writing and sounding out words himself, so I try not to help him much when he is trying to spell things.  Plus, it is entertaining to see what he comes up with!  He is a good little speller!  Here is one of his to-do lists.  I helped him with the word “play” and he got his leapster to see how to spell that.  “Sooker” is soccer, and “lay with Will” refers to laying down with Will in their new play tent.  It’s harder to see the one he wrote in green, but my favorite on that list is “put up the Christmas chreey.”

Will has been doing some writing of his own–he can actually write his name now!  He doesn’t usually write the letters next to each other, but he will write each letter somewhere on the page.  I’ll try to get photo evidence soon.  He also likes to count, just like this every time:  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 12 13 14 14 14.   A few days ago in the car, Christopher and I were going over some addition facts.  Will listened carefully as Christopher did 1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4 and 5+5.  Then I started challenging Christopher with 2+3, and then 3+4 really stumped him.  Out of nowhere, Will yelled, “7!”  I know it must have been a total fluke, but he sounded like a genius!  The boy can’t count to 9, but he knows 3+4=7! 

On Tuesday, I watched parts of the inauguration with Christopher.  I remember Reagan becoming president when I was about his age, and I hope Christopher will have a memory of this week’s events.  I tried to explain to him a little bit about racism and why the election of President Obama is significant in our history.  I also gave him a little lesson in democracy and why we need to be thankful for the peaceful transfer of power in our country.

Before we watched the oath, I explained that Obama was going to promise to do the best job he can as our president.  Christopher thoughtfully asked, “Is God going to help him?”  It was as if he could sense the weight that this man was about to take on, and that it was not something man could do alone.  I explained that God always helps those who ask Him, and that we can pray for Obama that he will ask God for help and wisdom.  As Pres. Obama finished taking the oath, Christopher excitedly said, “He asked God to help him!”  I tried to explain that it is tradition to say that, and how I hoped he meant it.  It made me want Christopher to remain naive forever–to not understand racism, to only know democracy, to not suspect hypocrisy–sometimes the characteristics of childlike-ness are so beautiful.