August 27, 2003
Total recall and total recollection
Monday our two oldest kids and I were hanging out at the local Barnes & Noble trying to find field guides to birds (for the boy, 6 years old) and frogs (for the girl, 4 years old). As I began browsing through Sibley's Birding Basics the boy saw the cover and said, "That's a male ruby-throated hummingbird!"
Recovering from my astonishment - I had classified it as "some bird" - I realized that he has devoured our Readers Digest North American Wildlife and he's hungry for more, so we bought all the Sibley we could find along with the Peterson First Guide to North American Birds with its concise list of 188 birds for him to memorize. Looks like we'll be tossing books into his gaping omnivorous maw for a long time to come.
Meanwhile, our 4-year-old daughter is quite pleased with her guide to reptiles and amphibians: "Daddyyyy, they're not icky!" as I shudder at nearly every page. I've already solemnly defined, declared, taught and preached that there will be no pet snakes or spiders in our house, but she may win that battle: yesterday she spent 20 minutes in silent prayer and recollection before our Fra Angelico Annunciation in the living room. If she decides to mobilize the angels and saints in her cause, I don't stand a chance.
Posted by billw at August 27, 2003 09:22 AM
Speaking from one educator to another: If you can get them hooked on the joy of books at that early age, the rest is gravy. Reading is the key to all the rest of it, and LIKING reading is the key to doing it well. Congratulations on having what appear to be very promising children! Don't put a cap on that book budget if you can help it.
Posted by: Chris at August 27, 2003 11:31 PMDear Mr. White,
Samuel is similarly amazing--able to distinguish between cattle Egrets, Great American Egrets, and Snowy Egrets on site, and identifying about 40 species of fish and invertebrates. (Including, of course, Sponge Bob). And speaking of sponges--as you must well know by now, children at this age are veritable sponges, soaking up everything available and then some.
What a wonder and a blessing.
shalom,
Steven
Posted by: Steven Riddle at August 28, 2003 02:38 PMMetaphysics is the finding of bad reasons for what we believe upon instinct, but to find these reasons is no less an instinct.
Posted by: penis enlargement at October 18, 2004 11:25 PM
