Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Manipulation

While at table, finishing our well-deserved afternoon snack of a banana chocolate chip cookie:

Toddler: “Mama, I think I need another cookie.”

Me: “Oh? You can have another if you count to 10 in Latin for me.”

Toddler: thinks for a moment and then shakes head

Me: takes another bite of cookie

Toddler: “I think no.”

Me: “Unus….”

Toddler: “I think I just need to have some of yours.”

Me: poker face

Toddler: somewhat panicked, “I think duo….”

Me: shifts eyes up in confidence

Toddler: pauses

Me: “…tria….”

Toddler: “…quattuor…”

Me: “…quinque….”

Toddler: “…sex, septum, octo, novem, DECEM!!!”

There are many ways to incorporate the language of the universal Church into ones mothering, afterall!

2 comments:

Ebeth said...

WOW!!!!! We have been learning Latin for 2 years now....my you're good and the banana chocolate chip cookie.....unum, duo,.....

Ebeth

Anonymous said...

Erica- That is a really neat sharing. I would not necessarily call it manipulation. It was an opportunity- a teachable moment. It amazes me that Thomas can do that at his age,but I suspect that these pre-school years are prime for those kinds of rather informal teaching moments. Thank you for being there for him! With my love and prayers- Mom S.