"Mama, is this cell farting?" Xena asked me.
I jumped. "Who? What? Where?"
"Here." She pointed to a page in the book she was reading. It was a cartoon showing the process of fermentation in pizza dough. A yeast cell was shown to be, yes, farting.
I was surprised that she knew the word. Contrary to what every parenting book and website suggests, I have not made any conscious effort to teach her the proper names of body parts and body functions. In fact, I almost fell down laughing when I overheard a lady in a mall toilet ask her 2-year-old if he wanted to "pass urine".
I know I know. It's high time. It's the right, safe thing to do. I should probably stop asking Xena if she wants to "pee" and "poop" and ask her if she wants to, you know, "pass urine" or "pass motion". (I think both of us will fall down laughing.) On some levels, it might just be the mommy in me hanging on to Xena's fast-disappearing 'baby-ness'. She still uses words like 'bum-bum' and I don't even have the heart to 'correct' her.
Yeah, so back to the 'farting' thing. It was not a term I thought she knew, even though it falls midway between the formal 'passing gas' and the informal whatever-she-called-it (I was about to find out soon).
"This..." she pointed to the 'cloud' near the yeast cell's bum-bum. "Is this a fart?"
"Yes, it is a fart indeed." I answered. "But tell me, what does 'fart' mean? Do you know?"
"Oh Mama," she said in a chiding voice, "'Fart' is just the English word for 'bum-bum burp'!"
I jumped. "Who? What? Where?"
"Here." She pointed to a page in the book she was reading. It was a cartoon showing the process of fermentation in pizza dough. A yeast cell was shown to be, yes, farting.
I was surprised that she knew the word. Contrary to what every parenting book and website suggests, I have not made any conscious effort to teach her the proper names of body parts and body functions. In fact, I almost fell down laughing when I overheard a lady in a mall toilet ask her 2-year-old if he wanted to "pass urine".
I know I know. It's high time. It's the right, safe thing to do. I should probably stop asking Xena if she wants to "pee" and "poop" and ask her if she wants to, you know, "pass urine" or "pass motion". (I think both of us will fall down laughing.) On some levels, it might just be the mommy in me hanging on to Xena's fast-disappearing 'baby-ness'. She still uses words like 'bum-bum' and I don't even have the heart to 'correct' her.
Yeah, so back to the 'farting' thing. It was not a term I thought she knew, even though it falls midway between the formal 'passing gas' and the informal whatever-she-called-it (I was about to find out soon).
"This..." she pointed to the 'cloud' near the yeast cell's bum-bum. "Is this a fart?"
"Yes, it is a fart indeed." I answered. "But tell me, what does 'fart' mean? Do you know?"
"Oh Mama," she said in a chiding voice, "'Fart' is just the English word for 'bum-bum burp'!"
6 comments:
:))
Another interpretation of the Big B!
She is so smart. My boy is turning two and I am wondering how to develop his interest to read books. Any suggestions? Your blog posts on Xena are amazing and the fact that she reads a lot in such an young page is something you must have started way early..
She is something, isn't she :) brought an "Aww" from me
Arun,
:D
sagarika,
Thanks. :) I can only tell you what we did to take Xena a book-lover. I have been reading to her since she was a baby. When she was 18 months old, I started doing some alphabet flash cards with her and she picked up the letters very quickly. Then school took over and taught her phonics, etc. I'd just supplement by reading lots to her and with her. Of course, the strict no-TV rule helps loads because whenever she's indoors, she knows that she only has her toys and books to turn to. Hope this helps! :)
Beena,
Thanks. :)
HEHEHEHE! SO CUTE.
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