Summer Fun: imitation and the magic of words

Summer time! Summer time! Fun time and Hot time!  If you live in the desert you know exactly what I'm talking about.  As I see in the news - all areas of the states are experiencing a heat wave!
You try to keep up with things to do this summer and not have your young ones out in the heat all day, here are some games to play or sessions to keep them going while cooling off in the house!

The Importance of Imitation and the Magic of Words -
Our children are great mimics and they learn to talk by imitating the sounds they hear, especially from you. They also need to figure out what all those sounds mean, in order for them to do that, they need lots of social interaction, especially from you.  For instance, your child loves to listen to music; whether it be children's singing tapes or the music you share in the car or at home.  Make dancing with them part of the music activity.  They will be looking to you to sing with them and teach them the words.  So their nursery songs like 'Itsy Bitsy Spider', or 'The Wheels on the Bus', or 'BINGO' are all fun with their acting out counterparts - do that with them!  But even more fun is when you are listening to the country, pop, or rock song.  Dance with them!  Show them those low-down beats or bass drums can make you 'see how low you can go' Swoop down and touch the floor!  And when you're not singing, listen to those higher notes and lift your hands high up in the air, 'turn around like you just don't care'.  Or lift up your child to show how high notes can go in the song. 
While we're talking about sounds - include in your listening, imitating time to listen to the sounds around the house and pretend play.  Let's pretend to build that blanket tent in the living room with the nail, hammer, and saw.  Where did onomatopoeias come from? People imitating that sound in words; so, pretend with that bang! bang! bang! while you're putting the blanket over the chairs.  Sst, Sst, Sst, with the saw as you saw the blanket to make it fit around the floor with your saw, and swish, swish, swish with the paint brush to make your tent lovely - like a castle for girls - or manly - like the barricade for boys.

Whatever the case, make it up!  'Pretend' for children helps them to practice real-life skills with imaginative fun and sounds turning to words, so let the abstract sounds turn into concrete meanings. Go ahead! Go have some fun!

So Many Things are Miracles

Where there is great love there are always miracles.  ~Willa Cather

I received an email the other day; you know the kind.  The forwards we all receive - it could be a joke; it could be a poster for 'joke of the day'; it could be a letter to help when you don't want to; it could be a tear jerker; or it could 'be your chance to cash in a million dollar check being held for you!'  They are the type of emails I quickly scan through and usually delete.  You know that kind - right?!!

Well, I received one that made me stop and read; quickly at first and then I slowed down - Whispers - it was called.  It dealt with what we listen to and how we respond - do we hear words for what they are or do we hear words with those subtle undertones.  My mom always said (and still does!) that I hear subtle undertones, even when there are none.  I am always looking for something else.  I want more.
I want miracles!

After reading that particular email - I suddenly realized I have heard words with soooo many undertones; those undertones must be my miracles.   My first great love - family at the core.  Family that talks, talks, talks, and talks some more.  We have words on everything and have taught ourselves that 'Words have Consequences'.  Do you do that in your family?  We love Scrabble, Word Search, and Crossword Puzzles.  Books to read and Documentaries to share.  Where did this all come from?  Words from language from family member to family member.

Ahhhhhh! you say;  you knew this was going to come back to language and family =)  but did you know those words are your little miracles passed on to your little miracles.  Get started showing words with those subtle undertones.  Talk about everything to your young children.  Ask them questions about what you talked about - think of a different way to say those words and share it again.  Continue to talk to your young children as they grow into young adults and watch the language in them expand to what they hold as a miracle.  They may not see it at the time, but you will be amazed at how it all comes back to a great love.  My great love is the language of family - passed to each other and beyond; which in turn sparks the language of words - and that in itself is a miracle.

A New Year Cometh

Free your spirit and dance with life - from Finding Joy by Charlotte Kasl

My mom and my mother-in-law are great ladies!  They are the true meaning of moms with all the cliches - and I mean that in the most loving way!  Even for the holidays, they always, for as long as I can remember have gotten something for everyone on Christmas or for Chanukah; and. . . . if there is a last minute guest. . . . that is not a problem. . . they are included with a gift. . . my moms make, and still do. . . make everyone feel loved.

Which brings about my thoughts for a quick blog regarding the new year.  A couple of years ago, my mom-in-law presented all the ladies with a small, delicate sun catcher - each one with a quote.  I received the one which I quoted above, it's from the author Charlotte Kasl.  If you know this author, you know she writes in regards to having a balanced, richer life.

I loved the quote when I received it and after setting things back in place after the holidays (basic holiday cheer being put away) the sun catcher caught my eye and I fell in love with the quote once again.  For soon, it will be a new year and I sit back and think about the year that was, did I dance all through the year?  Probably not. . . some little bumps along the way.  Then I think about how much time and thought is spent on the things that made me stop dancing. . . seconds, minutes, hours, days. . . . . any time would probably be too much if it made me stop dancing. 
Children are quite different, they could dance late into the night if we let them, and that is why I love spending so much time teaching and talking to them.  They make me think about life and fun and freeing the spirit.  That is why I want to teach them to communicate those feelings and ideas and thoughts of wonder with the best words I can give them - or make them want to say.  That is why I love to share with families - there is so much dancing left to be done and so many free spirits wanting to be heard! 

Do parents spend time during the year not dancing?  Of course we do, we have so many other things to worry about and take care of - especially when it comes to our children.  Parents want the best for their children.  Parents want their children to have what they didn't - we all strive for that everyday.  We strive for what we didn't have, but along the way, we sometimes sell out and stop dancing.

We have to remember to relax with our children and have some fun.  I know how hectic the holidays and everyday can be. . . with all the rushing and so much fussing.  But we can open a book and take a look, or sit in a chair and share, or even . . . .

talk about dancing and give them the words to dance.

Words Have Meaning

The English language is such a complex system!  While I attended graduate school for my Masters in Speech Science, I didn't think I was ever going to get through development of, or the system of our language.  It was definitely a love/hate relationship!  In those years, I learned words have meaning - in sooooo many different ways.

 My husband, to this day, tells my son on every consultative conversation they have: "Your words have meaning, son - make sure you are saying the right thing - you need to convey exactly what you mean"; or on every 'man-to-man' discussion, "Your words have meaning - make sure you don't hurt the person you are talking to. . .'

As the years keep moving by, I've realized (once again) how much language matters and how so very important it is to tell parents and the students I work with. . . words have meaning.
As baby develops, language and speech develop.  They learn (as a part of brain development) their sounds and voice convey a message because some noise always gets them noticed.  A caregiver knows the baby's language and speech are developing because they have learned that each message is evolving into something they understand!

Those individuals with a hearing loss, lose some of that information and lose it at varying degrees depending on onset of loss and degree of loss, but words still have meaning. . . . that doesn't change.
So I teach children and parents to convey that meaning early on. . . in varying situations. . . in a 1000 different ways.  As an activity is introduced within a therapy session, I always write in my notes how to use or implement at home.  From there, the parent and I brainstorm about how to incorporate into other areas of life, activities and/or language - because words have meaning.  i.e. 'up' - pick me up, let's go up, put up, pick up (noun vs. verb - think about it!), dress up, move up. . . it's exhausting! Of course start with what you do for the baby first, but think of introducing all those other language, speech, idioms as the baby gets older and is a child, tween, teen, adult!

Here is an example of the season; (bless their hearts) - a therapy session with three or four 2nd/3rd graders diagnosed with language/speech impairment secondary to hearing impairment.  We are going over holiday vocabulary and try to think of synonyms for particular vocabulary words.  The word 'Santa' comes up from the vocabulary deck - not one child realized; besides the word 'Santa Claus', that 'St. Nick', 'Jolly ol' St. Nick', or Nicolas are various words for Santa. They've heard the songs and read the words, but they just thought it was some man who liked the holidays!  Guess what the lesson turned into!

Words have meaning. . . . we want to give every opportunity to teach what we know and love - language! That being said,

May the meaning of the season mean all you want it to - and be a true part of your family's language.