Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Not-really-brag-so-much-as-quirky- anecdote thread

I had to check on where DD was with Santa before we attended any holiday parties. I didn't want to unnecessarily upset other children or parents.

Me: "So, what do you think of Santa?"
DD: "He's still in North Pole."
Me: "Okay. So he is going to visit us with his reindeers?"
DD: "Oh yes. Did you know that reindeers use their ears to fly since they don't have wings?"
Me: "No, I didn't know that but that's most interesting."
DD: "Yes but it's just pretend."
Me: "Hmmm?"
DD: "Santa is only real like fairies are real in movies."
Me: "What do you mean?"
DD: "In real life, Santa and fairies are just pretend but in books and movies, they are real characters."

SO and I need to think about how to best approach this. I'm not surprised but it is a little sad nonetheless.

DD4 woke up this morning with a twinkle in her eyes as she declared," I had a dream about building my own flying machine. Do you have an old LL Bean box you don't need anymore?" And so started a busy morning for DD as she set about "invading" (honey, it is inventing. Oh, I thought it was invasion. No, honey, it is invention. Okay) her flying machine with LLbean shoe box covered with vaseline (it does get cold up there and I don't want dry skin while I am up there for a few days), lots of yarn, a belt (mom, safety first. I don't want to fall and hit my head), markers to mark + signs all over the box (plus for positive. I want this to be a positive experience). I am secretly enjoying watching all this from the kitchen. DD stops at a point and says," Awww. Too much confusion. Mom I need to have a discussion." Okay, what is it. " I want to carry a radio and speakers on the machine but if I add too much, the weight goes up. I may need more helium balloons. But I can't be up there for so long without music. I guess I will have to glue the radio and speaker to the box and add 2 more balloons." Discussion (monologue) over. After 2 hours, "mom, I am ready to test this thing". "Is it done". "No, mom. Have to test it at every stage. Cant be building it wrong." Yup, the belt fits nicely around her waist, it is tied tightly to the box with glued on stuff. It is working good so far. She took a break at noon to eat. I need to buy her lots of helium balloons this evening to finish the invention. The best part is it was snowing outside and DD has been waiting for this day but she decided to stay inside instead so " I can finish this machine before I have to go to college. Don't want to wait till the last minute." Sorry this got long but I had an entertaining morning watching DD build and talk continuously.

How precious her observations are, and how gently expressed! You were wise to have a conversation before the subject comes up with others. With some kiddos, it was quickly agreed that it was fun to "pretend" and quietly observe what others may know, without bursting anyone's bubble. Possibly your child will feel this way, too. Some children easily realize that everyone comes to an understanding of what is real and what is make-believe, in their own time.

There is a song with lyrics including,
That is a sad thought to some kiddos. Maybe a bit of what you are feeling at the moment, seeing your dd is growing in her realization of the world? Some families have decided they can be kids at any time, essentially challenging the song lyrics. Families may have an impromptu pajama day, eat dinner as a tea party, go sledding, or make happy family memories with other simple innocent fun that people do not need to "outgrow" or leave behind while becoming responsible adults.

WOW! Hope you take a picture. MUST find a find a way to make it "work"... can you place her invention on a sturdy blanket and have a few adults carry her with it at least a few feet?

If your dd remains fascinated with flight, you may be very busy introducing resources and concepts and model planes, oh my!

BTW, Have you seen any of the videos of "helium balloon flight" on youtube? Not recommending trying that... as a bucket list experience, it may actually cause one to kick the bucket. Although some of the safer experiments have tether lines.

You may have a future politician there!

Indigo, just watched a natgeo video on helium flight on YouTube with dd and it was AWESOME! Thank you for your recommendation. I did take a video of dd explaining how her machine is going to work. The good news is dd really does not get disappointed with her failed attempts. She has been coming up with different ways to fly for almost a year now and the ideas just keep evolving. In fact after watching the video she declared that maybe helium was not going to work and she needs propellor fans instead. "Mom do you think we can find an old helicopter and rip its propellers for my flying machine?" Sure honey, anything for you

DD has identified THIS* as "the anthem of the child that I was."

(You know, now that she's all growed up.)




*
She also informed me today with some disdain that she doesn't care for how Bartok plays the Six Romanian Folk Dances. She likes A. Schiff's or H. Grimaud's interpretations better.

When I replied with horror that "You do know that Bartok is the COMPOSER, right? I think that he knows how it is supposed to go," she sniffed and said;

"Well, OF COURSE he's the composer. I'm sure it's fine-- but he's still not playing it the way that I like it. Schiff sounds better, that's all."

HK, I LOVE that girl's attitude. The world comes fully customizable. Bartok knew what Bartok wanted to hear, and that's one brand of consumption. To me, it's beautiful when a piece can spawn new interpretations. That reveals the underlying integrity of the original work.

For instance, I love Debussy's "Fille aux cheveux de lin"... the way I interpret it, which is considerably more rubato, has more murky pedalling, and more dynamic, Rachmaninoffian coloratura. My piano, my fingers, my rules. Sure, I can play it straight up, but it's not what my soul would have me do.

indigo, the funny thing is, DD is really into Christmas this year. She can't leave any ornaments alone and she loves rearranging her presents under the tree over and over. She is so excited that she can hardly contain herself. So the magic of the season seems to carry on for DD even without "real" Santa.

Lovemydd, you might already have seen the trailer but Miyazaki's new (and his last) film is about a boy who becomes an aerospace engineer. The film is rather dark and tragic so it's definitely not meant for young children but I'm already looking forward to watching it someday with DD. Your DD's passion for aircraft design reminded me of the film.

New DD episode.

DD: "Sophie (our family dog), see this sign?"
Me: "What are you doing?"
DD: "Sophie isn't allowed in my ballet studio (she means our living room)."
Me: "Yes and?"
DD: "So I made a No Dogs Allowed sign like the ones at the park."
Me: "And you think she can read it?"
DD: (confused)
Me: "You know the signs at the park are for humans to read. Dogs can't read."
DD: "Sophie, you're not allowed in my studio because you are a dog and dogs are not allowed."
Me: "I don't think she understands what you are saying to her."
DD: "Why not?"
Me: "Her brain isn't wired to understand sentences. "
DD: "...Then why are you always talking to her?"

Sometimes, I do forget that she is only 3. This was a good reminder.

Mana, I remember many similar conversations with my DD at that age. It was all so disorienting.