My little sponge

Kids really are sponges...At this age, they learn so much and so quickly! I love hearing what Ryan learns at school, and usually he comes out with it when I least expect it!

About a month ago, he and I had a special Ryan and Mommy afternoon - We got ice cream, and then went to the playground in Fells Point. As we were eating our ice cream, we sat on a bench that said "Baltimore" in big letters. Ryan looked at it, pointed to the E and said "E for Eli!" Eli is one of the little boys in his class. I said "That's right Ryan, E is for Eli!" He then pointed to the O and said "O for Olivia." I asked him what the M was for and he replied "M is for Mason." Olivia and Mason are also classmates of his. He then noticed the R and said "R is for ME!!!" I was blown away. Not that he could identify his letters, because I know that is pretty standard. But that he took a concept he learned in school (I later asked his teacher and she said they do this when they review their letters) and he applied it completely out of context, identifying the letters and then remembering whose names the letters went with. I mentioned to his teacher a few days later that he had done this and she seemed really proud as well. She also thanked me three times for telling her, because she said it is wonderful to hear from parents that the kids are retaining the concepts they teach them, and that they are doing a good job. I imagine they aren't told this nearly enough.

Earlier this week, Ryan was playing with a puzzle at home, made by Melissa and Doug (maker of lots of great children's toys and games). At the bottom of the puzzle, in a script type writing, it says the brand name - Melissa and Doug. Ryan looked at it, and said "That's like Dougie in my school. That says Doug."" I asked him to repeat what he had said because I could not believe it. He said again "That's like Dougie at school!" Again, blown away!!! Don't get me wrong, I know Ryan is not reading at the age of 2 and a half. At school, each kid in his class has their own seat at the table for breakfast and lunch, and their name is written in big letters, and taped where they sit. His teacher once told me this is to help them learn to recognize their own name. I just could not believe that he identified another kid's name, again, completely out of context, and in a different handwriting than he was used to seeing it in. Writing this story reminds me that I really need to thank his teacher again, and tell her that he was able to recognize the name Doug at home. I am already starting to realize the amazing impact teachers have on kids lives, even at the young age Ryan is at...