2:28 – Fatal Flaw
It never occurred to me that there might be a problem with my 28 signs in 28 days plan. Oscar alerted me to it early today, when he point-blank refused to engage in my attempts to learn new signs. What’s the saying . . . you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it float on its back?
I tried to teach him ”tickle”, which he thought was funny, but wanted none of, and then I thought we’d ease on over to “grandpa.” Now, this should not have been difficult. He knows the sign for “grandma,” which he uses all the time. He also has seen the sign for “grandpa” a number of times. I know he knows how to do this sign. So, I’m trying it over and over, Nanny Norma starts in too, all to no avail.
It becomes clear Oscar wants nothing to do with this today. We tried a number of times and he wasn’t having any of it. Eventually he started a hybrid “grandma” / “grandpa” sign, which appeared to have been borne out of sheer laziness or stubbornness, and I’m certain it was done in disdain. “Grandma” is signed by touching the thumb of your hand to your chin and moving it out in two arch-shaped motions. “Grandpa” is similar, but you touch your thumb to your forehead before moving your hand out in the same two arches. Oscar has decided that if we’re going to press this, he’s going to meet us in the middle. No more signing “grandma” properly. Now, when we say sign “grandma” or “grandpa”, he’s decided that he’ll do the arching gesture, but he’ll do it in the middle of his face – not where his hand should be for either sign – but right in the middle. Why bother with two signs when one sign in the middle gets the point across just as well? I swear, if he knew how to roll his eyes, he would have while he threw his “grandparent” sign at us.
I now see the error in my ways. The 365 projects most bloggers engage in are within their control. Sure, their pictures may suck some days (none of yours, nach), but no one can keep them from their objective, unless someone breaks their camera. My error was in not taking into consideration that my project is entirely dependent on Oscar’s willingness to learn what I’m trying to teach him. Sometimes that is an uphill battle.
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Change your goal: one sign in 28 days!
Yay, they have little minds of their own and like to exercise their rights to do what they want
I meant to say yeah, they have little mind of their own . . . .
You might still get in a sign a day or not, but perhaps if you make it relevant to the occasion? You know, don’t sign for Grandpa if he’s not around and you don’t happen to be looking a pictures of his last visit.(if you were already doing this, sorry.)If you’re playing together, he’s engaged, and my guess is that he may be more likely to follow your lead, copy a sign you’re making to explain an item to him rather than just asking him do it randomly. Not that I have any training… just happy to offer unsolicted advice, lol.
BTW, Alea pronounces both Grandpa & Gramma as “Panka”, in spite of my repeated efforts. ;0)
here is what i learned, even if lulu doesn’t do it right then and there, 20 minutes, 4 hours, the next day she might. So make it about you and norma learning one a day and then using them. Thats exactly how he will pick up on them.
We’ve nicknamed my daughter “Ms. Stubborn”! Doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to….at least not very easily….so don’t feel bad!