Is My Kid Learning Anything?

I don't know how many times our little one crawled up into my lap and begged me to read one of our many animal books.  We would read through the touch and feel books, the flap books, soft books, hard books, and all about animals. 

You see, our little girl is obsessed with books.  I have a little nook for her of books she is allowed to touch.  You may think this sounds mean, and Grammie often gets on me for not letting her have free reigns with books that were gifts.  But if you have seen her book nook, you might think again!  We have twenty plus individual cardboard pages, all torn.  What is a mom to do?

So, the special books are only accessable with mommy and daddy.  And, of course, her favorites have to do with animals, specifically kitties.  At one time, it was any animal.  Those were the days when she was being introduced to books.  The favorite was the animal touch and feel book.  We read this book, reread it, and reread it 10 more time each sitting.  Each reading including seeing the chick, touching the gorilla, mooing like a cow, and waving my arm like an elephant trunk.  All the while, the only animal sounds I heard over the six month period were animals she saw in person, "woof woof" and "meow". 

About a month ago, dad had come home from work and was playing with our daughter.  He started to ask her each of these animal sounds, and... she said each one and made the motions as well!  I'd given in to the fact that I did not really know how to teach her, when, all the while, she was really taking it all in.  She was just waiting until she was ready to say these things back to me; progress.

This past month has been amazing in regards to all the words and sounds she is saying and learning.  We are not out of the water yet, as she meowed at a piglet tonight and often does so to little dogs as well.  I am satisfied though; she is learning so much and it is reassuring to see kids respond after months of teaching.

Don't give up; it takes time.  I remember when our daughter started walking it took about a month to see her responding to our discipline.  She learned what, "No" and "Don't touch" meant, while also learning what not to touch.  It just takes a little time as they are soaking so much in all at once.  Know that your child is taking everything in, it is only a matter of time until you see results.