My Kid's a Genius

Rookie Parent Mistake #415: They hear and understand just about everything you're saying, even when you don't think they're listening.

I learned this the other day when Patrick was randomly in a cuddly mood, sitting in my lap on the floor and talking to me. I heard him repeat a lot of his phrases (that he knows when to use specifically but enjoys repeating at random as well) to me and then suddenly break into a new one. It sounded suspiciously like, "Talk to you soon." And where would he have heard that? Hmmm...perhaps when I talk to my mom on the phone. Or to Matt on the phone. Apparently I spend too much time on the phone, and Patrick listens to every word I say.

It's also surprising to see what he not only hears but understands. He may not tell us much that we can interpret, but he certainly gets what we're saying. For example, the other day I was getting ready to go with Matt and Patrick to pick up some dinner. As per their usual routine, Patrick was helping Matt get his shoes on by handing him each shoe as he needed it. He's all too eager about helping because he thinks he'll get to GO sooner, and that seems to be the ultimate goal each day. But this time since I was going on the outing too, I also needed my shoes. I asked Patrick to bring me my shoes while holding out my feet towards him. He looked at me for a second, then toddled over to my shoes and picked them up. When he glanced at me with a question in his eyes, I encouraged him and he brought them to me. I can't believe he understood what I was asking--and did what I asked! Now I wonder how many more of my instructions he understands and ignores because they aren't things he wants to do.

But the real reason my kid is a genius happened at bathtime today. I swear this story is true, as unbelievable as the story sounds. He was playing with his stacking cups in the bath, trying to figure out what order they stacked in. He'd tried any number of combinations but couldn't get it to work. I decided to try helping him without getting in the way, so I gave him simple instructions verbally. "Try putting the green one in the yellow one." And he did it. "Now put the blue one in the red one." And he did. He followed each of my instructions perfectly. What's so crazy about this? I didn't think he knew his colors. Evidence suggests that my not-yet-two-year-old knows at least four of his basic colors. Next week he'll probably sing the alphabet for me, and the week after that he'll read me Moby Dick. Seriously, what else does he know that he can't--or won't--verbalize to me?