The Tao of Ta

'Ta' is what Aussies say when they mean 'thank you'.

When you hand someone something, they say 'ta'.

Not everyone uses it, though.

I've encountered it only in two places: church and the supermarket checkout.

When Tricia first taught J to say 'ta', CA and I were nonplussed. Surely 'ta' meant "goodbye', as in when kids say 'ta ta' and wave?

Then Vicky started teaching J to say 'ta'.

Now that J goes to daycare, she is so throughly assimilated in the ways of Oz that she has started saying 'ta' on her own.

Like when she plays give-and-receive with us.

The first time she uttered 'ta' was a shocker.

We hadn't realized how Aussified she has become.

CA and I still prefer 'thank you', but we're resigned to our girls doing what they need to do to be understood.

Beth has managed to get through kinder and Prep without a 'ta', so maybe 'ta' is for bubs and toddlers.

Hi-5 and Barney

J is now firm friends with Hi-5 and Barney.

"Ba-Yee!" she shouts when I put on a Barney video.

When Kathleen (in the old series) comes on, she starts chanting "Chup Chup" in anticipation of Jup Jup's appearance.

Beth reads...Harry Potter

A couple of days ago, I decided that in addition to Forsyth, Christie and Archer, I should really try a different literary genre.

So I betook myself to the Junior Fiction section and found - to my delight - not one but two Harry Potter books.

The Philosopher's Stone and The Prisoner of Azkaban had been made into movies that we'd seen countless times on telly.

I see now why countless thousands of boys and girls - and no doubt adults - find the books un-put-down-able.

The tales are part Roald Dahl (Miss Trunchbull in Matilda is like Aunt Marge in The Prisoner of Azkaban; Matilda is like Hermione; Harry's awful aunt and uncle are like Mr and Mrs Wormwood in Matilda...) and part Lord of the Rings (doesn't He-who-must-not-be-named remind you of Sauron?).

Anyway, I told Beth about HP and next thing you know, she'd started reading the books.

She finished The Philosopher's Stone and made a start on TPOA...while I was at p100 of the latter!

I got very cross and told her it was very bad manners to borrow someone's book when they hadn't finished.

So I finished TPOA a little quicker than I might have - and Beth got going on it.

We've had some interesting conversations about the books and I enjoyed answering her questions about characters and events.

CA rolled his eyes and thought the whole thing ludicrous.

He's not into books (especially long chapter books), preferring the telly, the newspaper and Age of Empires as his form of relaxation.

Welcome to the world of HP, Beth! :-)

J learns to speak (not just babble)

Yesterday, J spoke her first complete sentence.

"Daddy come home," she proclaimed, as Daddy walked into the bedroom to get changed.

He had just arrived home.

It's astonishing how the floodgates of understanding have suddenly been opened.

J isn't just babbling anymore.

She's actually making sense and demonstrating that she understands what is being said to her.

Like when she was watching Play School just now.

The presenter said, "Jemima received a call on her mobile phone this morning."

Eyes still on the TV screen, J picked up our cordless phone, put the receiver to her ear and said, "Halo".

Then - "Okay, bye" and put the receiver back on the table.

And resumed watching Play School.

Amazing.

Last night, Annie called.

"Would you like to say hello to Auntie Annie?" I asked, and offered her the receiver.

"Halo," she said clearly into the phone.

It was a first.

Normally she just smiles and refuses to speak into the receiver.

She must have just made a connection between the the receiver and the voice on the end of the line.

She can copy sounds very well too.

I have said countless words and phrases to her.

Some she manages to mimic.

Some are beyond her grasp for now.

But she makes a valiant attempt, which shows she is trying.

She can understand instructions very well.

If I tell her it's time for a diaper change, she walks into her room, lies face down on her Winnie-the-Pooh change mat and stretches out her legs.

If I ask her to give Beth a hug, she reaches out and gives Beth a huge hug.

I love watching them cuddle and hold hands.

I pray the girls will always love and look out for each other.

Home with the flu (again?)

Just when I thought the girls had regained their health, Beth is sick again.

She couldn't have chosen a "better" time.

I'd just parked at the school's unofficial drop-off zone and walked round to her side when she declared, "I feel sick."

"What do you mean you feel sick? You weren't sick this morning. What kind of sick? Is it because you're hungry? Do you want to start on your snack? Is it tummy pain?"

If there's anything I hate, it's being caught by surprise and having my plans changed last minute.

"I don't know," Beth winced. "I just feel sick."

The absolute irony (or humour) of it all was that here she was, just five minutes from her classroom, all dressed for another day at school.

And she hadn't said a word the whole morning about not feeling well.

I thought, should I be firm and just send her to school?
Is she trying to wag?
But it's not like Beth to want to skip school.
Beth loves school.

So we turned around and joined the queue of departing cars.

As I type this, the girls are having brekkie and watching Sesame Street.

Ah...all the old favourites are still there.

• Elmo and his infectious giggle and readiness to give hugs,
• Cookie Monster who just can't resist a cookie, even when blindfolded
• Oscar the Grouch and the story of Trash Gordon
• Ernie who must wake Bert in the middle of the night to reminisce about the times they've spent together
• The Count announcing the number of the day...

I lurve Sesame Street, and I'm glad my kids get to watch it too.

As for In The Night Garden....(frown)....I find it a bit too twee.
The language.
Even the names
Upsy-Daisy? Macca-Bacca? Iggle-Piggle?
That is SO Teletubbie.
Eewww.

Do people actually talk to their babies like that??

I hope J doesn't start talking in that high-pitched way.

Fruit For Thought

Today, J was watching a Barney video, Barney At The Zoo.

There's this scene where the kids watch monkeys eating bananas.

Right away, J pulled me away from the DVD player into the kitchen, saying "nana". That's her word for - you guessed it - "banana".

In the kitchen, she pointed to the fruit basket and again went "nana".

She was happy only when I gave in and unpeeled her a banana.

Of course, that meant another soiled diaper to change soon after.

Babies have the best digestive systems in the world.

What's the hurry?

What age should a child start formal schooling?

In VIC, a child is eligible to enter Prep the year he turns 5, provided he does so by the cut-off date which is 30 April.

Children who turn 5 after that date would only qualify to go to Prep the following year.

Some children attend an extra year of kinder, perhaps on the teacher's recommendation or because their parents feel they aren't ready for Prep.

By the time children start Prep, you could have a class of 20 with some diversity in the ages, with very young children who have just turned 5, and older ones aged 6.

For some children, this can mean a marked difference in emotional maturity and coping skills.

Kathy Walker has written a book What's The Hurry?, which talks about the importance of giving children a childhood.

So when is the right age to start Prep?

Melinda Vander Reest, director of the Centre for Early Learning Excellence at Caulfield Grammar, a private school, recommends that parents consider opting for a second year of pre-prep.

Her reason?

"...so that children can consolidate what they have done in their first year. There is a lot to cope with in prep and some children may spend the next 13 years quietly playing catchup instead of having that early, extra year right at the beginning."

She says she has seen children who have come back for a second year blossom, initiate ideas and take the lead rather than hanging back and following other children.

"Even if they are reading fluently and have wonderful ideas, there will be other areas that need developing. I can use their reading in group games such as cooking and extend their fine or gross motor skills which may not be as advanced because they have centred so much on their one love."

She could be speaking of Beth.

Those parents who can afford to send their kids to a school like Caulfield Grammar for pre-prep under Ms Vander Reest are very privileged.

Musical Chairs

The girls have been taking turns to fall ill.

First it was Beth with the runny nose.

Then it was J with flu and diarrhoea.

That went on for four straight days - runny poos (which turned an alarming bright green at one point), messy diapers, poor appetite. Not fun.

Now that J is back at daycare, Beth has an upset tummy.

She was sent to the Sick Bay at school yesterday and the school asked me to take her home early.

Last night, she threw up twice.

She skipped school today and is enjoying undivided attention from Mummy while her sis is away at daycare.

Plus, she gets to watch ABC Kids and to lie down whenever she wants.

Bet she's loving it!