Learning To Write, Spell, And Handle Botched Blood Transfusions

I haven't really spent a great deal of time teaching Danny how to write. He's made a few letters here and there and I praised the effort but didn't want to make it seem like a drill. I'm not really sure a child needs to be able to read and write at 3 1/2 and I worry a bit about him burning out too early. I keep it a fun activity rather than a study.

Danny's been able to spot words he knows for quite some time, but I wouldn't call it 'reading" (many people would). For the last month or so, he's been interested in spelling words and is getting pretty good at sounding them out-even starting to see a pattern to silent E. I was sort of hoping I'd be able to spell when I didn't want him knowing what we are talking about, but now I'll be forced to speak Gaelic. Yesterday, he took the next step and began writing down the words he'd been spelling. The sideways "A" needs some work, but we have otherwise very good examples of "Dan" and "Map."

I know I couldn't do that until at least kindergarten. My mother made sure I could spell my first name before starting school (because I had what was then a very unusual name with an odd spelling that teachers would never spell correctly) but I doubt I could have picked words out of the blue, spelled them and written them on paper. I don't think I could do that until the end of first grade.

Still, as impressed as I am, I don't want to use this as an opportunity to immerse Danny in writing activities. I have serious doubts regarding the value of reading too early, and tempted as I might be to think this displays some super-genius tendencies, it probably isn't the case. More likely, he's grown up in a house full of books (oh heavens, do we have books) and by seeing us reading got curious as to the content of all those books holding our interest.

So no flashcards or phonics tapes quite yet, but I did have to post the photos before I busted my buttons with maternal pride.

The other photo is Danny playing train conductor with placemats. Part of playing conductor is my husband asking a question and Danny problem solving:

Papa: Conductor! Conductor! I have a problem.
Danny: What is the problem sir?
Papa: I asked for chocolate pudding and the porter brought me squash.
Danny: Well, I can take it away and bring you pudding.
Papa: Thank you conductor.

Or,

Papa: Conductor! Conductor! I have a problem.
Danny: What is the problem sir?
Papa: I asked for a blood transfusion of type A and they gave me B!
Danny: Well (pauses to think) we'll just take it out and put in B instead.
Papa: Oh, thank you conductor!


See? Easy!