Monday, September 8, 2008

First Tooth Gone

Nathan lost his first tooth last week. He was very excited that the tooth fairy gave him a dollar. He has been showing everyone his window.



Nathan's school sends home a new book for him to read each night. He is reading so much better after his first month of Kindergarten. Nathan is very analytical and he loves math because it is always consistent and follows all the rules. But unlike reading, where he has learned the rules for complex words, many words in the English language do not follow the rules. For example, if a word ends with the letter e, the 'e' becomes silent and the vowel in the word says its name, or if two vowels go walking, the first one does the talking. When he is reading a book and a word like have or their comes up, he gets so frustrated. He said “When I get done learning this English language, I want to learn a language that is smart enough to follow its own rules.” I thought he should talk to his Aunt Gisele and see what language she recommends. Luckily, he has memorized most of the troublesome words, but he still just likes to complain about them.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

He is such a smart little man! I am so happy he is doing well!

Unknown said...

You just do not expect to hear an almost six year old say things the way he does...he is definitely in the right school, he would have been bored in regular school, love to see him challenged.

Gma L said...

I think that we can rule out German for a second language. Less than a year ago, I learned that, in that language, where two vowels are together, the second one is pronounced. My mother's maiden name was Frair, and she always wanted it pronounced "Fray-er" She was using the English pronunciation. Fry-er is correct. Cousin Barb Heimel, who visited two years ago, is pronounced "High-mel".

I was past 80. when I learned a new lesson in proper pronunciation. Tell Nathan not to try to learn it all at once--it may take a century!

Anonymous said...
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AZDonna said...

I think Spanish is probably one of the easiest and most consistent languages there is. He'll probably learn that living here in the southwest. I just wonder what lies in the future for this little man?

Love your window, Nathan! Looks like the tooth fairy is keeping up with inflation. I used to get a dime. :)

Anonymous said...

I think we'll get along great. I love math and also don't understand english. Maybe I can teach him more complex math early too :) He seems like he'll pick up on it.

Anonymous said...

Nathan,
I think my husband and older son would agree with you 100% about the english language, LOL! They too have always complained that it doens't follow it owns rules, there are so many exceptions, that the exceptions are almost as many as the rules, LOL! I agree with gma It may take a century to learn it all correctly, just because of the exceptions.

Enjoy school and your dollar from the tooth fairy!
Patty and Jesse

Anonymous said...

Hope to see something new when I get back or I might send out the blog police!

AZDonna said...

I hope you post a new entry before Nathan gets his wisdom teeth. ;)

How about some birthday party pictures?

Anonymous said...

I just found a scrap of paper, on which I had written a "Nathanism". I don't think that I have seen it in print anywhere.
Someone had been giving a tour of L.I.F.E., when Nathan decided that he wanted to give a tour. He took a group to the room with the bubble machine. The question was asked, "Where do the bubbles come from in L.I.F.E. bubble machine?"
Nathan's reply: "That's an excellent question, and one I don't happen to have the answer to."

Don said...

I think Donna posted that Natanism on her blog.

AZDonna said...

How about posting some pictures of the kids from Halloween night?

Anonymous said...

How many "just turned 6" children would think of this?
Yesterday, Nathan had won a trophy for soccer (I imagine all the players won one.) He and Nonna picked me up for the celebration of the February birthdays: Brian, Daryl and Carsten. He showed me his trophy, and since it was also a bank, I looked in my wallet for some change. I said, "I have only a penny and a quarter." (I had lots more change in other places at home, but not at Donna's.)
He took the penny but refused to take the quarter. Then I heard him say to his Nonna, "Great grandma said that's all the money she has, and I don't want to take it". When we explained that I had more at home, he did take it.
How many children of that age would think of a thing like that?
He's a sweety, all right!