Are You Smarter Than a 22-month-old Toddler?

It was night time and we were all in bed, waiting for the little one to doze off.

Her energy was still high so Mommy decided to play a game. Twenty-two-month-old Mishca has been going through the Wink to Learn Speak & Read Mandarin series since she was 6 months old. Wink to Learn is a video program based on flashcard methodology. This is how she learned how to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” in Chinese.

Since Daddy was beside her, I quizzed them both.

“眼睛 Yǎnjīng,” I said. Immediately Daddy and Mishca pointed to their eyes.

“头Tóu!”  Mishca and Daddy snappily touched their heads.

“鼻子Bízi!” They both held their noses.

“牙齿Yáchǐ.”  Mishca quickly opened her mouth to reveal her pearly whites, while Daddy was still figuring out what to point at!

Then came the clincher.

” 舌 头 (shetou)”  Mishca again outdid her dad! She had her tongue out in a snap. Daddy, on the other hand, was pointing at his head and ended up just scratching it when he realized he was wrong!

We had a good laugh! I told Daddy that he better pay attention to the video, since he must not have been paying attention in class 25 years ago.

Late this afternoon we brought Mishca to the neighborhood Montessori school to see how she would like it. We left her to play with Teacher Ella, while I talked to Teacher Jing about the possibility of letting her join the school’s Kindermusik program.

There was no need for a warm-up. Mishca was immediately at play. She tinkered with the educational toys at hand and easily learned to use a plastic tongs to pick up the yellow sponges in a bowl. “Mangoes,” she exclaimed. Then Mishca started telling the story of how she got frightened by the life-sized cow and chickens in Kidsville, a play gym at the Podium Mall.

Teacher Jing was amused and  told us that Mishca would do well in class. The mother of twin girls said my extroverted daughter will encourage other kids  her age to speak and interact.  I felt proud, but at the same time a  little sad,  hesitant to let her go to school this early. I guess I just don’t want to let my baby grow up too fast.  –March 26, 2013