One of the things that has always fascinated me about my children is how they manipulate language to fit their meaning. Nicholas, for example, has foregone words like "yesterday," "today," and "tomorrow" and instead uses "last day," "this day," and "next day." They suit him better, and more fully express his meaning. I've noticed he has other ways of labeling his days, as well. Sundays are "Church Day." When Pastor DH has lots of events that necessitate us being at church a lot on a weekday, Nicholas is confused. Weekdays aren't Church Days.
Long ago, families could number their days by what chores were done--wash on Monday, etc, etc. Nowadays, we can wash or sew or bake any day of the week and make an easy job of it. And yet, I know my children still crave that weekly, daily, monthly, yearly rhythm. I picture those routines as a boat that carries us through our lives. Especially for a small child, the world is so wild, so unpredictable, so changeable, and they are so small and helpless in the face of it all--a rhythm and routine anchors them, and gives them a predictable fixed point to guide them safely from the unknown to the known.
And so, instead of the abstract Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc, we have Church Day and Painting Day and Muffin Day. We even have Crazy Day--Tuesdays, when soccer and ballet and Brownies causes us to bump into each other around 7:30 rather than sitting down for a meal together as we usually do. By naming our days in a more concrete way, the children are better able to understand what is happening, and what will happen next. Having a predictable routine and rhythm helps them feel safe and secure.
So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12
Dear Lord, be good to me, for the sea is so wide, and my boat is so small.
Prayer of a Breton Fisherman
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14 years ago
3 comments:
I love your naming of days. If our life was as predictable, I think my boys would respond so well. Unfortunately, we'd end up with two speech days, with a roller skating day in the middle ... a couple of park days, one of which would also be a speech day ... I'm confused thinking of it. Maybe once speech is all done ... because things like "park day" and "roller skating day" and "baseball day" sound so much better and tangible. :)
This is very interesting. How old is Nicholas? My almost 5 year old recently calls yesterday 'other day', and tomorrow 'next day'.
My 2 yr old calls yesterday "last day" sometimes - she's *very* verbal for 2. She also calls Sat "Farmer Market Day" and Wednesday "co-op day"
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