Cubby Trauma is a new phrase I have coined. It's a description of people's reaction to Cubby the first time they see him in action. The symptoms are something like shell shock, I think.
Actually, it's more like the first time they see him in action and in full voice. Both of which he is at all times. He moves non-stop. He talks non-stop. He notices everydamnthing and asks questions constantly about those things. He has a huge vocabulary, excellent pronunciation, and a surprisingly wide range of knowledge.
He is, in short, precocious. Also exhausting.
The most recent sufferer of Cubby Trauma is our pediatrician. I took Cubby in for his three-year check-up today. The doctor walked in and spent the next two minutes listening to the Cubby and Mommy question and answer session that continues all day long:
"Where did the doctor come from?" "From the hallway."
"What was he doing out there?" "He was probably in his office."
"Why does he have an office?" "So he can do paperwork."
"Like Daddy. What's that?" "Paper towels."
"For what?" "To dry your hands after you wash them."
"Why do you wash your hands?" "Why do you think?"
"Because they get dirty. Where's the stethoscope?"
And on and on and on and on and on . . .
Once the doctor closed his mouth that I'm pretty sure was hanging open in surprise, he said that Cubby seemed ready for kindergarten. Then he looked at the computer and realized that this child is three years old. Three.
Which is when the doctor remarked that I might find it a little difficult with Cubby before he started school*.
Straight from the medical professional, ladies and gentlemen.
Anyway.
Cubby weighs 34.5 pounds and I have no idea how tall he is since at that juncture in the measurements I was focusing on keeping Charlie from vaulting off the exam table he was lying on. We'll have to re-measure him at home.
Then, to celebrate Cubby's good health (and good behavior, because he was actually very well-behaved, just loquacious as always), we went to get french fries at Wendy's.
Okay, so the french fries were for me as much as him. But whatever. A good time was had by all.
* Thanks to Cubby's February birthday, he will not start kindergarten for TWO AND A HALF MORE YEARS. Help.
Pre-school!
ReplyDeleteFlash cards, coloring books , work books, picture books, books on tape, law books.....heee. Go Cubby! Beth
ReplyDeleteand when he starts school, he will be categorized as badly behaved and attention deficit.
ReplyDeletelarge children are often expected to act their size and not their age.
the good news is that being in the older half of the class is a boost to his chances of success in school.
the problem is that he will be too loud, too smart, and too active and they will call him a troublemaker.
you probably can't change that, but you can maybe begin to prepare him.
me, i want to meet this kid. he sounds AWESOME.
I feel like I could stick the name of our son in there, and it would still fit perfectly... He's really been coming on strong with his questions and logic for the last couple months - every time we're driving, or at a store, or... really, doing anything (of course, logic still doesn't work at nap time). Sometimes he scares us with the way his mind seems to work at 2 1/2. I'm afraid for the future. Good times, these kids :)
ReplyDeleteMan, I can sympathize. My 2 year old daughter keeps up a constant narrative of questions, stories, and singing. The down side is that she never stops. The up side is that I don't have to actually see her to know where she is because I can always HEAR her. This comes in handy when I am doing barn chores and can't watch her while wrangling goats.
ReplyDeleteYou might also, if you aren't doing this already, include some calm times for Cubby--when he has to quietly read a book or put together a puzzle so he knows how to calm himself when he needs to or when others ask it of him.
ReplyDeleteMontessori might be a very effective environment for him??? You describe a scientist/researcher (in my opinion) if he is able to continue being interested and inquisitive.
ReplyDeletePreschool, preschool, preschool. I just enrolled the tot for two days a week starting in fall. At a co op.
ReplyDeleteShe talks just like Cubby - questions after statements after stories after songs, ad infinitum. I love my child. I also need someone else to listen to her every once in a while!
Cubby's gonna do great things. This kids ready to rock.
I think your "Why do you think?" response to his questions is probably the safest and sanest way to go.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise the next two years are going to make you nutty.