2010 has been a very big year for Jack! The last time we saw so many motor skills being learned was probably in 2006, when he learned to walk, to talk, to drink from a cup, ride a tricycle, jump, etc. Then he worked on his language skills for the next few years. We wondered if he would ever be interested in throwing a ball, kicking a ball (basically anything with a ball)...because some of his friends are wicked throwers, catchers and hitters. But, they don't speak as well as Jack does.
Now, in 2010, we saw him learn how to ride without training wheels, hit a baseball, throw like a champ (both football and baseball), skateboard (not fully, but the one foot on, hopping sort of way), and start to swim alone. Wow, he has not stopped moving all year. The other thing I noticed was that Jack has started to draw. I mean real things. That I can recognize. A very short time ago (literally only months) Jack was scribbling and making random shapes. Other kids in his class are amazing artists. Did I worry? No. This type of thing never did bother me. Sure enough, about two weeks ago, Jack came home with some drawings. One had a spaceship, a helicopter and a walrus (of all things) on it - and I recognized all of them. He was so proud! I was so proud! Jack has since drawn an amazing vampire (complete with a victim sporting a thought bubble that read "Ahhhhh!" lol.), a rabbit, a spider, and a giraffe. See? He's not broken! :)
Today Jack added two more things to his repertoire: cannonballs and diving. Yes you heard me right. Diving. (OMG, how is that possible when a few hours after swimming he fell off the chair in my dentist's office and almost hacked his face off on a tray of tools??)
Anyway, I helped chaperone Jack's class trip to the town pool today. We had already ascertained that Jack can swim, from my previous post...but today, I kid you not, he just started diving into the 4-foot area of the pool. Of course the pimply-faced lifeguard had to put a stop to that... "No diving! Feet first please!" ... but Jack got a few good dives in while he could. And I noticed one or two covert dives later on. That's my boy! So after the lifeguard squelched that fun, Jack discovered that he could jump harder and harder into the water...feet first. I then told him to tuck his knees up and hold them, and whammo, a cannonball was born. Luckily Jack had learned to swim without holding his nose, I have no idea why, so that makes all of this other stuff that much easier. If you have one hand always holding your nose, you might be more hesitant to try and dive.
Jack: Mom, Mom LOOOOKKKKKK! I just did a cannonball.
some other kid: Pfft, that wasn't a cannonball, you just jumped!
Jack: It was TOO a cannonball! (Jack jumps towards the kid to show him how effective his splash is)
kid: Heyyyyy, watch out!
me: (to the kid) Why don't you show Jack how to do a cannonball then, if this doesn't look right to you?
kid: Uhhhh, that's okay, it looks pretty good. (he swims away)
Jack: I think he was chicken.
me: (hee hee) Okay just tuck your knees up when you jump and ---
Jack: (jumps before I finish my sentence) Wooooooooooooooooo! (Splash!) Oh that was the most awesome cannonball ever!! I can't believe I learned that so fast. (starts to climb out to jump again) I always thought it was hard but it's pretty easy and now... (he jumps in) I can tell -------Gaaaaaa--- COUGH COUGH COUGH!!! WAHHHHHHHH!
me: Ohhh Jack...come here. That's what happens when you keep yapping while you try to jump in the pool. Keep your mouth closed next time.
Jack: (comes out coughing and sputtering and muttering under his breath) I tell you to keep your mouth closed.
me: Sigh.
So, not too worry, all kids will learn these very different skills eventually. Kids don't all learn at the same pace, and some skills take a much longer time to master. And sometimes, kids put one skill set on hold while they practice another. It's all part of who they are as a person, and it may really show which part of their personality is more dominant. Enjoy it all!
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