While walking my son back home today, he turned and asked me what is a 'diary' - he noticed this word on a piece of paper somewhere.
Me: Well, it is a book that you write about what happened in the day. Say, Daddy, Mommy and you went to the zoo today and you have a fun time, you can write about it. And you can write about the happy things, the sad things... Daddy still writes diaries.
He didn't react much to my explaination. Perhaps, I was not talking sense. Or maybe I was just too dry on my explaination? Sometimes, I wonder whether am I talking sense... anyway, that was my best attempt.
So, it came to me as a suprised that the first thing he did when we stepped into the house - he went straight to get a piece of paper and a pencil (he has no formal diary to write on, perhaps I will get one for him tomorrow). Lying on the floor, he wrote his first page of his very own diary:
Today I have a very happy day playing with Gracia on the bed we have fun togather. (Draw a happy face with a wink)
I am happy today
(Yes, yes, there is missing punctuation, etc. etc. but nobody marks grammar and spelling on diaries, right? I will keep this piece of work. It will be one of his 'first'...)
I was so encouraged and happy with his first piece of diary. I think it is great place to start his writing and learning new words (I was thinking of getting him a children's dictionary... I think I should dump that idea - might as well pass him my Longman dictionary and teach him how to use it. Yes, he is four years old, but kids are learning things earlier than most of us in those days). Hopefully, he will write in Chinese in a few years time...
It is so strange, some times he can be so self-motivated... while other things... well... I guess all kids are like that.
Oh, btw, the naming of places and corners have stopped. And that's because he have plastered everywhere with a piece of note.... naming every one of them!
As a side note: I think he is really a fantastic brother. He really dote on his sister.
