Tasmiya

5 year old recently mentioned he wanted to learn to count to 100. So we’ve been counting at every opportunity. The problem was he’d lose interest very quickly, especially when he couldn’t get the next number. We’d sit and talk about it for a while and as soon as there was too much thinking involved, he’d change the subject or just say he didn’t want to learn anymore.

One day, he wrote the number “1004″ and asked his father what number he had written. To cut a very long boring story short, there were misunderstandings about 100s and 1000s and why does 100 have 2 zeros but then now 1004 also have 2 zeros! Why isn’t “1004″ ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR? WHY IS 104 ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR WHEN THERE IS ONLY ONE ZERO IN IT?! Yes, it ended in tears.

I sat down with him and tried hard to explain it. More tears and in the end he said he couldn’t understand. I told him that it’s ok – he will understand with time and when he does he will always get it right because unlike most rules, the rules of numbers always make sense and they never ever change. The next day as we sat and ate breakfast he took out the little piece of paper I had used to write all the numbers down in my failed attempt the day before. He proceeded to count from one all the way to 100 (with a little help from me).

I marvel at the way children and babies learn. Today he understands when yesterday he had no idea. What happens in that tiny little brain that makes him suddenly “get it”? Truly one of Allah’s miracles.

The boyses miss you too!

Here are some of the things 2 year old has said about you:

“Is XXXXX masee* coming tonight?”

“I want to see XXXXX masee again!”

“XXXXX masee’s car!” When we go to Mum’s and he forgets you’ve gone away.

“XXXXX masee coming later?”

“I love XXXXX masee.”

Me: “Where is XXXXX masee?”
Him: “In Jordan.”
Me: “What’s she doing there?”
Him: “Her email and stuff.”

Whenever we visit mum, he runs upstairs to your room. I’m not sure if he thinks you’re there or whether he knows you aren’t and just wants to be in your bedroom. Whenever I walk in there, he is just staring at the room – looking at nothing in particular.

We can’t wait till you finish your course and very selfishly hope and pray you don’t stay longer than the 6 months you’ve planned. We miss you!

*masee = aunt, specifically mother’s sister.