It's the Little Words That Count
Posted by Arwen Mosher in Family on Thursday, November 05, 2009 12:44 PM
I love grammar and proper usage.
I come by it honestly; you should hear the members of my family correcting the others’ grammar. It’s obnoxious, actually.
For my children’s sake I’ve never wanted to be one of those mothers who hen-pecks her children when they talk. (I should note that my mother did not do this; it was my siblings and I who pestered each other as self-appointed grammar police.)
On the other hand, I do want my children to speak correctly. I think that the ability to use the English language properly is a vital skill, and I’ll do my best to help my kids develop it. I’m not about to start using flashcards or drilling my three-year-old on parts of speech, but I do try to model grammar for her and read her plenty of good books.
Camilla’s verbal development has always been on track, with the usage errors that are standard for children her age. I’ve never wasted a second worrying about it. She’s sweet, funny, and generous with her kisses. I don’t need her to be a grammatical prodigy.
I did, however, pump my fist in the air in victory tonight. I’d just put her hair in a ponytail, and she jumped up and said, “Hold on, Mama. I’m going to go look in the mirror really quickly.”
Adverbs. Adverbs! That’s my girl!
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