Tunky Talk

All four of our children talked at a young age and all enunciated clearly.  Each of them had several words online by the time they were a year old and were talking in three to five word sentences before they were two.  They understood what they were saying and so did anyone who listened to them (as opposed to simply the family who understood their baby-speak.)  They also all talked a lot.  Carmon once asked me in exasperation, "How come all four of our kids inherited your mouth?"  I don't think he meant it as a compliment!

While the other three children said the usual first words - mamma and dadda - Tunk's first word was book.  He put a little guttural sound on the end like the 'h' in proper pronunciation of the word Hanukkah, so it sounded a little like boochk.  But when you'd hand him a book, he was happy, so it was clear what he meant.  

When he was about 9 months old, his older brother accidentally dropped him on his head.  The fact that his skull had not yet solidified was a blessing as all the swelling went out instead of pressing on his brain.  His head was so swollen that it look like his left ear was several inches lower than his right ear.  It makes my heart hurt and my eyes tear up just remembering if!  We knew he would be all right when, after hours of crying, he looked up at us and said, "boochk!"

Tunk had several priceless Tunky-talk phrases.  The older sibs loved to watch Happy Days on TV and Tunk would be right in the middle.  Then he'd get on his kiddy car, ride around the living room, stick his little fist up and say, "Haaaay!' just like Fonzie.  He didn't have the small muscle coordination going yet, so he couldn't get the thumb up, but you knew who he was pretending to be just the same. 

I was going to college during those first two years of Tunk's life, so Carmon would take him to my sister's house in the morning on his way to work.  They'd always stop at Winchell's to get coffee for Carmon and a sweet treat for Tunk.  One day, Carm didn't have to work.  After awhile, Tunk noticed that something had changed.  He said to his dad, "Dad? You wanna a cup a coffee?  'Cause I sure could use a donut!"

My sister, Deen, had a little girl Tunk's age and I was thrilled when she offered to take care of him while I was at school.  Tunk and his cousin Gee became very close, almost like siblings.  Deen always had fun activities planned, like the day Tunk came home with a picture made out of yarn and told me he had, "klooped some carpet" on his paper. One day, Carmon had to go into work early, so I took Tunk to my sister's.  He was jabbering, as usual.  About a mile from Deen's house, I suddenly couldn't understand him.  "Tunk," I said.  "Why are you taking that way."  "I have to, Mommy," he replied.  "I'm going to Gee's so I have to talk baby talk!"

My personal favorite had to be the family tantrum rule. If you read my blog last Saturday, you read about the rule in my posting about Sess. Well, Tunk grew up knowing that rule from birth. As a result, he didn't tantrum as a toddler, even though that is pretty typical toddler behavior. But we had a neighbor whose child did.

One day we were visiting in the neighbor's home when her little girl threw herself on the floor in a monumental tantrum.  Apparently, Tunk noticed that she got lots of attention, because when we got home, he decided to throw himself on the floor and kick and scream.  I calmly picked him up and took him to his bedroom, repeating the tantrum rule to him while I did so.  He wasn't in the room for two minutes, before he came out, calm as an unruffled pond.

That lasted about two weeks until the neighbor came for a visit to our home and her little girl pulled the same thing.  When they left, Tunk decided on the old, "if at first you don't succeed . . ." motto and threw himself on the floor.  I stood over him and said, "Tunk."  He stopped tantruming, sat up on the floor and looked into my eyes. "Do I hafa go my room to have this tantrum?" he asked with all seriousness.  "Yes," I replied.  "That's the rule."  He sat there for a few seconds, then stood up, saying, "Well, I'm through cryin' then!"

That all of these events happened before he was three I can swear to in a court of law, if necessary.  We moved from that house on his third birthday!

Text © 2012 Gebara Education

 

Picture of toddler with book from www.123rf.colm

Picture of Tantrum Scale from www.momlogic.com