January 07, 2004
Astronomically Speaking
While watching the live webcast of the JPL Mars Exploration Rover briefing with Adian (which is still ongoing as I type), I decided that having mastered counting from one to ten by himself, it was time to learn the names of the planets.
He got them the first time through. I realised the potential was there when I told him we were watching the people talk about Mars. "Mars! Mars!" I was surprised at how well he pronounced them, because he often has trouble with words of more than two syllables. Mercury comes out as "Mercur", Jupiter as "Jupit", and Neptune as "Neppa", but he seems to have an easy time with "Uranus".
He can't say them by himself, but can repeat them all. He hasn't turned two yet - I can only expect so much. He also doesn't really understand what a planet is. We'll get to that later.
Posted by david at January 7, 2004 05:46 PM | TrackBackHi David,
I've just found your blog whilst searching for potentially interesting blogs to track/link to. I've just started my own blog which is linked from my website.
Anyway, your posting reminded me of how interested my 3 year old son's fascination with Mars when it came close last summer. Having a southerly facing garden we could see it really clearly as it rose in the evening just as Euan was going to bed. Since then, Euan's been really interested in the Mars missions.
I don't know if you've got it already but Marks & Spencers sell a solar system jigsaw that would be ideal for your son. Euan had it for Christmas, but hasn't looked at since because of all the other stuff he's had!
Wishing you all the best in 2004.
Cheers, Greg.
Posted by: Greg Wiley at January 8, 2004 01:04 PMAidie is still doing jigsaws with very few pieces, so I'll have to see if the M&S puzzle is viable for him. It is a great idea, and something I will get for him as soon as he can attempt it.
Posted by: David Holford at January 8, 2004 04:23 PMOn an unrelated topic....
David, i heard an interesting report on NPR today stating that Briton's are following American suit with the accumalation of household debt doubling in the last few years. Although, it is still less than half of the American average (about 19k), it increased from about 4k to 8k. It sounded more like your blog than NPR. I don't know how you find the comparison, but i think it a great compliment (sometimes).
Please excuse my randomity.
Thank you very much.
I wouldn't mind being thought of as the right-thinking (or at least right wing) version of NPR.
Posted by: David Holford at January 10, 2004 01:56 AM