Do You Understand?

Most of the kids in my class are over one. But the age range in that one year is very drastic. The 14 month old can't talk yet nor can he sit up, but that's mostly because of his cystic fibrosis. The 15 month old can sit up and walk if you hold her hands. She can also say "et zeh," the Hebrew version of "that." The 18 month old can walk and, as us teachers like to say, eats like a prince. He always wants to wash his hands and when he eats most of his food actually ends up in his mouth. The other 18 month old is blind so she can't walk by herself yet, but she is able to talk and complete words. The 21 month old is the most independent one year old I have ever encountered. She walks, she is learning to talk (her favorite word? Todah? And yes, that's phrased as a question), and she can "pretend play." The other two kids in the class are 2 or 3, but developmentally they are where the one year olds are.

This week, the 21 month old  did the cutest thing. She took a doll and carried it over to the high chair and tried to strap it in. She dragged one of the stools that the teachers use to feed the kids and mimicked us. She took the doll out and burped it and then wanted to change it's diaper. This is our routine for the kids: After breakfast we change their diapers.

This got me thinking. How much do babies actually understand? We'll tell her to go wash her hands, but is she just not listening or does she just not understand? How much are they paying attention to what adults do? Who/what do they choose to mimic and who/what do they choose to ignore and why is it this way? When do babies start understanding commands and "do" what they're told? They may repeat "Dooby" (teddy bear), but do they actually know what that word means? Are they able to comprehend that everything has a name?

These kids all know exactly what they want. The 18 month old will put his hands up wanting to be held. Or the 15 month old will point to the playground and start crying. Do they want "Maym" because it's instinctive to want something to drink? Or do they want "Teh" because they know it tastes good?

On a separate note, for New Year's Eve, I went to a friend's apartment, but with no Ball Drop, no freezing my butt off at First Night, and so few people celebrating it, the night really felt like any other Shabbat night. When one of my friends, who was at work, called me to wish me Happy New Year, he said "Shana Tova." For a moment I was so confused. Shana Tova? That's September. But that's how you say "happy new year" in Hebrew. New Year's Day, my friend was driving home to a town near Tel Aviv so I went with him and saw friends in Tel Aviv. It was a great start to a new year.

The Negev pictures are up. The first few are of the crazy sandstorm we had a few weeks ago. Enjoy!