A time your/a child surprised you with what they knew (Santa Claus, teenagers)

[progmac]

I'd love to hear stories from other parents. Certainly this topic applies to every child from babies to teenagers.

So after being away on business, I brought my 15 month daughter a stuffed animal. The animal had a small orange sticker (maybe 1" diameter if that) on its fir advertising it as soft. I casually removed the sticker as I was handing her the stuffed animal. She didn't seem particularly impressed with the stuffed animal and as far as I know didn't notice the sticker or that it was on the animal.

Three days later, we are playing with some of her toys and the sticker (no longer very sticky) turns up under a book or something (when I removed it, I apparently didn't throw it away). My daughter sees the sticker, picks it up, and crawls across the room to the stuffed animal that I got her (and to this point hadn't seen her play with) and places the sticker back on the animal.

I was amazed at her awareness and memory!

[Lehigh Valley Native]

My five year old daughter seems to remember every place we have ever visited. Even places when she was as young as two.
When she was two we went to a Santa Clause village. We went there this past November, when she turned 5. As we were driving down a hill, that she was only on once before, when she was two, she said, We are going to Santa's world.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native

My five year old daughter seems to remember every place we have ever visited. Even places when she was as young as two.
When she was two we went to a Santa Clause village. We went there this past November, when she turned 5. As we were driving down a hill, that she was only on once before, when she was two, she said, We are going to Santa's world.

I was like your daughter. I can remember any place I've ever been throughout my life---even if it was just once.

I've been told by teachers and doctors that I have a photographic memory. (It doesn't just apply to what I see, but also to what I hear and read.)

My sisters and I went in our early 30s to a town where we lived when I was 3.

My sisters were older when we lived there, but I was the one who remembered everything---saying turn right, turn left, go across that bridge--- to locate our old house.

It's kind of a cool skill. It will serve your daughter well too. She'll rarely get lost.

[Momma_bear]

My middle son is a good kid. Very nerdy. I came home on Saturday and found him under the kitchen sink, replacing the broken garbage disposal at his father's direction. I had no idea he had any interest at all in fixing things.

[calgirlinnc]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I was like your daughter. I can remember any place I've ever been throughout my life---even if it was just once.

I've been told by teachers and doctors that I have a photographic memory. (It doesn't just apply to what I see, but also to what I hear and read.)

My sisters and I went in our early 30s to a town where we lived when I was 3.

My sisters were older when we lived there, but I was the one who remembered everything---saying turn right, turn left, go across that bridge--- to locate our old house.

It's kind of a cool skill. It will serve your daughter well too. She'll rarely get lost.

My son is EXACTLY this way.

Sometimes it is hard to parent....he remembers every single toy he has ever had (makes it a challenge to get rid of them).

[rockinmomma]

my oldest, when he was still in diapers would identify musical instruments while listening to the radio. Harmonica, guitar, piano, drums, violin.... even on to mandolin and brass instruments. Other than being able to hear each sound, he never really had any desire to learn to play. I BEGGED him to go into band in middle school. He just didn't want to.

About his freshman year or so, somebody talked him into playing guitar hero. Within a year he had a Peavey and an amp. He taught himself how to play with only a few lessons from the rec center instructor. He is now playing keyboards as well. Since he never had any training in reading music, he is teaching himself that as well, but it hasn't seemed to slow him down much.

[NJGOAT]

I have to say that my kids never cease to amaze me with what they know/can do as they grow. I guess along the lines to what the OP was saying, one thing I was astounded by was my youngest remembering where all of her toys go.

We use a bin system that has different colored fabric drawers for the kids toys. Similar toys go in each bin, like one for cars, one for Ninja Turtles, one for Star Wars, etc. The youngest (16 months now) has her own set of bins for her toys as well as some open cubbies for bigger items.

She can pull out every toy she has, but when it's time to clean up before dinner, she will walk around and pick up each toy and put it back in the right bin and place the bigger toys in the same cubbie each time. You can also prompt her to get something specific and she knows right where it's at.

[Smedskjaer]

This is more shocked than surprised.
A youtube video, taken by the friend, of two girls, no older than ten years, sitting on a couch talking about sex left me speechless. What they said wasn't exactly vulgar or pornographic by modern standards, but you never expect girls that young to know so much. If it were two adults, I wouldn't bash an eye at them talking about different sexual practices of inner and outer course. But I don't think it is the result of abuse but rather the result of internet usage not monitored by the parents. Kids will learn anything within their reach. Wish they showed the same interest in learning math, science and language instead.

[syracusa]

2 yo:
"Mama, whales have tails just like we have toushies".
I thought it was kind of funny the way she stated it...in such an SAT manner.

[nightcrawler]

I loved at 8 years old one of my sons was watching me do a house hold project and he say's, hey Papa I think you need the Phillips screwdriver..................like I never knew he knew the difference......