Connor can count!

We've discovered that Connor can count. Or at least he can recognise numbers. Recognising numbers is not the same as understanding that "8" stands for 8 pieces of clothing or 8 peas. As of now, I'm not sure what it is that Connor understands.

I count for him quite regularly. I usually count the steps as we're headed to the car park or the pool. Or I'll count the number of toy cars he has. Sometimes I'll count the peas in his pasta for him. Or I'll read out the numbers as we're waiting for the lift. My method of teaching tends to involve real-world experiences, I don't really sit him down in front of a book/flash cards and then say "Okay.. today's number is ONE!"

One day, as I was locking our front door and Connor was waiting for me in the lift lobby, I heard my son's voice go, "... tree.. (pause)... pai, chik... cheben.. aicht, nai... ten!" I'm like "HEY! You can tell numbers!"

While we're quite pleased and proud, this has presented us with a new set of problems. When we're in lifts, Connor will run to the control panel and demonstrate his new knowledge. "Mummy! Pai! Chik! Cheben!" and I'll find my ride up/down in the lift is taking longer and longer because we're stopping at every floor. If the lift has disabled-friendly panels (like the ones in BSC new wing) which are the perfect height for him, alamak. Whole panel lit up like a Christmas tree the last time I used those lifts.

Now to teach him how to count beyond ten....

Note: Connor always pauses after the number 3 when reading out from our apartment lift because he knows 4 comes after 3. However our apartment labels 4th floor as 3A and this is very puzzling to Connor.