Social relations
3V1069.02 Counting and one-to-one correspondence (12/26/80) Having bought her two of Beatrix Potter’s books for Christmas, I have read them over and over to Peggy. At one point in the story of Peter Rabbit, old Mrs. Rabbit goes to the bakers and buys ‘five current buns.” I decided to see how Peggy would follow or …
3V1069.01 Planning a trip: to B-A-S-T-G-A-K (12/26/80) Peggy wants very much to go along whenever I go to Boston. She loves to travel anywhere beyond the house , and argues she should go and the older children stay home because “Some kids are too little to be left alone.” I hate to let her overhear …
3V1065.02 “I thought I saw a pussy cat” (12/22/80) Ever since the summer, Peggy has enjoyed watching afternoon cartoons on TV. Her favorite is Tom and Jerry (so much so that she calls the cartoon show by that name). The last day or so she has been driving us crazy by imitating Tweety’s common complaint, …
3V1065.01 Past two months: PUPPY DOG: an invented game/role (12/22) A quick scan of these notes shows no notice taken of something very important to Peggy: she has created a game-role for herself, the character “Puppy Dog.” This began months ago when, playing with Scurry, Peggy fastened the leash to her collar and ran about …
3V1049.02 Put Me in the Zoo: tracing words in the title (12/6/80) Peggy has discovered this book and I have read it to her, perhaps half a dozen times at most. When I read the title, I point to each word. Today, Peggy was in my lap requesting I read. She put down the book …
3V1035.01 Constructive reading: Reading pictures and her own memories (11/22/80) Peggy’s crib is an unbelievable mess. There is hardly room for her with all the animals, covers, books in it. When put to bed before she’s sleepy, she will often read silently to herself. I have heard her, in the mornings, reading aloud. It is …
3V1033.01 Holophrastic verbs: imitation of Peggy by Miriam as confirmation (11/20/80) Peggy imitates Miriam — sure enough — but the opposite is also true. Miriam has begun imitating Peggy’s single word descriptions…. single VERB descriptions. Peggy may pick up a cookie, say emphatically “eat” and pop it in her mouth. When reclaiming toys from the …
3V1025.03 Commitment to her own knowledge: we only sleep when it’s dark (11/12/80) Peggy distinguishes between dark and not dark. She knows that we sleep when it is dark. (Or rather that it is dark when we go to bed for the night.) Of late, she has been after the dog, waking her up from …
3V1022.02 Appetite for Reading: (in text between two notes written up on 11/12) Back in May, Peggy began to request a Tintin in her crib at night. Sometimes she “read” it, but many times she just wanted to have it there before she would lie down and go to sleep. And of course, it would …
3V1013.01 One to one correspondence (10/29/80) I found Peggy with the Train book, looking at a diagram of a locomotive. She was pointing to the numbers (denoting parts that were described below) and reciting random letters of the alphabet, one to each number: “B…E…K…D…” when I approached to see what she was doing, she pointed …
3V1010.03 Reading “good grief” in Peanuts book (10/26/80) Peggy asked me to read a Peanuts book to her. I did so. She was looking for instances of “Good Grief !” and would point to panels having a character with the appropriate expression and ask “Good Grief ” She would also point to the speech balloons …
3V1010.02 Singing (10/26/80) Peggy’s favorite song is “The fox went out on a chilly night.” This is her first song, (in the sense of having parts well enough known for her to begin singing). Her original version interleaved two lines, “The fox went out on a chilly night” and “town-o, town-o…(repeated a variable number of …
3V1006.01 “When Mimi was my age, Christina was my age too” (10/22/80) I judge this an amazing statement for a child of Peggy’s age. Christina is a coeval of Miriam’s who rides to and from gymnastics in a car pool. Christina is of significantly slighter frame than Miriam. It is possible that Peggy imagined Christina …
3V1004.01 Role Reversal: reading to others (10/20/80) Bringing some wood inside, I nearly tripped over Scurry at the porch door. Continuing on, I came close to Peggy also, who censured me “Don’t step on me, Daddy. Don’t step on Scurry. She’s a good kid, too.” Scurry is Peggy’s most accessible playmate (and the only controllable …
3V1001.01 Letter names: beyond those important as people symbols (10/17/80) I gave Peggy the small coffee table for her use as a desk, put her puzzles there and a pile of paper from which she takes pieces to scribble on. She did so today. When first drawing, she would bring me her papers and ask …
3V0997.01 Lost in the woods: a bad scare for all of us (10/13/80) While Gretchen and I cut and hauled wood outback, Robby and Peggy went into the basement to watch TV. A short time later, I went to the front of the house to saw some sticks remaining from a brush pile. Knocking on …
3V0995.01 Excuses and implausible threats (10/11/80) Peggy begins now to more frequently offer excuses (as her siblings do all too often) and even makes threats. She sometimes neglects to empty her potty into the toilet after shitting. I urged her to do so today. as she sat on the floor, playing with a bare foot. …
3V0981.02 Talking about places: complexity of Peggy’s interpretive situation (9/29/80) Miriam recorded this dialogue about Peggy’s new toy Bunny: Peggy: I got my Bunny at the book store. Miriam: No. You got it at the Hole in the Wall. Peggy: Where the book shop ? Miriam: Near the Hole in the Wall. Peggy: I thought …
3V0981.01 Meta-linguistic knowledge: “I can’t read words” (9/29/80) Peggy clambered onto my bed where I lay reading — then got down to get a Tintin to read to me. She said, after propping it open and most unhappily, “I can’t read words.” I comforted her, “You have to learn how to do that sweety. It’s …
3V0977.01 Reading words to Peggy: unintended instruction Peggy has been lately enjoying Richard Scary’s “Best Word Book Ever.” She brought it to me today and asked me to read her the words (in a general sense) “Read these words?” I read the title, etc. then began to read the labels accompanying objects on the cover. …
3V0973.01 “I found another Mommy-letter” (9/21/80) So Peggy exclaimed, sitting on the piano bench as she held up a letter “C” she found. (Of course, she means it is a “G” which I once told her was the first letter of Gretchen’s name. I can’t escape the strength with which such a simple comment permitted …
3V0972.01 At the Guilford Fair (9/20/80) Five times on the Merry Go Round, everyone a delight for her. Whenever we passed by without riding, Peggy broke out in tears and collapsed or sulked. We did manage to walk about a bit — with a tear in the eye and a hand in the mouth — …
3V0971.01 In my lap: repertoire of three character scripts (9/19/80) I have tried to dissuade Peggy from reading all the time. So more lately, she has climbed into my lap with friends, the small bear, the pink panther, “Aroot” her elephant, and the horse Miriam received when she was in the hospital. The animals have …
3V0961.01 An old joke, naturally arising – the “wrong feet”: (9/9/80) Peggy was putting on her shoes for herself. As she began to put one on, I said, “Peggy, you’re putting your shoes on the wrong feet.” She came back with the classic remark, “These are my feet.”
3V0949.02 five page-long list of books read to Peg in March: should be inserted at 3/4 date Date Reader Action Book 3/4 Miriam read Little Black, a pony 3/4 Miriam look Know Your Scotch Terrier 3/4 Gretchen read Little Black 3/4 Gretchen look Know your Scotch Terrier 3/5 Gretchen read Winnie the Pooh (half story …
3V0949.01 Roles involving three people: (correcting me about Gretchen) (8/28/80) I no longer recall the detail of this incident. What is important is development of the role-expansion theme from two to three characters. Note that Peggy only has trouble with the third person possessive pronouns (and adjective also). She has trouble — as will be …
3V0942.02 Counting letters: social context of alphabet learning (8/21/80) So Peggy names her playing with them — and she frequently asks some one to do that with her. She apparently has in mind companionship alone and precious little else. Since the only thing she does with letters are: 1. identify individuals; 2. scatter them around; …
3V0941.01 “I taller him”: words and intonations (8/20/80) Peggy plays with the Fisher Price dolls, directing them and speaking for them. Peggy used the comparative appropriately in speaking for “Daddy” but more than that as well. She put on a very deep gruff voice — of the same sort she uses to boss about the …
3V0940.01 GSB : letters as symbols for people: “This say Mommy, Scurry, Daddy” ( 8/19/80) We have a key ring about the house from the Guilford Savings Bank. Peggy brought it to me today and explained to me, “This says Mommy, Scurry, Daddy.” She has been told that this first letter begins the name Gretchen, …
3V0935.05 Knock-knock: “timber” precedes “timber who?” When she finished supper early, Peggy gets down from her high chair but often hangs around the table. This evening she crawled under and played by herself. Miriam asked, “Knock knock.: and Gretchen and Robby together answered “Who’s there?” Miriam answered “Tim.” A small but positive voice from under …
3V0935.03 Growing big to be a daddy (8/14/80) A few weeks ago Peggy mentioned she would grow big to be a Daddy. I agreed she would grow big but that she would grow big like a Mommy because she was a girl, would not grow big like a Daddy. Later, she indicated a preference for …
3V0935.02 Time: “Tomorrow went BOOP; Mimi did it.” (8/14/80) With my irregular schedule, days are much like one another. There is no daily grinds for me and no unusual weekend for Peggy; unusual in Daddy’s being home. Today and yesterday are not words I’ve heard her use. She does know that “tomorrow” is a time …
3V0935.01 Reading About Letters (8/14/80) In Richard Scary’s “Great Big School House,” an extended section is developed around the alphabet. Peggy was reading this section quietly to herself today when Robby’s friend Billy came for a visit. He joined Peggy on the floor for a while, asked if she knew her letters or numbers. Peggy …
3V0933.03 Nouns and adjectives: non-standard usage (8/12/80) Peggy has long resisted our attributing any character to her where of this form, “You’re a X.” (Or “Are you an X ?”) Bob: Are you a sweet Peggy ? Peggy: Yes. Bob: Are you a sweety ? Peggy: No ! I’m a Peggy ! It appears to …
3V0933.02 Fixity of Part Relations: idioms are central (8/12/80) As we set out the supper on the table, Peggy in her high chair already was delighted to see the food. “It’s macaroni and cheese,” she exclaimed, “Peg,” I said, “It’s cheese and macaroni.” “Not cheese and macaroni,” she argued adamantly, “It’s macaroni and cheese.” What …
3V0933.01 Describing actions: fluid script application (8/12/80) Over this past week, Peggy has often played with her Fischer-Price dolls. This has joined with her new interest in Legos so she has made (with Miriam’s help and mine) in making couches and houses for her dolls. Most striking about Peggy’s play with dolls is her language …
3V0932.02 Bouncing imagined; nonstandard pronoun usage (8/11/80) Peggy listened with the toy telephone at her ear then put it down. “Mrs. Gonan. I go to she’s house and bounce on trampoline.” Thus Peggy recalled and imagined an activity which has been the ideal realization of one of her favorite activities, bouncing. For months now, it …
3V0924.02 Watching Videotapes: single letters as name symbols (8/3/80) Last night Gretchen and I reviewed four videotapes (weeks 26, 52, 78, and 104). Peggy was in and out during this two hours of viewing (she was alternately watching an hour long Disney show on the basement TV). One question of interest to me was what …
3V0916.01 Commitment to an interpretation: [go pick the lady grass.](7/26/80) Miriam has been given the job of picking grass out of the driveway and she resists it mightily. I recently scolded her and told her to go pick out every blade of grass at the turn (the grass had slowed drainage and caused some flooding). …
3V0908.01 A swimming pool: caution at first encounter(7/18/80) We visited this day my cousin’s house in Cherry Hill. Her son, Matthew, a week older than Peggy, nearly drowned in their swimming pool about a week before our visit. We were all very sensitive to the event. Peggy had never seen a swimming pool before and …
3V0899.01 Toilet training: a first success (7/9/80) Peggy had a wet diaper and asked me to take it off. “Take off diaper… don’t hug me…take this off…. I have to do something.” She took her little toilet, set it in the middle of the room, pissed in it, and emptied the pot into the regular …
3V0896.01 Letters as symbols for people’s names (7/6/80) In session P127 and P128, Peggy revealed the congeniality of her conceiving of and remembering letter names as associated with members of our family. Today she sat on the floor and help up a ‘P’. “That’s me, right?” she asked and later “That Robby?” (for a ‘B’). …
3V0893.01 Excuses: [No. I’m keeping my ears warm.] (7/3/80) Miriam returned from Boston with a hat I bought her, like the one I bought Robby the week before. The hats are too large for the children unless adjusted to their minimum size. While Peggy ran around with her head submerged in Miriam’s hat (which Robby …
3V0880.01 Reading” two words: [That say ‘no’. (in No more tangles)] (6/28/80 and earlier) Miriam reported to me two incidents occurring during my five days in Boston. First, she tricked Peggy. Pointing to the word “No” on the container of “No More Tangles,” Miriam asked if she could read it. Peggy said, “No.” Miriam congratulated …
3V0882.03 Reading as VERY specific knowledge: The Calculus Affair (6/22/80) Peggy climbed into a chair with the Tintin book unopened. Pointing to the title on the cover she asked “What’s that name, way up there?” “Calculus,” I answered. Pointing a little lower, she asked, “What’s that name?” My answer was “affair” and finally “The” when …
3V0880.03 “Crack” and “bang”: correction by Miriam; that say “Peggy Lawler” Peggy clambered in Gretchen’s lap with “The Calculus Affair.” She read some words to Gretchen, That say ‘crack’; that say ‘crack’; that say ‘BANG’!” How did she ever learn that (“Bang”) ? Miriam explained that while Gretchen and I were off at Guilford Lake’s …
3V0880.02 Reading a word/image: lighting & thunder from Tintin Last night, after dinner, Peggy asked to sit in my lap, “Daddy, I sit you.” First we read a Tintin cartoon book that was close at hand (The Calculus Affair). We went over the first few pages identifying the characters (Snowy, Tintin, Captain Hack-uck). I identified …
3V0880.01 Using “shame on you” (cf. notes of 6/16) (6/20/80) Last night at supper, Peggy clambered into Robby’s chair while he was in the kitchen. He returned, touched her on the head from behind the chair and asked what she was doing in his chair. Peggy pushed away his hand saying, “Shame on you.” Miriam …
3V0876.02 Roots of reading: recapitulation of Benj. Bunny Peggy just said, “Bunny slid [/sit?] down in the road and went to Mister Gregor’s house.” Peggy was, of course, looking at Benjamin Bunny, pp. 10-11. The text is as follows: “as soon as they had passed (The McGregors), little Benjamin Bunny slid down into the road, …
3V0876.01 More role articulation: (toilet training) (6/26/80) Peggy has been much engaged with toilet training (mainly from social pressure plus a little direct instruction). For example, when I called home from Boston last week, she was so proud of herself she explained having taken off her coat and dress and that she had pissed in …