Don't you wish toddlers had remote controls? Aside from all the wonderful things you could make them do, such as "stop", "pause" and "mute", you could also request subtitles, as needed. My 21-month-old daughter, Claire is learning to talk. While I'm sure this process is more frustrating for her than for me (as evidenced by intense, weekly tantrums), at times, I just can't figure out what she's saying!
I often wish I could point a remote at her, press "Menu" and select "Subtitles". Cryptic phrases, such as "oh! oh! MEEEE-ul!", would be magically translated to: "May I please have a bowl of strawberry oatmeal with a long-handled iced tea spoon?" Ear-splitting sounds, such as "MAMAMAMAMAaaaaaaaaaEEEEEEEEEEEEE!", would be revealed to mean: "Mother, would you please kindly lift me up so I can see all the contraband items on the kitchen table you have placed out of my insidious reach?" When especially angry or not feeling well, Claire will declare, "ah-gueeea-gueeea!" I still don't know what that means, but I strongly suspect it's a bad word.
In lieu of subtitles, Claire is very creative in her attempts at communication. She is aided in this by her basic sign language repertoire, which I taught her from age eight months, although Claire is not hearing-impaired. This week at dinner, she performed the signs for "more" and "please" while saying "bee-up-bee-up", the sound she believes fish make while underwater. Crystal! Yesterday, at a picnic, she would flirtatiously sidle up to other adults with food, peer at their tupperware containers of fruit salad, and say "a-Baaaawl!", thereby receiving numerous red grapes. Last night, she went to the freezer, pointed at a container of ice cream, wrapped her arms around herself, and said, "Brrrrr!" This morning, she pointed to the TV, brought me the movie about owls, The Legend of the Guardians, and said "Hoo! Hoo!". I can't help but be impressed by her ingenuity. She must have gotten that from her father.
In my rational mind, which I do not always inhabit these days, I know that Claire is going through an important developmental stage. She is learning her native language, the importance of both verbal and nonverbal communication, ways to connect with others, and techniques to build relationships. I am learning to express my ever-increasing empathy toward this small creature, to teach her about this big world in which we live, and to communicate with her on her own level.
Perhaps subtitles are overrated. Once, before Claire was born, my husband and I were invited to a couple's house for dinner, where we met their daughter, Sophie. We were frequently bemused by the two-year-old's speech, while her parents could understand almost everything she said. I would say, "Subtitles, please!", and her mother, Katie would translate. Later, after the plates had been cleared, as Katie was giving me advice about nursing, I noticed Sophie listening attentively, perhaps reliving fond memories. Sophie asked her mother to pick her up and shouted joyfully, "Bubbies! Bubbies! Bubbies!" Katie looked at me with eyebrows raised and said, Do you need subtitles for that?"
