Forest of the Plains

Prior to my admittance to preschool, I was required to participate in a developmental screening. I was asked to stack three blocks; I put them in a row. I was asked to put on my sweater and zip it; I zipped it then pulled it over my head. I was asked to complete a sentence: If your mommy is a woman then what is your daddy? I proudly answered, “A KANGAROO!”

Mom was rather embarrassed by the whole thing. The screening people ignored Mom’s assurance that I could do all those things correctly and said that I had to go for a “special” screening. A couple days later Mom called back and they let her reschedule. On the way to the second screening Mom promised that I could have ice cream if I did what they asked me to do. I passed that second screening with flying colors!

*jump ahead 25 years*

Last night Jacob had his 1-year-old developmental screening through Parents As Teachers.

When asked to pick up a Cheerio, he almost rolled his eyes. The look on his face said, “Are you serious? I’ve been doing this for years! And, why did you just give me one Cheerio?”

When asked to tap two blocks together, he wouldn’t do it. Five minutes later you couldn’t pry those blocks out of his hands, he was tapping so much!

When asked to stack two blocks, he tried, but it didn’t happen. Twenty minutes later when he thought no one was looking, he stacked two blocks.

When asked to roll a ball to me, he tried to make the ball bounce. Then he put the ball into a cup and pushed the cup to me. (He rolls balls and trucks back & forth with us all the time.)

For the final test, the screener repeatedly said that there was no way he could do this, but she had to ask him anyway. She gave a little doll and bottle to Jacob and told him to “feed the baby”. Jacob put that bottle right to the baby’s mouth! The screener’s jaw dropped open.

I wonder what will happen at his two-year-old screening?