My parents were visiting last weekend. My dad was talking to my 12-year old and started reciting a crazy fish poem he says all of the time. But this time, it triggered a memory of another fish poem he used to recite to me when I was little. A favorite. We kept reciting the first lines over and over until we couldn't remember anymore. I googled it and found a
finger play version that reminded us of the parts we couldn't remember. LOVE this poem/song. I have to say, hearing my dad recite it took me back to being three. Actually to the apartment we lived in. I was so happy listening to his voice recite the fishy poem that I hadn't heard in years:
My darling little goldfish
Hasn't any toes
He swims around without a sound
And bumps his funny nose (the site says hungry nose but my family says funny:-)
He can't come out to play with me
Nor I get in to him.
Although I say, "Come out and play."
He says, "Come in and swim."
My 21 year daughter loved the book
LUNCH by Denise Fleming. She loved when I read it because of the way I did the mouse's sniffing noise. (I must say, I am pretty good at it:-) Anyway, even now, when that book or something related comes up, Alexa looks at me with that 4 year-old face and says, "Do the sniffing noise." She reverts back to her 4 year-old self, just like I reverted back to my 3 year-old self with my dad last week.
When I talked to my 12 year old about this, she immediately said she remembered when she was little, Alexa used to sing The Eensy-Weensy Spider to her, but messed up on purpose. She giggled like her 4 year-old self as she was telling me and suggested we Skype Alexa so she could do it for her again--it was not the same if I did it.
I love the ways these memories bring us back to our childhood selves.
The magic of words in books and rhymes! How special that your dad recited poetry to you. I love that big sister memory for your 12 year old. I hope every child has these feelings/memories of language moments.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this post! Sends me right back to the floor at my parents' feet with Dad reading The Night Before Christmas and Mom reading the Bible story of Christmas. I can still hear their voices, feel the flannel of my new pajamas, and see the tree all lit up and surrounded by presents...
ReplyDeleteWe used to do this goldfish poem at my house too! I forgot it until you posted it here!
ReplyDeleteMy mom and I took turns reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory out loud to one another when I was in the fourth grade. Probably why I still love that book and reading aloud!
ReplyDeleteMy mom and I read Two Pennies Overboard from our visit to Nantucket and also Eloise after visiting NYC. Thanks for sharing and bringing back my own memories.
ReplyDeleteAnd I had one little Golden Book that I adored, & can see my mother reading it, with a squirrel in an old coffee pot on the cover. Priceless!
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