In our household, I am the person who most often understands what Boy Detective is saying. I mean, he’s a fairly articulate person for being 21 months old, and no one who has heard him say tractor, soccer ball, or molasses has been in any doubt about what he was trying to convey. There are times, though, when he suddenly produces a few syllables and everyone around him is shaking their head… except me.
I’m not a big believer in any mystical bond between mother and child, at least not if I’m the mother, since I am just about mystical-free in all areas of my life. So I’ve been racking my brain for other explanations.
Do I spend more time with him than the other adults hanging around? Well, probably, if you count the hours that I spent working while he’s playing with his grandma nearby. But it’s not like I’m listening all that well. I’m too busy wondering how I could have sent over 696 emails in one month for a job that isn’t even quite full time.
Do I have better hearing than any of these other people? I don’t think so. C-Man is a huge drama queen about noises that I consider practically inaudible, yet affect him like nails on a chalkboard.
The only answer I’ve been able to come up with is that of all of us, I am the one whose mind is most like that of a child not yet two years old.
It’s that familiarity thing. You really do have better hearing because you’re attuned to his voice and you know his verbal nuances. Plus, his words probably resemble what he means. And I think it is true that moms have a special bond that transcends verbal communication. Those things together, and voila! Understanding. ;)