What's in a name?

The Toddler’s new venture into a fully comprehensive world is asking me what the names of every animal and creature we see is. This may sound easy (think cow, sheep, dog, etc) and very reasonable considering she is coming up to 3 years old but our little Smart Cookie is not actually concerned with the scientific name of the animal, as in what kind is it mommy? But what is it’s actual name!

Picture the scene: We are driving, I am in uber-mommy mode and pointing out our surroundings as we pass “look at that brown cow, look at that black sheep” and so on. With each of those, she wants a name, a proper name! Everytime I am stumped. I can’t think beyond Sam, John or Adam (I don’t actually know a Sam, John or Adam!). I have used these variations so many times she doesn’t believe me anymore and now responds with “no mommy, what’s its name!”. I feel pressure. A lot.

I then start keeping quiet on car journeys. I am thinking of names before we see anything, just in case. I have added Jess to my repertoire. And Amy (drawing on a family name). I try to avoid names of friends or known-family, of course these are always the ones that fly through your head. “Look Princess there goes your Uncle the sheep!”

More recently, I have abandoned the ” I Spy” game and we sing in the car instead. She has just about cracked “Moves Like Jaggar” and Emeli Sande’s “Next To You”.

Apparently an education comes in all shapes and forms.