Oh How Many Peas?

I'm not a teacher.  In a former life I may have been a trainer (no, not a shoe, before you start giggling), but it's one thing standing in front of a room of adults who may or may not want to be there, with my powerpoint presentation to back me up, talking about something that while they might not be very interested in, at least they're going to understand some of. It's altogether different trying to teach a preschooler.  Especially something as abstract as the alphabet.

How am I meant to get her in a receptive enough frame of mind to get A B C to stick?  The letter shapes, not the song.  Though the song is another story altogether.  Have you figured out the title of today's post yet?  Let's sing together.

♫A B C D E F G
H I J K Oh How Many Peas?♫

I shouldn't laugh, but you've got to admit it's funny, and pretty inventive.  I can see the thought process "I don't understand this, so I'm going to sing words I do understand that sort of make sense."  I do it all the time while singing along to the radio.

But there's a more serious side to it.  I've noticed for a while, and the nursery have pointed out to me now as well, that Squeaky's having a bit of trouble with her "C" sounds, mostly at the start of words.  She can say them well when she chooses to, but doesn't.  Apparently I drink Toffee in the mornings, the people over the road have a black and white Tat, and that green thing in the living room in December was a Tristmas Tree.  What's frustrating me is that if she talks about Father Christmas, or a Pussy Cat, she says it perfectly. ARGH, it's driving me crazy (or trazy?)

I've spoken to a speech & language therapist - I knew my office was good for something - and we've made Squeaky's C Box, with a load of toys & familiar objects beginning with C in it, so we can try and work on it,  but it's difficult to get her in the mood to concentrate and play along.  When she realises what you're trying to do, she starts being silly and saying things with a T sound even more, deliberately.  (It's all the more important, because our surname begins with a C, so she needs to be able to say that.)

Has anyone got any tips?

Terry Jones

Those of you of a certain age, or older may recognise the figure above as being Terry Jones, from Monty Python.  You may even think you know a few things about Terry Jones. But I bet you don't!

Terry Jones is 4 and a half.
Terry Jones is a princess.
Terry Jones wears a pink dress.
Terry Jones is invisible.
Terry Jones has a pet dog, called One-and-a-half.
Terry Jones lives in our house.
Terry Jones eats peas and bananas.

Terry Jones is somehow Squeaky's imaginary friend.  I sort of understand where she has got the name from, she has an Uncle Terry, and there's a fair few people called Jones living round here.  But why did she have to come up with a Real Person?

Does your child have an imaginary friend? Or even better, do you? Spill the beans!