problemsolving smarts

Leona's really good at solving issues she faces in ingenious ways, not only when it comes to communication, but in general as well.

For example, at the playground the other day:

Me to Leona who just slid down a yellow slide: Leona, you can slide one more time and then we will go home.

Leona looks at me in confirmation and runs over to the net-ladder, climbing up again, then: [Points at the red slide] Red slide [emphatically]. Yellow slide [points at the yellow slide and shakes her head] x 2.

Took me a couple seconds to grasp what she was telling me, then a light-bulb went on and I smiled hugely, and said back to her: Yes, the red slide, not the yellow one.

She gleefully slides down the red slide, starts walking around to the teeter-horses, points to them looking at me and repeats the dialogue: Horses [emphatically]. Yellow slide [pointing at it and shaking her head].

I replied: Two more minutes, then we go home.

My 'slide one more time' was translated for her into meaning once she slid down the yellow slide one more time we would go. So she found the loop-hole where it was within the relm of our agreement to play on the red slide and other playground things as long as she didn't slide on the yellow slide; yellow slide = the period at the end of that play trip.

Then there was the time she was supposed to be falling asleep, but wouldn't stop talking.

Me: You need to be quiet now Leona, it's 'sleepy time' (Judge's way of saying 'time to sleep').
Leona [Whispers]: Ana sad (Eliana had been crying).
Me: Leona, you need to stop talking and go to sleep.
Leona whispers Ana and signs sad.


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