My kids love Miyazaki films:
My Neighbour Totoro
Ponyo
Spirited Away
and most recently, Howl's Moving Castle.
Apparently there is a scene of knitting mice in Howl's Moving Castle. It could be some other Miyazaki-type creature, but one way or another, Oscar watched it and then wanted to learn how to knit. Enter Nana:
He got about three stitches done when his interest was captured by something else, being the 5 year old boy he is. But he keeps those needles in the kitchen and periodically asks me to show him how to knit again. We'll see if it sticks.
I think the knitting (I believe it involved a mouse/hamster, a bird, and the faceless monster) was in Spirited Away (although the girl in Howl's Moving Castle makes some lovely hats...)
ReplyDelete... yes, we love the Miyazake, too.
My seven-year-old was knitting for about five minutes last winter sometime. This was hard because I only barely remember how to knit myself. However, both of my kids will intermittently start finger-crocheting everything they can get their hands on...
I think the knotting / knitting must be a developmental stage that kids go through, because he is into knotting anything he can. He is always asking me to make knots I learned from sailing or Girl Guides, and then he tries to tie things together in the same way!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't sure which Miyazaki film it was, because usually I use their film-induced coma to do selfish things like clean the house, do laundry, etc. ;)
I've been trying to get my son to knit for years. he won't. He is always moving and fidgeting so I thought it would be a good way to channel that energy. But, he can't focus on it. oh well, maybe my daughter will be interested.
ReplyDeleteWhat other people call ADD I think is often just LBD (Little Boy Disorder)! They are so wiggly and their minds skip from one thing to another all day, impossible to pin down, but I think it is a natural state of being for them. As my friends say, soon enough they will just be locking themselves in their rooms and grunting for communication, so I try to enjoy the wiggly insanity while it lasts ;)
ReplyDeleteI remember at his age sitting quietly next to my mother as she taught me how to sew and knit and embroider, and I would spend hours concentrating on one tiny thing. So different...
So fun! Share small moments of pleasure with your child ....
ReplyDelete