Michael Strong asks five-year-old Alana about her baby brother Logan, who knows three to five words and reacts to "no" by slamming on the ground. Alana thinks he's as smart as a pet but getting smarter daily, and predicts he'll speak like her by age four or five. She also describes feeling her brain learn during their conversation.
Oh wow, is that Logan making noise in the background?
Yeah, he misses me.
Oh, that's so sweet.
Because a few weeks back, back behind me in the days, I was with my cousins in Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm and Santa Cruz Zoo and SeaWorld. So he missed me.
It sounds like he loves you a lot.
Yeah, he does. Actually, he misses me.
Well, that makes sense. I think you're probably a lot of fun for him.
Yeah.
So last time we were actually talking about conversations with Logan. So, you think Logan— how many words do you think Logan understands?
3.
What are the 3 words that Logan understands?
Aya, a mama, and a dada.
Okay.
Or dad.
Would he understood if you pointed to some food or if you pointed somewhere?
Yeah.
Um, does he understand anything about food, like breakfast or milk or lunch or candy or anything?
Nope. Nope.
You know, does Logan watch what you're doing?
No.
I bet if you went from one room to another, Logan would follow you.
Me too. So only if I was nice to him.
So if you're nice to him, but he would follow you.
Yes, because whenever he doesn't want me to cuddle him, that he always does, he— I never get to cuddle him. That's funny. I wonder how he doesn't even want me to cuddle him.
Never. He never wants you to cuddle him?
Never. I tried to.
Does he want your mom or dad to cuddle him?
Yep.
That's interesting. Why do you think he wants mom and dad to cuddle him but not you?
I wonder what— Excuse me.
You can go. No, sounds like you have a little bit of a cold. Do you have a cold?
Bye, okay, you okay?
So would Logan— does Logan ever look for you and try to find you? Never. Does he look for your mom or dad?
Yes, he does.
Would he— does he go from room to room searching for them?
Yes, yes, he does. Okay.
Do you think that Logan—
except me—
except you. Do you think that, um, Logan is smarter than a dog or a cat? Or not as smart as a dog or a cat?
Not as smart.
Not as smart? Why not?
'Cause he never wants to cuddle me. And pets kinda like to cuddle.
I see. So everybody who's smart likes to cuddle with Alana. If Logan doesn't want to cuddle with you, he's not very smart.
Yep.
That's your logic?
That's how I know.
I see, I see. Um, okay. Um, how about in terms of finding people in another room? Is Logan better at finding people than a dog or a cat?
Yes, he is. That's why whenever my mom comes back to work and when she's in the room sleeping, he knows where he is and he knocks on the door.
He said, "I'd like to go in, but no." It sounds like he's really good at finding your mom.
Yep. Even my dad.
He's really good at finding your dad too?
Even me. Whenever I'm in the bathroom, he finds me.
So it sounds like he's pretty smart. Um, you don't think— if you, you couldn't point, could you point to a room and where your mom or dad was? Would he know what you're doing when you point?
No, I wouldn't.
Okay. You think he understands? Does he understand yes and no?
Yes, but sometimes when, when we say don't touch the television, We are like, uh, that. Then he just slams himself onto the ground and closes his eyes.
When you say no to the television, he slams himself to the ground and closes his eyes?
Yeah.
Wow. Why does he do that?
It's true. I don't know. Maybe it's just his way of saying, why?
You think he's being funny?
Yeah, I think he's being funny because he's funny to me.
I think being funny is a kind of intelligence. Do you think being funny is a kind of intelligence?
No.
Well, I can't— I cannot imagine a dog or a cat doing that.
Me either.
You know, dogs rolling on the ground in front of a TV? I've never seen a dog do that.
Me either.
So can we say that's a kind of intelligence that Logan has that dogs and cats don't have? Yeah. Okay, but it sounds like you said originally he only knows 3 words: mom, dad, and nana. It sounds like he also knows yes. Aya ya.
Aya ya. Aya ya.
Okay, but it sounds like he also knows yes or no, so he really knows 5 words. Oh, or 4. Or just 4.
He knows 4 words, actually, I think.
So he knows mom, he knows dad, he knows your name, he knows yes, no. That's 5, right?
Oh, right.
Okay. Do you think there are some words that he almost knows but not quite?
Nope.
Does he listen when you guys are talking to each other?
Yes, he does.
You think he's trying to figure out what you're saying?
Yep, I think so.
You think one of these days he'll figure it out?
Yes, I think so.
You ever listen to what your parents are saying and trying to figure out what they what they are saying?
Yes.
Do they ever say things you don't understand but eventually you figure it out?
Yes, I think so.
Okay. Um, do your parents ever try to say things in ways deliberately so you cannot understand?
No.
Okay. So it sounds like you and Logan are both trying to learn English better. Is that right?
Yes, because English is pretty hard.
It is. Are there words in English—
when I'm reading—
and when you're reading, are there words in English that you don't know?
Yep, like big letters.
Big letters? You mean long words?
Yeah, like long, long words.
Do you like to learn new words?
Yes, I do.
Why?
Because it helps me so that I can find stuff.
You can find what kind of stuff?
Guess what? I have the Charlotte's Web book, so it teaches me some things.
Okay. Well, I wanted to understand how you are watching Logan learn. Do you think you're actually watching Logan learn English?
Yes.
Do you think when Logan gets to be 4 or 5, he'll speak English almost as well as you do?
Excuse me?
When Logan gets to be your age, will he speak English as well as you do?
Yes, he will.
You think he's getting smarter every day?
Yes, I think so.
Okay, so yeah, I just wanted to understand how you, how you were observing your little brother's mind developing. And also how you're observing your own mind developing. Does it make sense that you are actually watching your own mind develop?
No.
What is mind?
I didn't.
What is your mind?
What's my mind? Yep. Wait, what are you talking about again?
Your mind. M-I-N-D. Do you have a mind?
Yes.
What is it?
It's like a brain. It's a brain, actually.
It's a brain, actually? So does your brain learn, or does your mind learn?
My brain learns.
Okay. Can you, can you notice when your brain is learning?
Yes, I can tell.
How can you tell?
Because when we're talking So I can feel like it's learning stuff.
Okay, that sounds good. Okay, well, that's all I wanted to check in with today. Did you have anything else to report from this last week?
No, I forget everything that we talked about last week.
That's okay. I want you to have a wonderful week, and we'll talk next week, okay? Bye, Ilana.
Bye, Michael Strong.
