Taking Turns

Recently I was speaking with Peanut's preschool teacher and she mentioned that he has a difficult time waiting his turn in circle to share with the rest of the class.  At first I chalked this up to any 4 year old in a class of 16 kids having a tough time when they have something to say.  Raising our hands is a learned skill.  Interrupting and speaking out of turn, that seems to just come naturally for us all.  But then I realized that in part Peanut might be having a hard time with this because we don't usually enforce him having to wait his turn.  When he has something to say, I stop what I am doing to hear him.  When we are talking around the table he usually gets top billing if he has something to say.  Sometimes it may take him 15 minutes to get a thought completely out.  Sometimes it still takes us 10 minute to decipher his sentence.  For example, just this morning all 3 kids were piled on top of me and were all trying to outdo one another by giving me kisses.  (I know, tough world I live in)  Peanut was kissing me over and over which is not very typical for him so I was telling him how much I love every one of his many many kisses.  He stopped and took my face in his pudgy giant hands and said "Now you are a witch!"  I laughed and said that I wasn't a witch and he said "Yes, you are I am turning you into a witch with all of my kisses!"  I repeated what he said to me and he shook his head obviously getting frustrated with me.  "Witch?" "Witch!!" "Witch?" "Witch!!" "Witch?" "Witch!!" This went on for a while and then he stopped and said "You know, what you are when you have lots and lots of things.  "OH RICH!"  "Yes, I am making you rich (still sounding like witch) with all of my kisses."  He was so thrilled with me for figuring out what he was trying to say he gave me a huge hug and more kisses.  During this time, Little Man and Sweet Pea were still kissing me and trying to get my attention but I didn't take my eyes off of Peanut until we figured it out.  He needs to be heard and we still have some hurdles to jump.  So forgive me teachers of his future, but I don't make him wait his turn and saying "Be quiet or stop talking" still feels impossible to say to him regardless of how well he is doing.  The older he gets, the more out of context and complex his thoughts are getting and I will always take the time to decipher his words and let him talk until my head is pounding.  Peanut words are still priceless and I am kind of ok with him wanting to talk at school even if he forgets to raise his hand.