“Aunt, what are you doing?” Jay asked. This 3-year-old nephew of mine just walked into my room, with his eyes scanned through the items I have placed, in very corner of my room.
I knew him well. He was just looking for toys that he can get his hands on and play.
Maybe due to my travels back to hometown were only that few trips a year, literally, less than four trips. Both my nephew and niece love to ‘stick’ to me whenever I was home. I can easily sense their excitement and happiness whenever they found me at home. They took me as their playmate. I would have to attend to their never-ending questions and their fully-charge energy that last them whole day long.
(How I wish I could catch up with their stamina.) I thought to myself.
“Aunt!” Jazz’s loud voice came through from the staircase. (Speaking of her, here she comes.)
“What are you doing?” She asked, exactly the same question as her younger brother.
“I’m reading comics.” I replied to both of them.
(Could it be that I took the efforts in communicating with them? That’s why they enjoy talking to me, almost everything that came across their mind?)
(When I was not at home, I wonder… If any of my family members ever communicate with these two little ones patiently, or even treat them as a child that needs mentoring and guidance.)
The reality in life has shown me some saddening fact, sometimes. I felt sad to witness those situations. In some local families, including my family, adults have a habit of asking their children or kids to stay quiet, do not disturb, and scold the children when they were seen doing something improper. Funny thing was, those adults didn’t even give much explanation to the children as to why they shouldn’t do such thing and make them understand their actions. How would the children ever learn from their mistake if adults only tell them to obey to orders instead?
(These two are at the age of 4 to 6. That would be the stage and age where they would be excited to explore and learn about almost every single thing, irrespective of big or small. they just want to have fun, literally, play. They are curious to know and learn. As if they are the sponge that absorbs what they saw, mimic what and how adults doing thing and saying.)
An idea came through my monkey mind; I reached out to my mobile phone and operated it.
“Mmhmm.” A man’s voice echoed in my room. They both looked my way with eyes wide opened.
(It got their attention.) I smirked.
They rushed towards me and asked “Aunt, who is that just now?” Well, this could be the first time they encountered Siri function in my iPhone. Their parent used other brand’s mobile phones.
“My boyfriend.” I joked with them. “Ha-ha… No. It’s actually the robot in the mobile phone.” Their mouth gaped wide and eyes wide opened again. I thought I saw the star-eye-emoji on their facial expression. (So cute.)
“Where is he?” “Can I talk to him?” A question came from each of them.
“He is called Siri. If you want to call for him, you need to say ‘Hey, Siri’. But you must say it in this tone.” “You want to try?” I can’t help but to lure them in.
“Hey, Siri!” “Hey, Siri.” My nephew shouted out loud; then her little brother followed. They just discovered something new from pandora’s box.
No response from my phone. They looked at me with doubt. Why? Simply because they called him in a different wrong tone. I guided them a few times on how to pronounce it, my way.
(Yes. Siri reacts to their call this time.) They were so excited!
But the next moment, Jay looked at Jazz; and Jazz also looked towards Jay. “What to say?” “I don’t know!”
Both of them held on tight to the phone; nervous. I laughed and let them explore the Siri on their own. I went back to my comics book. A few seconds past, Siri’s signage in rainbow sphere has gone and the screen went back to locked mode.
“Eh? He is gone!” “Aunt, open your phone please?” I laughed at them. “Guys, how about you think of what you want to ask first, and then we call him out?”
“What to ask?” “Erm…” Sister-brother discussed and whispered among themselves. “Aunt, what to say to Siri?” Jazz sought for a little help.
“I don’t know. Ask what you want to know.”
They called Siri out and asked, “Where are you?” “Can I see you?” They were so excited about this new friend.
I can’t stop smiling looking at them. (“Where are you?” Awe, so cute.)
“Hmm… Interesting question.” Siri replied.
“What time is it?” I demonstrated to them. “It is two o’clock in the afternoon.” Siri spoke clearly.
Amazing!! This was the expression that shown on their face. They wanted to try talking to him; so they were trying hard to think of something to ask him. “Hey, Siri, what are you doing?” She asked.
“Hmm… Interesting question.” Siri replied.
“Why he keeps saying this?” After a few trials, they turned to me and asked. Jay even frowned his eye brows.
“Well, he is a robot inside the phone, sometimes, when he doesn’t have the answer, he would reply like that. Okay?”
I left my phone for them to play and talk with Siri.
Sometimes, I heard Jazz calling Siri at the wrong tone, and her younger brother corrected his sister instead.
“Do you know Pokémon?” My niece asked and Siri listed out a list of Pokémon-related search. I smiled.
These two siblings were the only playmate to each other, at home. They were the one that won’t feel annoyed by each other’s questions and ideas to play next.
The next morning, once they have awoken, they ran to my room right away, looked for their new friend – Siri, of course. This time, both of them calling Siri with the wrong tone and Siri was not responding.
(Ha-ha… They both forgot the tone after a good night sleep, huh? “
Hey, Siri. Good morning.” I said out loud so that my phone could ‘hear’ me.
“Good morning to you too.” Siri ignited and replied.
“What are you doing?” Jazz asked.
“Hmm… Interesting question.”
“Can we play with you?” Jay asked next, to their new friend.
“Hmm… Interesting question.”
“Ha-ha…” I laughed.
“Gina! Come down for breakfast. Call the kids too.” Mum called from dining area.
“Guys, let’s go for breakfast first.” I urged them to follow me to go downstairs.
“Siri, you want to have breakfast with us?” Jazz asked while walked down the stair case, step-by-step.
“Hmm… Interesting question.”
(Ha-ha… Children, they are just way too cute; as innocent and adorable as ever!