I've been speaking German to Brixton for almost two years now. I'm happy to report that he understands it as much as he understands English. He has a whole list of vocabulary in German that he actively uses. He seems to get the concept that things can have two names, for example, he'll point to the wall while I'm changing his diaper and say "Wand," the German word, and then he'll follow it up with "wall".
He loves to read any book, whether in German or English.
We are part of a weekly German playdate, where we both have the opportunity to use our German and improve and he can play with German-speaking children.
We have a plethora of German music CDs, the entire Little Pim German series, and of course all of the tools available on the internets.
But, oh. I am so sick of speaking German.
I constantly have to remind myself to speak it. It's just SO MUCH easier to express yourself in your native language. There's no self-correcting needed, no thought as to vocabulary--your native tongue just happens. And while my German is good, it's limited--partly through time and forgetting words, and partly from my experiences in Germany and what I was exposed to for learning.
Sometimes I mix the languages...sometimes in the same sentence, sometimes the same word.
When Brendan's out of town, it's a bit easier to get into the German groove, since speaking it in front of him excludes him (even though he's learned a lot too in the past two years!)
However...
As much as I want to quit, I know I'd be so disappointed in myself years down the road. I feel like language is a gift you can bestow on your children, but it does take sacrifice. So, for now, I'll just power through as best as I can.
Do you speak another language with your child? How do you keep it up?
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I wish I knew another language well enough to speak it to my kids, but I only know a smattering of German and Japanese. I think it's great that you're giving Brixton the gift of knowing 2 languages!
ReplyDeleteI am very happy to have the opportunity to speak German to Brix..it's just...ugh. It's a lot of work.
Deletei think it's amazing you're teaching your child another language! it will just become a way of life rather a chore when they're older at school.
ReplyDeletewe're new followers to your lovely blog :)
http://littlehouseofours.blogspot.co.uk
I hope so! I hope when he gets older he doesn't say "mama stop speaking that to me!". Kids tend to get embarrassed when they get older. Will pop in and visit your blog!
DeleteHey, I'm so glad I found you! I am a greek mother and I speak both greek and english to my toddler! At 17 months of age, he seems to be pretty fine. Most of his books are in greek, so when I read to him, I read in greek at first and then in english or something. Please, please don't quit! I know you feel a little weird (many people are teasing me) but it's so good for your little. I have read somewhere that bilingual kids get benefits by their ability, because they have to use their brain also to choose what word to choose and in what language for each occasion. Go mama!
ReplyDeleteBtw, yesterday, I created "The Rad Bloglovin Blog Hop". It's my first link up party that incourages people to follow each other on Bloglovin. Just thought you might be interested! Here is the hop http://afairytalecomesalive.blogspot.gr/2013/03/the-rad-bloglovin-blog-hop_16.html
Are your Greek and English equal or is Greek your native language? Thanks for the encouragement from another mama going through the same thing. xo..will check out the link up too!
DeleteI think it's awesome you still speak to him in German. My daughter was born in Germany (we're American), but since I knew we would be moving back to the States before she was two, I was too lazy to speak to her in German (my German is only so-so). It's a sacrifice like you said, but definitely one that I wish we had done for her. I applaud you for sticking with it so Brixton can learn the language. Children are sponges, and now's the time to teach them.
ReplyDeleteIt is AMAZING at how "spongy" they are at this age! It's kind of scary, really! But you are right, it's the perfect time for him to be learning.
DeleteI think it's amazing that you are doing this for B, what a gift!! Is speak French but have not been diligent about teaching my girls, one of my biggest regrets. Isabelle is learning French in school and they have picked up lots of things just listening to the family talk but I wish I had started them from the get go.
ReplyDeletei am soooo bad! i totally stopped speaking portuguese with Lily. Will tries to speak it to her more than i do. for the first year, from the time Lily came out, i spoke portuguese to her but then, once she started to speak, she started in english and it was just so much easier to communicate with her in english. i feel bad. but at least she does understand that there are different languages. i keep thinking that one day i will start speaking it to her again but who am i kidding? if only i had relatives close by who would help...
ReplyDeleteWell, as you know I am native German speaker but man, even for me it's hard. I left Austria when I was 19 and spoke mostly English since then. I have to constantly remind myself to speak German too. I think in English most of the time. It's really a shame that I am not more consistent with my German with Linnea. I really have to be. We do read in German a lot at least. Most of the time she flat out refused German. I would say something in German and she would yell back at me, saying it in English, like "Mom, you are WRONG. This is not how you say it!". But spending five days in Florida with my old friend from Austria and only speaking German for five days really helped. She now repeats German to me and even says some things in German. I hope our time in Europe next month will be a permanent change both for me and for Linnea. But it's a fact - English is so much easier to pronounce than German for little baby mouths.
ReplyDelete