Recently I was chatting with one of my favorite people, Bont (known to Vidalia as Bum).
She was telling me the story behind her husband Mateo trying to teach their daughters Spanish; it's pretty much all his idea so her attitude was, "if it's important to you, do it." So he does it. I asked her does she ever get frustrated not knowing what he's saying to their kids and she said no that if ever she wants to know she can ask and Mateo will tell her in English.
So then I told Bont the reasons why we don't do the same, mainly that I would either have to choose between Spanish or Portuguese, or I would have to try to teach them both. Also, that Melissa would want to teach them Arabic. After talking to her I thought, why can't we try to teach them all these languages? We did work hard to acquire what we know, shouldn't our children benefit from our efforts? There are people completely fluent in 4 languages, in fact it's pretty common in some parts of the world.
So I discussed it with Melissa; she told me go for it so as of Tuesday, August 21, 2012 I am speaking to my child in primarily Spanish or Portuguese :) It's been fun. I was a little apprehensive thinking, I've already lost 20 months, Vidalia is used to responding to me when I speak English, this will be frustrating for both of us and for our relationship. I also thought to myself "What are the chances this will have any permanent effect on her seeing as how she would be hearing her father speak it who she only sees a few hours most days?" I finally concluded it couldn't hurt and I would be allowed to change my mind later.
So in summary, blah blah blah (Bob Loblaw) I am sharing my love of Portuguese and Spanish with my family. Melissa stated she will plan on making Arabic part of the curriculum for Home Schooling. So that will be good. Tahib (Arabic for good, as far as my transliteration is concerned).
-p.s. When I read Vidalia some of the books in Arabic I just say the basic phrases I know (e.g. I want water please/What's your name?/Happy Birthday/ Where are you from?/Let's go, etc.)
She was telling me the story behind her husband Mateo trying to teach their daughters Spanish; it's pretty much all his idea so her attitude was, "if it's important to you, do it." So he does it. I asked her does she ever get frustrated not knowing what he's saying to their kids and she said no that if ever she wants to know she can ask and Mateo will tell her in English.
So then I told Bont the reasons why we don't do the same, mainly that I would either have to choose between Spanish or Portuguese, or I would have to try to teach them both. Also, that Melissa would want to teach them Arabic. After talking to her I thought, why can't we try to teach them all these languages? We did work hard to acquire what we know, shouldn't our children benefit from our efforts? There are people completely fluent in 4 languages, in fact it's pretty common in some parts of the world.
So I discussed it with Melissa; she told me go for it so as of Tuesday, August 21, 2012 I am speaking to my child in primarily Spanish or Portuguese :) It's been fun. I was a little apprehensive thinking, I've already lost 20 months, Vidalia is used to responding to me when I speak English, this will be frustrating for both of us and for our relationship. I also thought to myself "What are the chances this will have any permanent effect on her seeing as how she would be hearing her father speak it who she only sees a few hours most days?" I finally concluded it couldn't hurt and I would be allowed to change my mind later.
So in summary, blah blah blah (Bob Loblaw) I am sharing my love of Portuguese and Spanish with my family. Melissa stated she will plan on making Arabic part of the curriculum for Home Schooling. So that will be good. Tahib (Arabic for good, as far as my transliteration is concerned).
-p.s. When I read Vidalia some of the books in Arabic I just say the basic phrases I know (e.g. I want water please/What's your name?/Happy Birthday/ Where are you from?/Let's go, etc.)
