Moving for a year - ml becomes ML

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Tona R
Junior Keeper

Posts: 11

Country (residing now): USA
Country (originally from): USA / Mexico
Children, Ages: Boy (2013), Boy (2016)
Majority Language: English
Minority Language(s): Spanish

Moving for a year - ml becomes ML Mar 21, 2018 22:10:12 GMT 9

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Post by Tona R on Mar 21, 2018 22:10:12 GMT 9

I've been meaning to come back to this forum for a while. Over a year ago, we had to move houses. That plus a new baby pretty much derailed my participation. Things are going quite well in the ml. Sure, my boy's production is better in the ML, and there are many things I could do better, but all told, I'm pretty happy and amazed with how he's done.

I wanted to share an amazing opportunity I have. I plan on taking a sabbatical year in the ml country (Mexico). So ml becomes ML and now I don't even know what to write! We have both boys registered in schools that have little to no English. The 4yo will be in preschool and the 1yo will be in a daycare. My wife will really improve her Spanish to where I hope I can banish my use of English from the house while the boys are awake.

I kind of feel like I'm cheating!

Amy
Star Keeper

Posts: 755

Country (residing now): France
Country (originally from): France
Children, Ages: 5 and 2 year old girls
Majority Language: French
Minority Language(s): Spanish (ml1) & English (ml2)

Moving for a year - ml becomes ML Mar 21, 2018 22:40:00 GMT 9

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Post by Amy on Mar 21, 2018 22:40:00 GMT 9

Tona,

You are so lucky! It's an amazing opportunity! And you certainly aren't cheating, you're just shaping your family life to give all the best opportunities to your children.

No later than this morning, I came across Kris T 's thread where she explained how she took a term's leave of absence to do the same thing with her children. The results her kids reaped from this incredible experience were fantastic.

All my best wishes on this great experience.

Amy

***"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars" - Oscar Wilde***

My guest post at Bilingual Monkeys: bilingualmonkeys.com/bilingual-families-and-limiting-the-influence-of-the-majority-language/

My blog: www.ourmlhome.wordpress.com

Alison
Senior Keeper

Posts: 124

Country (residing now): UK
Country (originally from): UK
Children, Ages: 9mths
Majority Language: English
Minority Language(s): Norwegian, Sami

Moving for a year - ml becomes ML Mar 22, 2018 0:22:05 GMT 9 via mobile

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Post by Alison on Mar 22, 2018 0:22:05 GMT 9

That's a fantastic opportunity, Tona! I hope we get the chance for an extended stay in ml country one day too. It will make a massive difference. It certainly isn't cheating, though, as you can make sure to think of ways to get the most out of your stay ie making connections with people and stocking up on resources and then sustaining it once you return to ML country again. Hope you can check in again and let us know how it's going.

Kris T
New Keeper

Posts: 4
Country (residing now): Japan
Country (originally from): Canada
Children, Ages: Boys 11, 9
Majority Language: Japanese
Minority Language(s): English

Moving for a year - ml becomes ML Mar 22, 2018 9:23:17 GMT 9

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Post by Kris T on Mar 22, 2018 9:23:17 GMT 9

Tona,

Definitely not cheating! How wonderful that you can do this. Your whole family will reap the rewards of this experience. Your children will likely start using new words/expressions within days. At least that's what I have found even on just 2-week visits to family, especially if they are around other children. I took my children back to Canada last fall for 4 months and on the third day, my youngest was playing with his cousin and after a cool move, he announced 'that's so sick!'. I laughed so hard because it's definitely not an expression I use, but he had picked it up and was using it correctly so quickly. I wish my own language development moved so fast.

Good luck with the move and enjoy every aspect of the immersive experience!

Tona R
Junior Keeper

Posts: 11

Country (residing now): USA
Country (originally from): USA / Mexico
Children, Ages: Boy (2013), Boy (2016)
Majority Language: English
Minority Language(s): Spanish

Moving for a year - ml becomes ML Mar 22, 2018 22:52:23 GMT 9

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Post by Tona R on Mar 22, 2018 22:52:23 GMT 9

Thanks for the encouragement. We're excited. The application isn't finalized, but we don't expect that it will be rejected.

Mar 22, 2018 9:23:17 GMT 9 Kris T said:

I took my children back to Canada last fall for 4 months and on the third day, my youngest was playing with his cousin and after a cool move, he announced 'that's so sick!'. I laughed so hard because it's definitely not an expression I use, but he had picked it up and was using it correctly so quickly.

Great story. That's may be what I'm most looking forward to. Having kids around will be so much more motivating and so much more natural than dad and his books.

Adam Beck
Head Keeper

EXCITING NEWS! My new novel, How I Lost My Ear, is now available worldwide!

Posts: 1,411
Country (residing now): Japan
Country (originally from): USA
Children, Ages: Girl, 13 and Boy, 11
Majority Language: Japanese
Minority Language(s): English, Spanish

Moving for a year - ml becomes ML Mar 23, 2018 5:29:01 GMT 9

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Post by Adam Beck on Mar 23, 2018 5:29:01 GMT 9

Mar 21, 2018 22:10:12 GMT 9 Tona R said:

I wanted to share an amazing opportunity I have. I plan on taking a sabbatical year in the ml country (Mexico). So ml becomes ML and now I don't even know what to write! We have both boys registered in schools that have little to no English. The 4yo will be in preschool and the 1yo will be in a daycare. My wife will really improve her Spanish to where I hope I can banish my use of English from the house while the boys are awake.

Tona, what a marvelous opportunity for the whole family!

(In fact, I wish my kids and I could join you. Spanish is now our third language, but our progress is very slooooow.)

I look forward to hearing how it all unfolds!

Adam Beck is the founder of Bilingual Monkeys and The Bilingual Zoo, and the author of the popular non-fiction book Maximize Your Child's Bilingual Ability amzn.to/22XKuCt and the humorous novel How I Lost My Ear amzn.to/2EsjVRS, both available worldwide.

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Nellie: Haha love it Mayken! The best thing is - she is right! Apr 24, 2018 5:45:09 GMT 9

Adam Beck: 7 Interviews with Adam Beck, Author of "Maximize Your Child's Bilingual Ability" bilingualmonkeys.com/7-interviews-with-adam-beck-author-of-maximize-your-childs-bilingual-ability/ Apr 24, 2018 6:23:47 GMT 9

Adam Beck: Angela, thank you for your kind message. I'm doing better, day by day, but I still feel dazed... Apr 24, 2018 6:26:04 GMT 9

Amy: Cute Mayken! As the French saying goes "the truth comes from children's mouth" (out of the mouths of babes).

Apr 24, 2018 15:44:07 GMT 9

Adam Beck: NEW! Bilingual Lives: Delia Berlin, Author of Bilingual Picture Books (with a Book Giveaway!) bilingualmonkeys.com/bilingual-lives-delia-berlin-author-of-bilingual-picture-books Apr 25, 2018 10:30:23 GMT 9 *

Mayken: My daughter's ml homework for this week included baking a cake - there's a cake in the story they read, and after each chapter there are questions and tasks, and the current chapter has the step-by-step recipe. She's to bring the cake to school too. May 1, 2018 23:48:48 GMT 9 *

Amy: What a nice original homework! Makes such a change from standard homework, and I wouldn't be surprised if kids remember more from it!

I like your bilingual school Mayken! Lucky little girl, and lucky Mummy!

May 2, 2018 0:00:43 GMT 9 *

Nellie: Yum Mayken! May 4, 2018 4:28:07 GMT 9

Mayken: ml cake homework update: About half the class brought cake (8 out of 15), not all of them were the cake from the book recipe, but my daughter's was the most popular. (Maybe because we added food colouring and topped it with chocolate icing and smarties?) May 4, 2018 5:58:10 GMT 9

Adam Beck: Cake is definitely my favorite kind of homework!

May 4, 2018 11:28:51 GMT 9

Adam Beck: NEW! Important Research on Successfully Raising a Bilingual Child bilingualmonkeys.com/important-research-on-successfully-raising-a-bilingual-child/ May 4, 2018 11:29:20 GMT 9 *

Adam Beck: Check out the new challenge! Challenge #13: Talk, Talk, Talk to Your Child bilingualzoo.com/thread/982/challenge-13-talk-child May 9, 2018 14:38:45 GMT 9

Jana: One of the best parts of having kids in bilingual school was getting Mother's Day cards in two languages! (With less-than-perfect spelling in both!) Ha! May 15, 2018 9:16:08 GMT 9

Amy: (Twice) Lucky you Jana!

So nice to read exciting pieces of news like yours!

May 16, 2018 5:46:25 GMT 9 *

Mayken: I still have that to look forward to, Jana! Mother's Day in our ML country is two weeks later, and the ml teacher goes along with that date. (It was last Sunday in our ml country.) May 16, 2018 5:58:11 GMT 9

Adam Beck: NEW! How to Create Breakthroughs in the Language Development of Bilingual Children bilingualmonkeys.com/breakthroughs-in-the-language-development-of-bilingual-children/ May 18, 2018 9:02:05 GMT 9

Adam Beck: Sad news: My Father Has Passed Away, Too bilingualmonkeys.com/my-father-has-passed-away-too/ May 24, 2018 12:33:06 GMT 9

Nellie: So sorry to hear that Adam. I hope you and your family are holding up. He must have been a wonderful man to have a son like you! May 30, 2018 5:17:52 GMT 9

Adam Beck: Nellie, thank you for your kind words. They're really appreciated.

May 30, 2018 9:27:11 GMT 9

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