Post by Stefania T on Sept 2, 2016 21:46:58 GMT 9
Hello everyone,
Sorry for the air of emergency that I'm conveying, but I need some advice and I need it fast, before a new habit is ingrained.
I've recently discovered Bilingual Monkeys and I've just created this account to write here. Although I've read some of the articles on the blog, I haven't read anything on the forum yet and I'll start now. Sorry again for my impoliteness, maybe the issue has been previously addressed and I have yet to find the proper thread.
So, my biggest boy was not really talking until 2½, after that he obviously got more receptive but didn't start talking over night either. Starting at 2 years + 10 months he has gotten really fluent using articles, correct tenses. He's been doing this 50-50, both in ML & ml.
I'm a stay at home mom with 2 sons, the biggest exactly 3 years old and the youngest 14 months, 22 months age gap. I'm the only one talking in ml with both boys, ever since their birth, reading and doing all the "right" things. Apart from that, I talk in ML with my husband and with everyone else around here. There are no family or friends talking ml.
This summer we spent 2 months with my in laws and this coincided with the speech outbreak of my oldest son, giving an unfair (relative to my biased point of view) advantage to the ML - everyone was speaking it, night and day, as opposed to home where the father is away at work during the day.
We're back home now, in our familiar settings BUT although he talks to me naturally in ml, he's addressing his baby brother (14 months, not talking) in ML!!
I feel panicked because I feel that's a key turning point, I feel I'm losing the battle oh so early.
I gently intervene telling him sometimes (I don't want him to feel pressure nor my despair) that it's OK to talk to his baby brother like he talks to mummy, that the baby understands, that this is how we all talk together. 5 to 10% he might talk in ml, but the rest of the communication initiated by him comes in ML.
What strategy would you suggest based on your experience? I want my children talking in ml between themselves, at least for the early years, but from what I see now, I'm afraid they will not even start! On the long run, I'm realistic, I'm sure the ML will become the main one.
Sincerely,
Stefania T
Sorry for the air of emergency that I'm conveying, but I need some advice and I need it fast, before a new habit is ingrained.
I've recently discovered Bilingual Monkeys and I've just created this account to write here. Although I've read some of the articles on the blog, I haven't read anything on the forum yet and I'll start now. Sorry again for my impoliteness, maybe the issue has been previously addressed and I have yet to find the proper thread.
So, my biggest boy was not really talking until 2½, after that he obviously got more receptive but didn't start talking over night either. Starting at 2 years + 10 months he has gotten really fluent using articles, correct tenses. He's been doing this 50-50, both in ML & ml.
I'm a stay at home mom with 2 sons, the biggest exactly 3 years old and the youngest 14 months, 22 months age gap. I'm the only one talking in ml with both boys, ever since their birth, reading and doing all the "right" things. Apart from that, I talk in ML with my husband and with everyone else around here. There are no family or friends talking ml.
This summer we spent 2 months with my in laws and this coincided with the speech outbreak of my oldest son, giving an unfair (relative to my biased point of view) advantage to the ML - everyone was speaking it, night and day, as opposed to home where the father is away at work during the day.
We're back home now, in our familiar settings BUT although he talks to me naturally in ml, he's addressing his baby brother (14 months, not talking) in ML!!
I feel panicked because I feel that's a key turning point, I feel I'm losing the battle oh so early.
I gently intervene telling him sometimes (I don't want him to feel pressure nor my despair) that it's OK to talk to his baby brother like he talks to mummy, that the baby understands, that this is how we all talk together. 5 to 10% he might talk in ml, but the rest of the communication initiated by him comes in ML.
What strategy would you suggest based on your experience? I want my children talking in ml between themselves, at least for the early years, but from what I see now, I'm afraid they will not even start! On the long run, I'm realistic, I'm sure the ML will become the main one.
Sincerely,
Stefania T