How can ML parent support ml for baby?
Sept 14, 2017 18:28:10 GMT 9
Post by Zoe on Sept 14, 2017 18:28:10 GMT 9
I have a question regarding how I can help my 10-week-old baby son as we start our English/French bilingual journey. Husband (French) currently works long hours and has limited time with our baby so my son's French exposure is fairly limited for now (though we're looking at French schooling in the future).
My French is only intermediate (recently completed a B1 level course) so my husband and I can't really use French to speak to each other as our main home language. But I feel like my French is good enough that I could use my French to increase my son's exposure in certain other situations where only a basic level is sufficient for now(?) But this doesn't fit with OPOL. Is it too confusing for the baby if I go between the two?
I have two main situations in mind:
1 - Husband is doing a great job of speaking French with the baby when they're alone, but when I want to join in and interact with the two of them together it naturally switches to English as that's our home language. I find myself pulling back from 3-way interaction in order not to stop the French, but that seems such a shame!! I could join in with the basic talk we're currently having with my son with my level of French - but is it too confusing?
2 - I have started doing some simple French songs with the baby using YouTube as a guide. Again is this confusing? (We also do it in English.)
I'm thinking the more exposure the better but equally don't want to confuse the OPOL setup... I'd love to hear your thoughts on these situations and generally how I can help support the French without being a fluent speaker, and as the 'English' parent.
(As a side note I do speak French when we Skype with the French family and of course I will when we visit there and we're all together - this seems pretty clear-cut and not confusing. Essential in fact!)
Unless I can improve my French in the future (as I hope to), I would plan to stop using it with my son as his needs become more advanced. We plan to send him to a French school which would then 'take over' and increase his French exposure other than his Dad. I wouldn't want to risk him learning any dodgy French from me.
Any and all thoughts welcomed, or feel free to point me to other resources where I can look this stuff up. (I'm currently reading Adam's book) I'm very new to all this!
My French is only intermediate (recently completed a B1 level course) so my husband and I can't really use French to speak to each other as our main home language. But I feel like my French is good enough that I could use my French to increase my son's exposure in certain other situations where only a basic level is sufficient for now(?) But this doesn't fit with OPOL. Is it too confusing for the baby if I go between the two?
I have two main situations in mind:
1 - Husband is doing a great job of speaking French with the baby when they're alone, but when I want to join in and interact with the two of them together it naturally switches to English as that's our home language. I find myself pulling back from 3-way interaction in order not to stop the French, but that seems such a shame!! I could join in with the basic talk we're currently having with my son with my level of French - but is it too confusing?
2 - I have started doing some simple French songs with the baby using YouTube as a guide. Again is this confusing? (We also do it in English.)
I'm thinking the more exposure the better but equally don't want to confuse the OPOL setup... I'd love to hear your thoughts on these situations and generally how I can help support the French without being a fluent speaker, and as the 'English' parent.
(As a side note I do speak French when we Skype with the French family and of course I will when we visit there and we're all together - this seems pretty clear-cut and not confusing. Essential in fact!)
Unless I can improve my French in the future (as I hope to), I would plan to stop using it with my son as his needs become more advanced. We plan to send him to a French school which would then 'take over' and increase his French exposure other than his Dad. I wouldn't want to risk him learning any dodgy French from me.
Any and all thoughts welcomed, or feel free to point me to other resources where I can look this stuff up. (I'm currently reading Adam's book) I'm very new to all this!
)
