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Bilingual Boys

Raising the boys to be bilingual in a one-language environment can definitely be challenging. Pierre and I might just be the only fluently French family in our town. Those crazy Canucks, eh? Pierre speaks only French with the boys. I do a combination of both, especially when we are out in public, and I don’t want anyone around to know what I am saying to them. This really comes in handy when the boys are being naughty!

Both Benjamin and Nicholas understand French well, and Ben has really started to speak it lately (and read a little too!). Nicholas is a little more stubborn about French though (surprised? Me neither). We have French kids’ books in the house, French music in the van, and French movies too (I always feel a little better about showing them a movie when it’s in French. I kid myself that it is purely educational…kind of like how I feel about Sesame Street!). And Ben’s PT can speak French, so the boys love that. But, it just doesn’t compare to the two-language environment that the boys would have been exposed to had they been raised in Montreal.

Pierre and I try to instill “French evenings” or “French weekends” where we make an extra effort to speak exclusively with the boys in their second-language, but our plans are usually good in intention, and not so much in execution. We’re back to speaking English within about an hour, and without even realizing what we’re doing. I guess that it doesn’t help that Pierre and I speak English with each other. Languages kind of follow the ”use it or lose it” adage, so I should really use French more.

The boys do come out with some pretty cute bilingual phrases though. They tend to speak the two languages together, switching between both in the same sentence to fill in the blanks. And both boys have learned that they are more likely to get what they want out of Pierre if they ask en français!

Today, Benjamin wanted to play with his new Matchbox pirate boat, a gift from one of Pierre’s colleagues and his colleague’s wife. So, he asked:

“Papa, est-ce-que je peux jouer avec la “pirate thing” s’il te plait?” (Papa, can I play with the pirate thing, please?”)

Cute, eh? Nicholas has similar saying. He asks for “more jus” (more juice) each morning, and loves to sing along to Arthur L’Aventurier in the car. Just, don’t ask him to sing. The child does nothing on command.

Anyone out there raising bilingual kids in a monolingual environment? I could use some tips.  

xo Naomi

P.S. Allergy update: So, Ben now has a brand-new mattress (thank goodness for sales at Costco!), mattress casing, pillow casing, and Hepa-filter in his room (again, thank you Costco). His bedroom has been scrubbed from top-to-bottom, and everything washed in hot, hot, hot water. He also has separate pajamas just for sleeping. I have been doing laundry non-stop all week. Where is that laundry fairy when you need her? Oh, wait, I think that I’m the laundry fairy. The dog better appreciate all this!

P.S.S.: No baby-birds yet, but momma-dove and I have had a few nice heart-to-hearts. She doesn’t say much, but she’s a great listener.

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