New Year’s Resolution

We had a pretty quiet New Year’s this year, and I loved it.

To say that I’m not at all a New Year’s person would be a huge understatement. Bars and crowds? No thanks. So, ringing in 2013 in my pajamas with a glass of champagne in my parents’ living-room was my idea of New Year’s perfection. We had a quiet dinner, the boys sledded on Candy Cane Mountain until almost 10:00 p.m., then we all snuggled on the couch to watch the ball drop. Both boys and Grandpa were out cold by 10:30 p.m. We woke my dad up in time to usher in the New Year. Poor Benjamin woke-up the next morning (early!!) inconsolable because he missed midnight. Next year kiddo.

So, now it’s back home. The boys are back at school, and I am still unpacking from our trip. Another Christmas done. Another year begun. Time to start thinking about that New Year’s Resolution.

Do you make resolutions? I usually don’t. Sure, I’d like to get in better shape, write that children’s book bopping around in my brain, clean the house from top-to-bottom…but, just because it’s a new year doesn’t make me anymore likely to get all that done than any other day.

This year though, Pierre and I made our resolution together: to speak more French at home with Benjamin and Nicholas. Easier said than done, but this is a resolution worth keeping. Why? Well, because we want our boys to be bilingual. It’s part of their heritage, their culture. And I don’t want to lose the French that I have. Plus, there is a growing amount of research that shows that acquiring a second language is great for the brain. Learn more here and here.

Now, Pierre only speaks French with the boys. Both understand it perfectly. But, they don’t always speak it back to him. And Pierre and I mostly talk in English with each other. Why? I’m not sure. Maybe because Pierre’s English is more fluid than my French. Or maybe because we live in such a predominantly unilingual milieu. Whatever the reason, we’d like to be a bilingual home, and right now (if I’m being honest with myself), we’re not. Ouch.   

So, the resolution this year is to amp up the French. We’re making a collective effort to have French-only conversations at the dinner table. And I’m trying a lot harder to speak French with the boys even when Pierre isn’t home. Now, I do speak in French with them…but, it’s usually when they’re being naughty out in public, and I don’t want anyone to hear what I have to say to them! Instead, I’ve been trying to just speak French, naughty or not.

And, of course, we added a little incentive (call it bribery if you like). Benjamin and Nicholas were each given a small mason jar with their names on it. We then went out to the Dollar Store, where both were allowed to buy small flat marbles of their choosing (Ben chose blue; Nicholas green, of course). Each time that either makes an effort to speak French, he is given a marble (or two or three) for his jar. When the jar is 1/3 full, the owner will be get to chose a treat from his treat box. 2/3 full is good for two treats, and when the jar is completely full, the bilingual little monkey can choose a special treat of his choice. Suggestions that Pierre and I gave included a trip to McDonalds, or a small toy from Target. You get the idea.

Now, since we started this incentive on Saturday, Benjamin has been making a very nice effort to speak more French, especially with Pierre. And he absolutely thrills at earning a marble. Nicholas is a little more stubborn (to put it mildly). His French mostly consists of: “Est-ce-que je peux avoir une bille, s’il te plaît?” (“Could I have a marble, please?”). That phrase, he has perfected. It does not earn his a marble.

So, we’ll see how this goes. Last night, we had the boys convinced that French was a really cool secret language that only they could understand. Like two little French Canadian spies. Then, Benjamin reminded us that it isn’t a secret language in Montréal. Smarty-pants.

Certainly, it’s a worthwhile resolution (if not an imposed one on the boys!). And hopefully easier to keep than losing weight or keeping the house cleaner (honestly, I feel like I’ve been cleaning non-stop since we got home!). I’ll keep you posted on (if and) how the marble jar keeps Benjamin and Nicholas interested in practicing their français!

xo Naomi