more adventures in parenthood

[likesthecoat]

Lorne's told you about Kai's "who has a belly" game, right? It's expanded a bit: we've started work on "who has a nose/toes/mouth/eyes" etc., since that's one of the things you're supposed to do at this age. So Kai and I go through it, you know, "Where's Kai's nose? Where's Tada's nose? Where's Matilda's nose?" and so on, and he usually gets it right.

So last night we were playing and I started asking him in Welsh, just to see how much he's picking up, Where's Kai's nose? Where's Kai's toes? Where's Mattie's tail? Does Kai have a tail?

He got it all right.

He still doesn't have much to say, in English or Welsh, and what he does say is mostly one word and not always too clear, but he understands what we say to him and responds to it.

We're a bilingual household. I'm so pleased.

(And yes, he does say "No!" in two languages, too. He's a two-year-old. He learned that first, I think.)

Comments

[come-by-shep.livejournal.com]

Hey, impressive. How many languages are you planning on teaching him? Just Welsh and English?

[morethanteaboy.livejournal.com]

If we hire the Czech au pair he may learn Czech as well. I'm actually surprised Lorne hasn't started teaching him German.

[come-by-shep.livejournal.com]

Cool. Yeah, German's a tough one. Easier to pick up if you're a kid, though.

[morethanteaboy.livejournal.com]

Yes. I think that's why he's picking up the Welsh so fast--he's open to language right now.

[rockscientist.livejournal.com]

My German is nowhere near good enough to teach him anything useful.

[morethanteaboy.livejournal.com]

We'll teach him the words to O Tannenbaum :D.

[rockscientist.livejournal.com]

I could do that.

I could also teach him to say, "I'm an American, and I don't speak German very well. Please speak slowly."

[morethanteaboy.livejournal.com]

And when he's older we'll teach him how to say, "Which way to Octoberfest?"

[rockscientist.livejournal.com]

And, "How much for a beer?"

[morethanteaboy.livejournal.com]

And "I would like some schnitzel and schpatzel." Or however you spell that. Fun to say, though.

[rockscientist.livejournal.com]

Spätzle.

There's a lot of German words that are fun to say.

[morethanteaboy.livejournal.com]

Farfegnuegen!

[rockscientist.livejournal.com]

One of my personal favorites.

(Fahrvergnugen, by the way.)