August 2008 of James 4.5 years, Sydney 6.5 years
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August 9, 2008
This summer's been great. Languagewise it's been helpful to be around the kids so much and to be in different environments (museums, camping, swimming, sports events). I've spent alot more time with them. We've also had more time to read. They love this one science type book that has great illustrations and asks questions like, "Why is the sky blue?" Then the book gives a simple but accurate answer.
The movies I brought back from Portuguese have been difficult for the kids to understand. I'm mad because one doesn't even work and the others only work on the computer. We were at my mother-in-law's for a high school reunion. I was talking to my mother-in-law and stephen came in and said, "The kids are whining about the movie. Is it in Portuguese Portuguese. They say they can't understand it." I told him, "Just tell them to stick with it for 15 minutes and they'll start understanding.
Stephen's mother looked lost. I said, "It's hard for them to get the accent from the Portuguese videos from Portugal." She looked at me like, "why on earth even push that on them". I said, "ya never know, they might want to spend time in Europe sometime." My relatives are great with being supportive and I know there are times like these when they think I'm really over the top. But to finish the story, the kids did get into the movie. I was watching the end and honestly I had trouble understanding some of the characters. Sydney was getting it no problem, James was tired and disinterested. I have trouble in general with animation in another language because so much of how I understand is in watching people's lips.
The kids stayed at my mother-in-law's house, and are there now for the week. So they've had a total absence of Portuguese for a few days. I talked to James on the phone one night and (in Portuguese) the conversation went as follows:
Me: So what are you doing?
James: We're playing with this.
Me: With what?
James: with... this.
Me: What's 'this'?
James I don't know the word in Portuguese. Can I talk to Daddy now?
August 10, 2008
Some friends of mine and I made a funny video on Youtube while in Portugual.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycEG46uHWeg
August 13, 2008
The 2 weeks after Sydney and James returned from their week away with their grandparents, it's been hard to get Sydney back on the Portuguese track. Last week when I said something about her using so much English (several words of a sentence would be in English and the rest in Portuguese), she said that I should give her time, that she was away from Portuguese for a week.
But this week's been no different. James is the same but Sydney keeps using phrases and words in English. Soooo, I designed a little game. I gave them both 2 nice looking tin boxes, letting them choose the color. Then I put a box that said on top, "Ai Nao" (Oh NO!) I gave them each 8 pennies and a nickel and said that these were theirs to keep in their box but they would lose one (have to put it in my pink box) for words they speak in English. Then at the beginning of each day, I would give more coins and the game would continue (I'm trying to start with small coins and move to larger value ones so they can also get a feel for which coins are more valuable).
Sydney said she thought that game was really weird. (I think my husband agreed, but he's good natured about my little experiments).
After James lost the first couple of coins, he waited til no one was around and put the coins in his wallet for safe keeping. I asked where they were and he told me. I put them back in the box. Can't blame the kid for trying.
So that was last night that it started and I could tell it made them self conscious and they were talking slowly and thinking about each word. I decided to tell them it will just go on for a week and at the end of the week they can see how much money they have (or owe...I didn't mention that part). But today it's going better. Almost like a game. Sydney had lost several points while we were out and then James said an English word that I didn't catch. She told on him and I said, "Ok, now you will get a coin from James box instead of it going to my pink box." She was thrilled. So far she's lost all her money and I'm a bit concerned to do with tonight. Should I ask her to take money from her own "account"? I don't want this to be a negative experience. Luckily I'll be at a meeting all night so I won't be around them much.
August 19, 2008
Still plugging along with the "money for Portuguese" deal. Sydney lost all her money yesterday but regained some of it last night by reading the words she'd missed on post-it notes. James was able to get one coin back in the same manner; (he really was just remembering the way they looked as opposed to actually reading and sounding out the word).
So all that recouperation put a more positive spin on things. Also, I let Sydney take one of James coins when she pointed out his English. (I didn't notice it.) It became more of a game as such.
August 20, 2008
The game is really working! The kids really pause before saying a word they want to say in English and find an alternative route. It's a sort of guessing game that I try to make fun instead of frustrating. When Sydney starts off with, "Remember that time we got a ..." And I help, "boat?" and she adds, "No, at Granny's" Oh, a kite? And when I hit jackpot she's so pleased.
They also like that I'm letting them win back their money at the end of the day. I write the errors on post-it notes each day. At the end of the day, Sydney has to read the ones she forgot. James we play more of a game-- for example, if he wanted to say "peanut butter", I would say, "The stuff you spread on bread with honey for a sandwich." He's all over that!
August 27, 2008
I've spent alot of one on one time with James lately. He rarely has me one on one which means Sydney's there speaking English with him.
In these last few days, I am amazed at his Portuguese. He makes the same errors of verb conjugation he makes in English: "I makes," "I goes" and such and he has trouble, as does Sydney, with irregular verb tenses.
Yesterday I asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. He said "Eu nao sei. Eu nao sei nada ainda." (I dunno. I don't know anything yet.")
He's been so sad without Syndey. She started first grade this week and he doesn't start preschool until next week. When I ask if he wants to do this that or the other-- stuff he always thinks is fun-- he says he only wants to play with Sydney. When he cried missing her Monday, I cried with him.
