Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Es Que?

Es Que?




Guys. Animal is 22 months. Almost two years. I can't believe how fast the time has come and gone. He's huge. More than half my height. I still think of him as a baby. Not just because he can barely use a spoon with any real proficiency, and not just because he's my baby. 

It's mostly because his verbal skills are still not what Baby Centers emails lead me to believe is "normal". 

I'm not as freaked out as I used to be about all this. 

Animal is almost two, and two year olds, I know. I know them well. 

Animal 's vocabulary is not very big. At this point he has 10 words/phrases. He says: Hola, Hello, Bye, No, Oh no, Car, Ball, Es Que? (that's: that what? in English) On ta? (instead of Donde Esta? (where is it? in English).  Hi-ya (as in K is for karate kick; hi-ya)

That doesn't worry me the way is used to. I have had so many two year olds that only say No. Or Mom. Or wah wah (for water)  in Sept/Oct when they start the school year and by the end of the year you wouldn't have known they started with less words that their peers. 

I'm actually feeling pretty confident that he'll be fine and that by his second birthday he'll have about 2 dozen words. He understands a lot. In English and Spanish. If anything I'm worried that he'll lose the Spanish as English becomes more and more the predominate language. I find that I try to speak more and more Spanish as we get closer and closer to starting preschool. I'll be pushy like my parents were about him keeping up his other native tongue. 

So funny how I went from feeling like a crappy mom because my son hardly had a word, to being super scared he'll lose his bilingual status in the next few years. 

Growing up I didn't realize how important it was that I spoke, read and wrote in Spanish. Now I can't express how fearful I truly am that he wont share those skills with his grandparents, me or his extended family. 

Now as an adult I can appreciate what my parents gave up coming to the United States. 

I can't imagine leaving everything you know to go to another country, in hopes that your offspring will have more opportunity's than you could offer them in your own land. Can you fathom it?

I've never asked my parents if they realized they would create these hybrid children. Who speak another language, identify with a different culture, and are like strangers. Even more so than is the natural scheme of things as children grow into adolescents and into adulthood.  Literally not speaking the same language as your children?

That's too deep for me today. 

We'll talk about that another day. 


6 comments:

  1. I think as long as you continue to speak Spanish to and with Animal he shouldn't lose the Spanish that he has learned. Hold on to your culture.
    Jae Mac @ I'm Just Sayin'...(Damn!)

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    1. That's true because he's a child. As he grows it will be up to him to use those skills or he'll soon forget. I can't tell you how many friends I have who understand but can't communicate. Come to think of it that's the minority so I think we have a good shot.

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  2. I hear you. My older son was very verbal and started speaking before 10 months, despite the fact we spoke two languages at home (English was the third one and once he started speaking it at daycare, it pushed out the other two). My second one is 13 months and he is not talking yet. I switch between the two languages we speak at home, not able to make up my mind as to what I should be talking to him and I can't help but feel at least partially responsible for this. This post was very timely for me, thanks!

    - Honest Mom's Link Up

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    1. Katia, I decided to try and be as proactive as possible. I'm buying more books and spanish, playing more music and spending more time on Google looking for tips. The great thing about the internet is it's so easy to find help and support, no matter the issue, no matter the language. Good luck to you :)

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  3. Don't worry. Learning is a lifetime endeavor. It doesn't end because kid enters preschool or school. Yes, he'll have less hours exposed to it with you, but it won't end. In the schools were I live they start w/ a second language in elementary school. Plus the best thing for learning a language is to be around other speakers of the language so your child has a built-in advantage.

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    1. Yeah I'm looking for playgroups, and family to help in this department. I live in a big city so there are options out there for us I'm learning :)

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