Learning one language is hard. Have you ever seen a little kid trying to speak? They speak a mish mash of something, and then every once in a while a recognizable word comes out, and they are so proud of themselves. So try adding another language in there. Not only does it make for Undistinguishable conversation if you don't speak both languages (the poor babysitter!), it also makes for some major, um, misunderstandings.
Observe.
Charlotte and I were in WalMart, cruising the kid's book section. She grabs a book about farm animals and shouts out, "LOOK MAMAN, A BIG COCK!" I watch in horror as other shoppers glare at me, and try to rectify the situation by saying just as loudly, "yeah, baby, that is a big ROOSTER, good job for remembering it in French!".
Or the classic, "Look Maman, a baby FOCH! A baby FOCH!" Yeah, baby, that is a baby SEAL. Good job for rembering it in French!"
And on it goes. Innocent words in one language are a nasty taboo for children in another. How do we deal with this? While part of me finds it absolutely halarious, I am nervous for the day when she'll say it at church when we're not there or around the wrong person who doesn't know she's speaking French, and have social services called on me. Hopefully she'll soon be able to distinguish the difference between the2 languages.
In the meantime, if you hear a toddler screaming what you think is something foul down the book isle, it's just my kid. Excuse the French.
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