Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Weird Conversations

I had two of them yesterday. The first was with Boy1 (5 1/2). When I picked him up from school we talked about his day. He handed me some drawings and said, "Alice did wheat drawings today." What are wheat drawings? "No, wheat drawings!" Yeah, I heard you, so did you do spelt drawings? Corn drawings?

That's when things heated up. And it got a lot worse before it got better. Winds up he was saying huit (eight in French) drawings and had either forgotten how or was too lazy to say eight. Forgetfulness and laziness are two reoccuring themes in conversations with bilingual children. They cut corners whenever they can. I know, I know, give them a break, they're learning two languages at once. But really they're not. They're acquiring them, which is a heck of a lot easier than learning.

The second was with Boy2 (2 1/2). At 3:00am he starts screaming. I jump out of bed and run up the stairs. Heart pounding, I rush into his room. All screaming stops. B2 says, with no tears on his face and instead, a huge smile, "Hi, Mama!" What's wrong, are you ok? "Yes!" Why were you screaming? "Oh, me sad." Why were you sad? "Um, because me very sad." Yeah, well, let's talk about this tomorrow.

4 comments:

Eric said...

Hi Nicole

Lorraine said...

Guess who's gonna get a link on my blog?

Display Name said...

Lorraine promised to stop flaunting her political connections if I popped in to say hello. So, "Hello!"
Welcome to the land of Blog. Twelve step programs will ensue.

Nicole said...

Hi Eric! I miss you guys and I really want to taste your ham. And I mean that is the most platonic way possible.

Christi, no doubt he was sad because you're not coming this summer.

Lorraine, I'm honored.

Hello just angela.

Charlie from Glasgow, Lorraine would NEVER vote republican but I appreciate the visit anyway.