Those are the very reasons I want to live abroad with my child. (I am still after all "living abroad"). So, I guess, it's hard for me to understand where they are coming from. Maybe I missed some part of the conversation with my mom brain. I don't know.
I'm an American, my husband is a Swede, we're living in England. He doesn't want to teach our son Swedish. Since I only know English all I can do is sit back and respect his choices. I really wish he would teach him some Swedish since I hate being the 'ignorant american' that only knows one language. Then again with only learning English he's already supposidly 'behind' on his language development according to the dr's... oh well he'll develop at his own pace.
a doctor actually said that? That sounds ridiculous to me. The mind of a child is a wonderful thing. It is far more simple for a child to learn new languages than an adult because the paths of their minds are not yet set. They can easily accommodate all the new information.
I don't mean to be too nosy, but I do think it's a shame your husband doesn't want to teach your son Swedish. My parents both speak Spanish fluently but never taught us. I was lucky in that my grandparents would watch me after school and so I learned from them. But my youngest sibling doesn't know much Spanish at all, and she wishes she did. It's a part of our heritage. We're not typical Hispanics in that the culture was never huge in our home - but I think that's part of the problem. I wish we had had a stronger sense of where our family comes from. Not only that, but being able to speak several languages allows one to more easily connect with others, with the world. :] Sorry, I'm very passionate about these things. ^^
No, not a dr persay, our medical place gave us these forms to fill out to say how his progression is on developmental tasks (so they can screen for developmental delays and get them treated asap). And sure, he's a bit behind as he's not talking as much as normal kids his age, but since he's ahead on so many other areas I'm not worried about it. Plus he's a boy and a first child, both of which are factors in the speed of a child learning language.
I wish he would teach him swedish as well. But all in due time. I at least made sure we got him both passports so when he is old enough he can make the decision to where he wants to live, where he wants to go to school, all of that. Plus I'm hoping once he's schoolage my husband will start teaching him. He just thinks that teaching a child two languages from birth is confusing to the child. (Partly based on how one of his younger brothers was raised.)
Ah I see. :] I think it's great to grow up in an "international" family - to know from very young that there's a whole world beyond your doors and that so many options lay open to you. I really, truly, think that's wonderful. ^^ I say your son is lucky to have great parents like you. :]
And I have no doubt he will catch up, though I don't care for the term "catch up". Each child has their own pace that they go at; there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. :]
Well, *some*times it happens that way - and you're more likely to have a maid if you're on a corporate expat contract rather than moving on your own. I know a woman who really does miss the maid service she had where she used to live - but she's not American. She is Malaysian, lived in Singapore for ten years, and now lives in Taiwan. (Some well-off people in Taiwan do have live-in help, but I think that's only people with small kids.)
We had a more luxurious life in Taiwan and to some degree in the Netherlands than we did at home (again, expat contract) but if I had kids, I'd be a lot less worried about them being "corrupted" by that and a lot more grateful for them having the opportunity to meet people and see how things work in different places. I'm grateful for having had that chance myself, too, even as an adult.
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Those are the very reasons I want to live abroad with my child. (I am still after all "living abroad"). So, I guess, it's hard for me to understand where they are coming from. Maybe I missed some part of the conversation with my mom brain. I don't know.
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I don't mean to be too nosy, but I do think it's a shame your husband doesn't want to teach your son Swedish. My parents both speak Spanish fluently but never taught us. I was lucky in that my grandparents would watch me after school and so I learned from them. But my youngest sibling doesn't know much Spanish at all, and she wishes she did. It's a part of our heritage. We're not typical Hispanics in that the culture was never huge in our home - but I think that's part of the problem. I wish we had had a stronger sense of where our family comes from. Not only that, but being able to speak several languages allows one to more easily connect with others, with the world. :] Sorry, I'm very passionate about these things. ^^
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I wish he would teach him swedish as well. But all in due time. I at least made sure we got him both passports so when he is old enough he can make the decision to where he wants to live, where he wants to go to school, all of that. Plus I'm hoping once he's schoolage my husband will start teaching him. He just thinks that teaching a child two languages from birth is confusing to the child. (Partly based on how one of his younger brothers was raised.)
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And I have no doubt he will catch up, though I don't care for the term "catch up". Each child has their own pace that they go at; there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. :]
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We had a more luxurious life in Taiwan and to some degree in the Netherlands than we did at home (again, expat contract) but if I had kids, I'd be a lot less worried about them being "corrupted" by that and a lot more grateful for them having the opportunity to meet people and see how things work in different places. I'm grateful for having had that chance myself, too, even as an adult.
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