This week our little girl started day care, which seems to be going quite OK so far. (I think it's harder on the mama.. But that's better than the other way around, right?) With the beginning of day care a third language is introduced to this little head: Our common language here at home is Danish, Bjarni speaks to her in Icelandic, and now German in Kindergarten. She is still so small that multiple languages don't really matter, and I know through friends and acquaintances that children are very much capable of being not only bilingual but also multilingual (those small brains are sponges!), but still I couldn't help feeling a glimpse of guilt the first day, when she was sitting in a circle with all the other small kids, and the teachers were singing songs I didn't get a clue of, which made me think about all the new things she will be taught there
in German. Now, I am aware of all the benefits that comes with growing up with several languages and I'm excited of our embarkment on this "thing" of being a bilingual family. Whether or not there will be a third language in the long run, I don't know at this point. So even if it shouldn't be a matter of concern right now when she is so young, or if the benefits outweigh the guilt and concern, then I suppose worry is a natural element of parenthood. And perhaps this is a common one, when living abroad?
Oh, she started to go day care! It's very big change for you, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter started to go to day care when she was 10 months. There is one girl from Tunisia in my daughter's class. Her parents can know very little Japanese. But she can understand what teachers say and she can speak some Japanese. She looks to enjoy the day care and to be relaxed there. Don't worry!