Job Discussion Forums

mejms · Joined: 04 Jan 2010 Posts: 390

My situation is that my wife is beginning to learn English. She understands quite a bit but hasn't tried to begin speaking much until now. I think that it's less likely or at least more difficult, though possible, for a child to learn a language if only one parent speaks it, and especially if that parent is with the child only in his/her non-working hours. I know that my child is really going to learn English if my wife starts speaking with him and with me so that he hears it all the time.

I've known people who had one parent speak a second language and they never picked it up. But kids of two parents who speak a second language nearly always learn it.

Definitely concentrate on the minor language, in this case English. Spanish is always available.

MotherF · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 3:30 pm Post subject:

My children, who are not expats themselves, are about to start first grade at a public elementary school. They went to an IMSS daycare and then a private kindergarten. We choose public mainly because my husband and I believe in public education. What I most want out of a school is a diverse student population, something none of the private schools in our small city can offer. The public school we choose is known as being the school that public school teachers choose for their kids. We'll see how it goes.

notamiss · Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 9:23 pm Post subject:

ontoit · Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 99

In our case, my wife is a motivated non-native speaker. She studied to become an English teacher in college and has always had an interest in culture beyond her home of record. Added to this, I think, is her strong investment in my culture and language because of her relationship with me and her being the mother of our dual-national kids, much as I feel invested in her culture and language because of my relationship with her and my being the father of our dual-national children.

kosherpickle · Joined: 24 Nov 2006 Posts: 93

My Spanish is honestly so terrible I am scared of ruining my 15 month old's Spanish development, so I really only use Spaniwh words here and there with him. His father speaks mostly English to him and everyone else speaks Spanish to him. I am being driven crazy by people of both languages weighing in on this and what they think will happen, ranging from insiteful anecdotes to downright rudeness.

This seems like a relevant place to ask, so, can I get some responses about daycare/nannies/babysitters here(Mexico City)? Just... well everything you know, prices, best options, etc. I am frankly terrified and I would stay home if I could but I must work. Family members are only an option after 6pm.
I had some very bad experiences with caregivers when I was a child and I'd like to do my best to get good care for my baby and his father knows nothing about this stuff.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

@kosherpickle Can family members not recommend someone to you? Word of mouth has always worked for me when looking for a housekeeper and now a nanny. I'm paying 200 pesos a day for our nanny, who cleans as well as watches my daughter, but 200 is higher than average.

ontoit · Joined: 18 Jun 2006 Posts: 99

kosherpickle · Joined: 24 Nov 2006 Posts: 93

My baby is the first baby in this family since the late 70's, so, his family is a bit out of touch when it comes to this sort of thing. My MIL wanted me to hire their maid but that would mean leaving him in a house full of tiny trinkets that look delicious. Plus, my MIL gives her so much work I am not sure how she would be expected to watch him.
Do you trust your nanny alone with your daughter, Guy, or do you have a family member or cams around to check up on her? I have diffiulty with trusting strangers, myself.

I also thought my son was ok with the language stuff but I am getting harrassed by both sides of my family about him not speaking one, the other, or both languages, like, EVER. Apparently he is going to be a mute? I get a bit snippy about it, they ask so often!

notamiss · Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 1:14 am Post subject:

kosherpickle · Joined: 24 Nov 2006 Posts: 93

Oh, I know and they all naaag me so hard no matter what I say. I tell them, "He says UHOH now." and they ask me if it is in English or Spanish. SPANGLISH OK.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

mejms · Joined: 04 Jan 2010 Posts: 390

Enchilada Potosina · Joined: 03 Aug 2010 Posts: 344 Location: Mexico

PlayadelSoul · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Playa del Carmen

My sons are in a local Catholic school which is considered to be one of the best schools in the state. It is a "beca" school, with the large majority of students being from poorer families. If you walk into one of the classrooms, the students are quiet as mice doing what the teacher has given them to do. My Mexican wife and I were looking for a school that would instill discipline, as well as a good education.

Their Spanish is native and they study in the Harmon Hall kid's program to improve their English. It works for us. In fact, I couldn't be happier.

NinaNina · Joined: 10 Jan 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Oaxaca

When I taught kindergarten to recent Mexican immigrants in California, the quickest way to make English near and dear to their hearts was through the multiple learning styles. Songs, games, chants, rhymes, patterned stories, call-and-response, brief skits, puppets, dances--you have to bring it all on. I had the advantage of my students being in an English immersion environment, even though the home language was completely Spanish, so I can't speak to that aspect of the experience, but most of my students had playground English with a couple months and more academic (for kindergarten, that is) English by six months to a year. Please also credit children with the silent period, in which they comprehend more than they produce. Suerte!

Serena
Have You Seen the Dog Lately?
http://haveyouseen.blogspot.com/