My Bilingual Baby

So, I am deep in the throes of motherhood, and very much intrigued by the concept of being "bilingual from birth". For me, speaking only English to AR is simply the most natural thing in the world to me. It's like we have our own secret language that we communicate in when we are out and about (even though he isn't yet talking).

At home we use the OPOL (one parent, one language) method. Ángel naturally speaks to AR in Spanish, and I speak to him in English. Our dinnertime conversations are always very interesting. Daddy will say something to AR in Spanish and I will say the same thing to him in English. It's interesting to see how he responds equally well to both languages. His verbal communication is still limited to mama and what we think is dada. However with his gestures and babbles he certainly makes us know what he wants!

It's fun to see people's reactions on the street as they do a double take when they hear us (well, me) chattering in English. The most interesting time is when we go to the playground. Mothers and their babies will come up to us and ask what his name is, how old he is, etc...in Spanish. So I tell AR to tell them how old he is ... our (my) conversation sounds something like this:

me to AR: Look Ángel, you have a new friend! Tell him your name. Go on! Say "Me llamo Ángel Rubén. ¿Cómo te llamas?". Tell him how old you are. Go on! Say "tengo un añito".

The reactions after that bit are very interesting. One day, the father of a child, after a similar exchange asked me, in English, where I was from. Something that I was totally not expecting (the in English part, that is).

Anyway, Mommy, in her anxiousness that her son learn English as well as he will learn Spanish, has started up an English speaking playgroup in the northern part of Madrid...hence the name...Northern Stars. I have been doing some real life networking as well as some virtual networking on a very interesting website dedicated to raising your children bi/multi-lingually: Bilingual Babies.

This past Sunday we had our first get together at an indoor baby gym... 10 families came out with a total of 14 children! Wow! Now Angel Ruben will have lots of English speaking (bilingual) friends!