Sunday, September 28, 2008

Repeat After Me


One of my favorite books to read to K when he was just a little baby was Baby Einstein's Language Nursery. The book has a handful of simple phrases that are then written in English, Spanish, French, Japanese and Hebrew. (It has the phonetic pronunciations, so no worries if you're not fluent -- you'll sort of pronounce it correctly to your baby. D and I would often debate the correct way to say a few things ... and if you are fluent, you'll realize some of the phonetic spellings are a little off.)

Well, K decided to take the book out of his archives and is very into having it read to him again. But, at 2.5, now he likes to repeat the phrases back. It's enjoyable to hear him say adios, au revoir, sayonara and the like. He laughs when I make him say them over again until he gets it just right. No wonder people teach their children multiple languages, they definitely can get a faster grasp on them.

There is a danger in having a child who is very fluent in repeating the words that come from their parents mouths. Earlier today when D was watching a football player, he declared "oh, crap!" and of course then K responded back very loudly "oh, crap!" I was proud of myself for not laughing, and instead scolding my husband and letting him know that we really do have to watch everything we say.

But there are a few things we don't have to worry about having to prompt K to say. Like when we put him to bed, he freely tells us goodnight and I love you. Sweet little phrases that every parent longs to hear.

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