Experience/ knowledge on nanny teaching a toddler foreign language?

[Mummyteachmummy]

Stuck choosing between two nannies: one English, one French. Hard to choose between them, except I love the idea of DD (2yo) learning to speak French.

Nanny will only be working two days per week. Could DD come to understand another language through two days exposure a week, PLUS is it even a good idea to ask nanny to speak to her in French - will it make it harder for DD to bond?

Any ideas?

Do you or your DP speak French and thus could continue things if nanny leaves?
Is the nannies English good, so can do most communication in English but do some learning of French words?
Is this likely to be a long term arrangement, so could start in English, add a few French words and then go more into French?

I know families who use Eng/French from birth with one parent mostly speaking French. That works but it is constant not just a couple of days a week.

If nanny spoke to her in French all the time she would pick up some basic words. Don't make this the reason for choosing her though. DD had a French friend she played with once a week when she was 3/4 and she picked up some everyday words and has lovely French sounds when she speaks French now (age 15).

I'm nannying for French kids aged 3 and 5 and speak to them only in English. It's only 12 hours a week but it's a great way to learn. I love hearing them reply or repeat English words. I'd say go for it :)

I speak a bit if French, not much, but keen to improve as an over time, so certainly it would be something I'd want to enforce and keep up for her in the longer run. This nanny would probably only be with us for a year, but maybe we could try and find another French one after that, or maybe join a group or something... I suppose that's the thing - I have no idea how where a two year old would be after a year's worth of exposure two days a week.

don'tblame, that's really interesting - do their parents speak to them in English too or just you? Did you speak only English from the beginning or build up over time? Do they speak to you in French and you reply in English? Questions, questions!!!

Sorry I only just saw your reply! Did you make a decision?

Their parents speak French to them, although they'll add English words here and there, like "let's go" or "stop". (My mum did the same with me and French words when I was a kid, IMHO it opens kids' ears to languages.)

I only ever speak English to them. They mostly reply in French at the moment but it's early days. Like I say I love when they do reply or copy my English. Yesterday the 5yo took great pleasure in yelling English colours at everything in the park :D OK your LO is only 2 but I reckon the earlier the better.

Did you make a decision on this? If you have chosen the French nanny, then do ask her to speak only French to your daughter. Two is young enough that your DD will take it in her stride, and she can certainly pick up a good amount of French in 2 days a week - although possibly not become fully bilingual, which apparently needs about 40% exposure.

We share a French-speaking nanny with another family. She has both children for 2 days, then just our DD for a third day. I'm bilingual, but don't speak much French to my DD guilty. The other family don't speak French, so their DS has a similar amount of exposure to what your daughter would have. Our nanny speaks to the children only in French, and has been with us for 10 months since the children were 1.

Both children understand day-to-day stuff very well in French, and speak a handful of French words. Bear in mind that they are not yet 2 so they don't speak many English words yet either! So, I'm sure that their English will always be stronger, but it's a very good result.

Of course, the most important thing is to choose the nanny who you think your DD will be happiest with - that's more important than any language skills. But if you like the French nanny, then definitely go full immersion!

Oh, and they don't seem at all confused about different people speaking different languages, and adapt themselves easily. I recently heard the other family's DS answer 'non' to our nanny, and of course he says 'no' to his parents (well, the children are almost 2!), and DD apparently starts saying 'papa' when DH is due home, whereas he's always 'daddy' normally.