Any other English/French bilingual Mums in SW London? (m)

[Elibean]

My mother is French, and I grew up bilingual, but I've always lived in the UK, gone to English schools, and speak far better English than French! Still, I am trying my best to keep up speaking French with DD (22 months). DH is English, with schoolboy French only - so he speaks English with DD - but I'm lucky enough to have a French nanny two days per week to bolster my efforts. Just wondering how other bilingual (as opposed to native speaking) French Mums feel...and if there are any with French speaking toddlers in the area (we're in SW13).

Have a feeling things are going to get tougher when English-only nursery starts next year!

Claire

hi elibean,
We are not in SW london Im afraid! My children are bilingual English/French as well. I had to teach them English reading separately, out of school though. dx recently took them to the UK again (long story), and I have just ordered a load of french school books off the internet so they can keep up with french reading and grammar.

If you want your dd to speak and write good french, Id say you need to do the francais language course that french school children do. I know lots of people who grew up speaking french, but had school in other languages, and their grammar is even worse than mine! (Im english and learned french in school).

Thanks NN, you are so right about grammar - not to mention spelling! Good tip, and I'll look into language courses. DH is considering one, too. I've been told to start the alphabet in English, so as not to confuse things too much....but other than that, I'm doing everything in French so far. I must admit though, middle aged and tired Mum that I am, I find translating Noddy or, worse, Mr Men books rough going come bed time....

Where are you living? Not France, not UK...?

I am in Germany at the moment.

you can order stuff off amazon.fr and pay for it with an english card, I discovered. so I have got the reading books that they learn with in the CP (les aventures de Pique le herisson - been through it twice already with the older ones!!). Also bought a cahier d'ecriture when last in France, because the style of writing is so different, and some exercise books with those little squares for writing practise.

Elibean, wrong sex and wrong bit of London, but I can understand re: bilingual challenge...

My mum is French, dad's English, grew up bilingual but preferred not to speak French unless in France with French family IYSWIM... (plus mum was a French teacher so it was always a bit like being examined, LOL).

DW doesn't speak French despite buying linugaphone / Michel Tomas courses...

dd is still v. v. young (13 weeks), but trying to figure out if I will speak in French to her, with dw doing the English... My grammar / written is terrible as I learnt aurally IYSWIM. I kinda feel my communication with her in French might be a little stilted if we weren't immersed in a French environment... almost like the immediacy of commuincation in English was being robbed....

(not sure that makes any sense to anyone else, LOL).

On the other hand, I appreciate it would be an enormous gift and a great skill....

My folks would probably be happy speaking only French to her, and we can holiday in France as they've got a house out there... maybe that would be sufficient exposure ????

hmmm...

Maybe when the time is right I'll find / join a French speaking club in North / NW London.

Hub, I could have written your post - gender aside. IKexactlyWYM. I felt awkward and sort of clumsy for the first few months, speaking French with DD....but my Dutch pal promised me it would get easier, and it really really has. Also, you get the first six months to practise as babbling noises are perfectly acceptable to a tiny baby...:0 My DH has bought the same stuff, to no avail, but now that DD is 22 months and outstripping his French he plans to get some lessons....although his love of gadgetry means he's also getting an online teach-yourself thingy that I am horribly cynical about.

NN, thanks for the tips again - will trawl Amazon as soon as I get time!

Bonsoir, mes ami(e)s...Claire

hub2dee,
get loads of french videos and books, and talk french to her a lot, even if not perfect. I know a german guy who is married to a woman from another country, and they live in her country. he spoke german to his baby, he said he felt a right prat wheeling the pram along speaking in German, apparently to himself....then the baby started speaking and it was BILINGUAL!! he was so smug.

Hi Elibean. I'm not in SW London, but moving back to West London at the end of this month. We've been living in Paris for the last year, where 15 month-old DD has had a Francophone nanny. Although of course she's not speaking yet in either language, my plan is to put her with a French babysitter one day a week in London, just to try to keep the sounds fresh in her head. I'm not a native French speaker, so like others on this thread it doesn't come naturally enough to me to be able to use it with her.
Really hoping that I'll be able to build on the base of this year in France, and interested in hearing how others have managed.

Hi Beetlejuice,

I can see and hear the impact of the two days per week DD spends with her French mothers help/nanny.....imagine even one day with a native French speaker will have an impact too. They really are like little sponges at this age. Good luck with the move back!

ps once you're settled, if you want some French toddler playtime, let me know - some of West London very close to SW London

Hi, Elibean - my mum is French and tried to bring my sister and I up bilingual. I do speak French but not brilliantly - though if am ever in a French-speaking environment I do get good quickly, iyswim!
Think you are doing brilliantly to encourage your dd's French. Just wanted to ask if you had considered a French-speaking nursery? I know there is one in Wandsworth, if that's any good to you geographically..?

Elibean I'd love some French toddler playtime. I'll be working in Surrey, so between that and West London I'm sure we can work something!

hey, I'm in Surrey/S London - would love to join in though have not progressed any further than bonjour, merci, a bientot with dd!

Great. Looking forward to getting together in the bottom left corner of London sometime soon. BTW, I advertised in ici Londres for my French babysitter and have had reams of replies. Haven't yet interviewed or checked references, but if I find anyone interesting I'll be happy to pass on details.

Thanks, Dinny - positive feedback helps a lot! Yes, I have thought about it...my neice is at the Wandsworth nursery (and nephew will be next year). I'm not sure DD is eligible as I think (was told) one parent has to be 100% French, and I'm not - also, would love DD to walk to school/have friends near by, and last but not least they are expected to do full days in their second year, not yet four, which I don't want for DD. I think there's one in Brook Green, which is a bit nearer, but do'nt know much about it - anyone else??

Thanks for the support!

OK, Dinny and Beetlejuice, BLH corner of London it is. Let us know when you're back, Beetlejuice. Am sure we will have a few more to join in by then. Come to think of it, I have a local pal (studied French) keen to expose her DD to French too....lent her our French Teletubbies, and her 22 month old started chattering about Po's 'trottinette', so she wants to capitalize on the natural sponge effect...

I advertised on Ici Londres and also had a load of replies, interviewed two and found our lovely nanny/mothers help as a result - good luck, BJ!

Hi Elibean & Dinny, Well I'm packing up for the move home this weekend. Interviewing babysitters next week for entry to the team of babysitters that I'm building up to to ensure that I have every possible childcare eventuality covered.
I won't really be working next week, so if either of you are about I'd love to catch up - maybe Friday?

Hi BJ,

Next couple of weeks are pretty full for me...will you be working full-time after next week? If not, I am around on Tuesdays and Wednesdays starting mid-November (child care days all changing for me over next two weeks, its a mess!) and occasionally on Friday afternoons. I need to sort out a 'safe' email address I can post on MN so we can get in touch....or, do you have one you feel ok posting?

Hope the packing's going well, good luck with the move and welcome back!

I'll be working everyday except Wednesday, from 7th onwards. Just let me know when you've got some time free.

Wednesdays are good, esp. afternoons post-nap. Whereabouts in West London are you going to be?

Hey Beetlejuice...sorry been so long, have got ridiculously tied up pre-Xmas and know I'm not going to be able to add anything else in till Jan! SOunds mad, huh...childcare days switched, relatives staying, you name it. How was the move? Hope its all going well - and that you found a french speaking sitter!

xC