Feeling guilty : DD is almost 3 but doesn't speak french because of me

[Summerfruit]

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I expect when your daughter starts learning french at school she will find it easier than most because of what she has already learned from you. Kids pick things up without you realising it sometimes.

No, it's not too late but will take a lot of perseverance on your part, so you have to be sure it's what you want to do.

We live in Spain but are both native Brits so we speak English at home and DC speak Spanish at school. DS will go to nursery in September, when he'll be 3 months of his 3rd birthday and will start learning Spanish then. Our eldest is 6 and is bilingual, although her Spanish vocab is limited to school type things.

I think the hardest thing will be for your DD to accept the change, and that's why you have to be sure and consistent. DH's mother is German and she only ever spoke English to him and his brother (they lived in London). He really regrets not speaking fluently now. It is a wonderful gift.

Is there a French nursery she could attend perhaps?

DP's family language is French - it was DP's first language until he was 5, and he too has been v erratic in passing this on to DS. He sometimes sets aside times to play games with him in French (typically setting up toy knights in the Battle of Hastings and being the Normans and shouting bloodthirsty insults et), and we have a selection of DVDs and songs which they watch. One of DS's friend's mothers is a French teacher, and she too finds it hard to build into daily olife - so she has started a French club, and all the four year-olds have an hour of games and songs and conversation in french - she likes it because it gives a structured hour to talk to her own children in French.

What about giving your DD a particular doll or teddy who is French and has to be spoken to in French, and 'speaks' in french, too? Your dd is still at a prime age for absorbing language like a thirsty sponge!

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I am French and my DH English. We have a son who is nearly two. I only speak in French to him, and my husband and his family speak English to him. He also goes to an English nursery three days a week. As I have been speaking French to him ever since he was born, he understands everything and says quite a few words in French too (he does not speak fluently in English or French at the moment). We have French books, French CDs and French DVds as well. I am expecting a second child (due next week) and will do the same - only ever speak in French - and if they speak back in English, I will still answer in French. I had read a book when I was pregnant that suggested the 'one parent one language approach' and so far it seems to work. It also means that when my relatives visit, they can communicate naturally. I think you should switch to French and it's not too late for your daughter - better now than when she's 18 and wishes she was fluent!

hello
DS is 3 and speaks english and french.
Our problem is with a third language (our native arabic as we are originally from morocco). I can clearly tell you the reason he does not speak arabic is because he has no one to interract with in this language. He understands what I tell him but will use english or french to reply.
My point is, it is not enough to speak french to her occasionally. You should fully communicate and have a social environement in french as well.Our daily routine and school is in an english environment. We hang out with a lot of french speaking friends and their kids too.I think you should stick to french when baby is here and try and socialise with other french kids so she can play and develop her imagination "in french". Try reading stories in french????????
bon courage.

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Hi, if you really want your DDs to speak French you must speak it with them! It will feel odd at first if you've been speaking English with DD1 up till now but it's a good idea to start fresh with the baby. Perservere and one day you'll be so glad you did. Don't you ever go to visit French- speaking relatives? Don't you want your DDs to be able to speak to them? Good luck!

(I am Scottish, living in Spain with native-spanish speaking Dp and we speak English at home. DD1 is 3.5 yo, was born here, and goes to a Spanish nursery. Her English is still better than her Spanish at this point.)