Friday, June 6, 2008

Language

We have one of those toys that spits about five little balls out of the top and you're supposed to go running after them and put them back in the toy. He loves it not so much for the actual point of the game, but rather he likes to take the balls and put them in the spot they are spit out of. When it is on there is air pushing it out, so he keeps trying to put it in and the toy keeps pushing it out. Sometimes another ball will knock his as it attempts to come out - where it is supposed to. Handsome will either grab that ball or let it pass so that he can continue his deliberations. As soon as the timer runs out and the toy turns off, he can successfully put the ball in the hole and then he's all excited. But of course, he goes and pushes the button for it to turn on again and the whole process begins again. He also likes to put the triangle, circle, square, etc, from the shape jar toy inside the ball blowing toy which really messes with the poor fan.

Handsome is starting to understand language. DH will tell him to go pick something up and he will get all excited and walk to pick it up and bring it back to DH. He's all proud of himself when he understands what is going on. When I tell him to go pick something up and bring it to me, there is less of the understanding face. It's more of a, "I think you want me to go pick that up and bring it to you, but why aren't you saying that?" You see, I think he is beginning to understand Dagaare, but his English isn't quite there. DH speaks Dagaare to him all day so he is picking that up, but I spend about an hour each night and then most Saturdays and Sundays with him and that's all I get. I know that eventually his English will outpace his Dagaare since he is in the US, but it still kinda stinks that he doesn't understand me. Now granted, I could start speaking Dagaare to him so that he will be more reinforced there and he will understand me, but my pronunciation isn't the best and I'm afraid I'll mess up his Dagaare. I also wanted him to kinda be clear that Dagaare comes from Dad and English comes from Mom so that he can tell the languages apart in his mind. I don't know. I'm just happy that he is starting to understand a language.

1 comment:

Hf said...

That is pretty cool that your dh speaks his one language to him and you another. I hope he keeps it up because that will truely be an advantige to him.