Our children don't always use the language we want them to. And that's normal: they have their own personalities, their own preferences and are also influenced by the world around them. As parents, we react to this behavior in different ways (often starting around 4-5 years of age - the age when they start school).
Here's a little classification to help us put these reactions into words. There's no specific order to them, since none is better than another. On the contrary, they can all be valid in different contexts.
The resisting parent.
The adult "pretends" not to understand the child so that he/she expresses him/herself in the desired language.
- Which fruit would you like?
- Une pomme.
- I don't understand. Tell me in English.
The translating parent.
The adult translates the child's words and asks for confirmation before continuing the conversation.
- Which fruit would you like?
- Une pomme.
- An apple. Is that it ?
The repeating parent.
The adult repeats the child's words in the "correct language" before continuing the conversation.
- Which fruit would you like?
- Une pomme.
- An apple. In pieces or as a whole?
The pursuing parent.
The adult pays no attention to the child's choice of language and continues the conversation.
- Which fruit would you like?
- Une pomme.
- Okay. In pieces or as a whole?
The mixing parent.
The adult adapts to the child's choice of language and continues the conversation in the language chosen by the child.
- Which fruit would you like?
- Une pomme.
- D'accord. En morceau ou entière ?
