Que? Pardon? Excuse me?
I may have mentioned here before that Dadisodes and I have a little hybrid child. Dadisodes is half Spanish, and I am full Chinese. Both of us were raised by parents who speak comfortably in their native tongues, but unfortunately, Dadisodes’ father did not speak to him in Spanish, and my parents were rarely home. So we are rudimentary in our second languages at best, him more so than I.
This never stops our daughter from asking how to say things in Chinese or Spanish. At this stage, we can get away with teaching her simple everyday terms such as vegetable, camera, or noodle.
But every now and then, I think she gets a little confused.
Babisodes: Mommy, can we have dong gu with dinner?
Me: Sure honey. That’s great you remembered how to say mushroom.
<minutes later>
Babisodes: Mommy, how do you say dog in Chinese?
Me: Remember I told you at the park when we saw the black dog that looked like ours? Can you remember the word now?
Babisodes: Uh huh *nods*
Me: Okay, what is it?
Babisodes: Perro!
Ay dios mio…
That is too funny! Babisodes has the ability to thoroughly confuse people in 3 countries!
BusyDad’s last blog post..When a Blogger Meets a Blogger Grillin’ Up the Rye
June 11th, 2009 at 7:38 pm
That’s awesome! But, she will be so fortunate to be bi/tri-lingual. I love the photo of your dog, too cute.
Tara R.’s last blog post..My ‘To-Squeeze’ list
June 11th, 2009 at 7:52 pm
Hehe!
My daughter sometimes confuses me with what she’s trying to say because I have to figure out if it’s in English, Chinese or Filipino.
Your dog is so cute!
ceemee’s last blog post..Why blog?
June 11th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
LOL! You guys sound like us! My husband is latin, but was adopted when he was a newborn. Anyway, he grew up in a Caucasian family, to which he looks nothing at all like them! LOL! I’m Filipino, but my parents divorced when I was 10, and my sister and I lived our non Tagalog speaking mom! She doesn’t even have an accent! So…I feel like we both missed out! LOL
Alicia’s last blog post..16/52 PICTURES OF ME
June 11th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
I love it. Sounds familiar!
We’ve got the mexican/indian/swedish/jewish hybrid over here and grandma was a French teacher so you can imagine how this is all going…
June 11th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
That’s adorable. It may take her longer to get going with multiple languages, but before you know it, she’ll be a pro.
Maria@Conversations with Moms’s last blog post..VlogEmotions – VlogEmo Kids
June 11th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
lol. So cute. She’s so lucky to be growing up immersed in so many cultures!
Emily’s last blog post..PSF – at least she wants to be well dressed
June 11th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
LOL! Multilingual speaking little girl! I am so glad I am able to access your blog again. For a time I couldn’t get through, the connection would always reset.
louann’s last blog post..Something I Have Slowly Learned To Learn
June 11th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
out of the mouth of babes,gott love it.
mike golch’s last blog post..A Great message.
June 11th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
That is too funny. I know exactly what you mean. I’m Chinese also and am in the process of trying to get my son to learn both Chinese and English. I tried teaching him to count in Chinese one time and he looked and me and said “No, it’s one, two, three”. Go figure!
Mama in Suburbia’s last blog post..The Beach – A place to relax or a place to unleash your screaming child?
June 11th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Haha! So cute! But she’s sponging it all up and that is good! My son’s dad speaks another language fluently and the only reason my son has ANY interest in learning it is so that he can talk about me behind my back, in front of my face!
Natalie’s last blog post..The House of Mouse
June 11th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
My kids are somewhat bilingual/trilingual too! In addition to English they speak…..Alien. I have no idea what they are talking about sometimes. Like they are speaking in tongues.
Sharon’s last blog post..Graduation
June 11th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
LOL, I thought it was bad enough that Rose mixes two languages…it must be confusing with three!!
June 11th, 2009 at 10:07 pm
Ah, so she will almost be tri-lingual. Good for you and Dadisodes for giving her part of your heritages. Great story too.
Patsy’s last blog post..And the Beat Goes On
June 11th, 2009 at 10:11 pm
But I love her more! LOL Gosh…I can baby sit Babisodes…for free!
Amazing…
Mariposa’s last blog post..Happy Independence Day Philippines!
June 11th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
That’s cute.. She’s gotta be gorgeous!
My crumbcatchers only know a little of Filipino, Spanish and Jewish words (only those that matter )
June 11th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Language confusion. It’s good for kids. Eventually, she’ll figure it out. Meanwhile, keep those foreign words coming.
The Mother’s last blog post..Potty Training, Modern Style
June 11th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
This is cute – thanks for the good giggle!
Nicole’s last blog post..A new day
June 12th, 2009 at 2:02 am
haha. she is so confused..
June 12th, 2009 at 4:16 am
LOL that’s cute!
Jeanette’s last blog post..It’s a matter of opinion
June 12th, 2009 at 4:37 am
I’m so jealous that Babisodes is learning 2 languages, even just parts of them. I should speak some French to my son, but even mine is rudimentary at best. It’s so cute though how she mixes up the words. I’d be the same way!
Kathleen’s last blog post..Random Thursday Evening Thoughts
June 12th, 2009 at 9:00 am
How classic! I wish that hubby or I were fluent in something other than English so we could teach that to the kdis too. They do know a few things in Spanish, but not much.
We’ve been watching Ni-Hao, Kai-lan and the kids have been saying Thank you in Chinese.
Emily/Randomability’s last blog post..F F Friday (55)
June 12th, 2009 at 10:14 am
!Hola, Miha. Yo te amo mucho. Y su hija. Y su esposo. Todos ustedes.
lceel’s last blog post..Haiku Friday – Distractions
June 12th, 2009 at 10:36 am
!Hola, Miha. Yo te amo mucho. Y su hija. Y su esposo. Todos ustedes.
June 12th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Ooops.
lceel’s last blog post..Haiku Friday – Distractions
June 12th, 2009 at 10:57 am
So cute!! I think my kids know more Spanish from school than Chinese (zilch) or Russian (zilcho).
Angela at mommy bytes’s last blog post..Baby Week on Discovery Health – Adam’s Birth Story
June 12th, 2009 at 11:20 am
She will be tri-lingual..
We have similar situation in our household. My husband is Filipino but grew up here so he only understands but can’t speak. I can speak fluent Thai but being such a bad mom I never taught my kids. Maybe from working full-time? I don’t know.. I just blame myself.
Anyhow, they can’t speak either Tagalog or Thai.. only English.
Amy @ The Q Family’s last blog post..The White House from Afar
June 12th, 2009 at 11:34 am
That’s cool she wants to learn the other languages. I don’t know much Native American (only a few words) and my kids know less than I! Awww, what a cute pic!
Jeanne’s last blog post..BikeMania
June 12th, 2009 at 11:54 am
LOL!! That is hiliarous!
Undercover Princess’s last blog post..I’m not an end time scholar…
June 12th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
I’ve been trying to think of something cute/funny to say about bringing my daughter up in a bilingual household. I’m from the midwest and my husband has a full on Baltimore accent, but it’s just not coming. So I’ll just say how cute your story was and be done with it.
Love the picture!
Cara’s last blog post..Before I was a mom…
June 12th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Well she IS the POSTER child for diversity if nothing else! But that pooch? Oh my. He’s definitely 32 flavors of sweetness in that pose.
MamaGeek’s last blog post..Deliver Me.
June 12th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
C’est si drole!
What a great heritage for Babisodes to have.
Is that your dog? So cute!
Holly at Tropic of Mom’s last blog post..Daily exercise is so important
June 12th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
It is amazing how fast kids can learn languages. My kids went to Japanese preschool. The youner one is able to speak fluent Japanese, but the older one (now in first grade) forgets a lot. Stick with it!
Cookie’s last blog post..Good Bye Rats
June 12th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
That’s so funny! Our little one always thinks we’re speaking Spanish when we’re saying things in Chinese.
Asianmommy’s last blog post..Taiwanese American Foundation (TAF) Conference
June 12th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Bwaaaaaa haaaaa haaaaaaaaaaa!
Boo speaks 5 languages. None of which I actually speak. I am pretty sure I heard him say that once. So I think we need to bump it up to 6
June 13th, 2009 at 8:44 am
My 5v year old grandson on hearing a little guy speaking Mandarin said “Wow, that guy is speaking French!”
June 13th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Haha. She’s a sassy one, isn’t she?
June 13th, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Does it make you want to buy that Rosetta Stone system and learn either Chinese or Spanish?
Love the shot of the dog with the boots.
June 13th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Aw, too cute! Love the picture, too.
June 14th, 2009 at 12:08 am
Hi Sandy,
I also want to let you know that I gave you ‘One Lovely Blog Award’
http://www.theqfamilyadventures.com/2009/06/in-which-im-honored/
I love reading your blog. You have been such an amazing writer. Keep writing!
June 14th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Okay that made me giggle! I applaud you both for helping your daughter embrace all sides of her heritage. There are many parents who don’t. A friend of mine who’s parents are BOTH 100% Mexican does not speak ONE WORD of Spanish! I speak more Spanish than he does…my four year old speaks more Spanish than he does! So good on you! Babisodes is all the better for it!
Christie-A Work In Progress’s last blog post..Reflections on Disney (with a couple of Forehead Smacks)
June 14th, 2009 at 11:08 am
That is funny! But I can see how she would get both languages mixed up.
Cascia @ Healthy Moms’s last blog post..I See God Through My Children
June 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
The picture of your dog and those boots is adorable; and Babisodes is, as well. It’s great that she’s learning another language – she’ll thank you when she’s older and her classmates are struggling to grasp the material, whereas she’ll have it down pat!
Cafe Fashionista’s last blog post..Gone Buggy
June 14th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Alas… when my husband was born his sister was already in Kindergarten and had no interest in Chinese being spoken in the home. So even though his parents TRIED to teach him Chinese at home and through 2 decades of Chinese school, he has the vocabulary of a two year old. I’m bummed b/c I wish he could have taught our kids (and myself) some Chinese!
CC’s last blog post..My Shadow
June 15th, 2009 at 1:26 am
I think that is the cutest thing ever. She does seem a bit confused but I’m sure you guys will work it out. (LOL)!!!
Felicia – I Complete Me’s last blog post..Slow Down and Enjoy Your Life.
June 15th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
LOL! At least she’s learning! I think it’s great that she is picking up bits and pieces of two more languages. Go Babisodes!
June 15th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
I worked in a pre-school before and some of the kids there can speak in 3 languages: English for school, Chinese with their families, and Filipino to their nannies. I was told that children of Babisodes’ age can acquire language better. I’ve always wanted to learn a third language.
katcarneo’s last blog post..You Know You’re Too Old for College When…
June 16th, 2009 at 2:48 am
Sweet photo. Babisodes is still delighting me with her conversation!
Dot’s last blog post..Mad Lib-eration
June 16th, 2009 at 10:01 am
She speaks more Chinese and Spanish than I do. Sadly, I don’t know that it’s any great feat to beat me.
patois’s last blog post..Haiku: Walls
June 16th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Kiddos and animals…Can’t beat them for lightening your heart.
June 17th, 2009 at 5:22 pm