Baby book experiment #3

Experiment #3: The moon book again at nap time. This time though, I said the lyrics of the Japanese lullaby (ゆりかごのうた) that I sing every time I put my baby down to sleep instead as I flipped the pages . Oh boy, he looked so sad, confused and almost angry that I had to quickly say, "OK, OK, let's read it again"! As I read it "the correct way," his facial expression gradually changed, and I got a smile at the end. :D *phew*

Is this amazing or what? I was pretty certain that my guess would be right again this time, but still, it pleasantly surprised me, in a way.

Good Evening, Dear Moon

In case anybody is wondering, the 絵本 (Japanese children's book) that I've been talking about this week is 『おつきさまこんばんは』 - "Otsukisama Konbanwa" by Akiko Hayashi whom I absolutely adore. I probably own all the books that she has illustrated/written.

The English version of this book is "Good Evening, Dear Moon." Nothing is better than the original, but I'd still recommend it to parents.

So I'm going to call the book "the moon book" on Twitter and this blog from now on.

Baby book experiment #2

Experiment #2: Baby was whiny at bedtime (his naps weren't great). I asked him, "Do you want to read?" about 5 times. No response.

I then said the title of the Japanese book, just like yesterday. He immediately opened his eyes and enjoyed the book with a big smile. :D

His reaction was exactly what I'd expected! I'm having too much fun observing how my three kids learn languages. :)

Princess reads to baby brother

My four-year-old daughter read "the book" to her baby brother today (it was her idea).

She can't read yet in any of the three languages but has memorized the story because I've been reading it since she was six months old.

I just loved watching the two kids! :D I wish I could have taken a photo, but I was holding the baby. :(


Note: She's reading a different book in this photo.

Baby book experiment #1

Experiment #1:
At nap time, my baby was crying with his eyes closed because he was getting sleepy. I couldn't help trying a little experiment.

We sat in a chair next to the crib, and I said, 「おつきさまこんばんは」 (the title of the Japanese children's book that we read every day). He opened his eyes right away, looked at the shelf where the book was and quietly waited for me to start reading! He even smiled while I read. I knew this would happen!

Baby went to sleep by himself in the crib without shedding a single tear. Love the magical power of real good books.

Babies understand languages

When I say the title of the Japanese book (『おつきさまこんばんは』) we always read, my baby reacts instantly. He really knows what I'm talking about!

I can totally see the excitement in his eyes. This shows seven months old babies do understand languages!

Flashcards and Fast Food

Parents—Beware of the Fast Food Approach to Foreign Languages
~ Ana Lomba Early Languages

いいなぁ、この記事！私フラッシュカードって嫌いなんです。

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On Twitter:

tamadonguri
LOVE this! Beware of the Fast Food Approach to Foreign Languages http://bit.ly/dx5lez RT @MultiLingLiving via @KarenNemethEdM via @analomba
2:55 PM Jun 25th

MultiLingLiving
@tamadonguri Isn't that great!? I love the "fast food approach" terminology! HAH! Great job, Ana! @analomba
3:11 PM Jun 25th via web in reply to tamadonguri

tamadonguri
I hate it when people start treating languages as if they were some sort of product. Sure, it's a tool but is ALIVE too.
5:02 PM Jun 25th via web in reply to MultiLingLiving

MultiLingLiving
@tamadonguri Ugh, I agree. Like a commodity which we can purchase and now own but not really "live".
5:35 PM Jun 25th via web in reply to tamadonguri

tamadonguri
Thanks for rephrasing my point so beautifully! RT @MultiLingLiving Like a commodity which we can purchase and now own but not really "live"
Friday, June 25, 2010 10:10:55 PM