I'd love a nap right now too. And I should be working. But am reading blogs instead. Typical.
That is one of my new big mother fears, that my son will be behind the other kids because I speak to him in English. Everyone says he will catch up eventually, but I can see such a huge gap in his communication skills. He hasn't caught on yet, but recognizes that there is a difference and will really only speak at home around members of our family and close friends he sees a lot.
When did you start teaching the kiddo letters? Have you used any phonics books or other helpful aids?
I had this fear too, that my kids would be the slow learners. They weren't. But my youngest, was. And he would have been in a regular kindergarten class (with an aide) slowing the others down.
It is sad when you go to school and realize how many kids aren't as lucky as our own. My heart aches and I want to bring them all home with me.
But if my son ever announced my full name to the whole class, I would have given him away.
That is a highly guarded secret...
@ Jennifer: We started teaching the kiddo letters when he was old enough to be interested. I think his first letters were on a foam play mat (one at his dad's house and one at mine). We also watched Sesame Street and other kiddie educational TV shows, and read basic alphabet books. So much of it is just memorization, so the more we said the letters and pointed to them (or drew them), the more he remembered. I also have to say that I strongly believe the "Russian" child in my son's class has something else going on besides a language deficit. I'm not an expert, but if I were to make a slightly informed guess, I'd say Asperger's Syndrome. FWIW, I once dated a guy who had grown up speaking English and Portugese (parents were from Brazil, by way of Lebanon and Italy), and he had no language trouble. I would think that your son will be just fine learning both Italian and English simultaneously.
@ Redneck Mommy: I hope you understood from my post that I definitely don't think poorly of the kid having such difficulty. It absolutely kills me that he's having such a hard time and doesn't (yet?) have an ally/aid in the class. That is totally unacceptable to me. I was telling my sister about the situation last night, and I started toying with the idea of volunteering to track down a freakin' Russian interpreter myself, if that's what the school thinks is holding up the testing. The fact that this kid (who hid in the bushes on the first day of school) is having to go through every school day being punished by not being allowed out at recess because he didn't finish his work is OUTRAGEOUS!! His mother is single and can't stay home with him, and the teacher says she's "very apologetic" about her son's behavior. Apparently the child is "too advanced" for the day (special) program, but is absolutely unable to hold his own in the regular class without individual help. It has been a MONTH since school started and I am angered/saddened on his behalf. This is not the end of this story.
That is upsetting to see a child not getting the help he needs. Think how the mother must feel! A foreigner, single mom, it cannot be easy.
Thanks for the tips.
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