Comments on: All or Nothing

By: Ana Lilian

Ana Lilian — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 05:58:13 +0000

I needed to read this. I´ve been live translating to Spanish any book in English that my daughter wants to read. I do draw the line on Dr. Seuss!
I usually ask her if she wants me to read it in English or Spanish and 95% of the time she´ll say Spanish.
I have that guilty feeling that if I read in English right now she´ll start demanding it later. I kinda want to keep the illusion that Mamá only reads in Spanish to her, but it´s exhausting.
Thanks for the perspective that it has to be all or nothing, and that the conversations will most likely happen in Spanish!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:06:44 +0000

Good encouragement. I remember feeling the sick guilty-heart-string pulling feeling of feeling like I had to say no to reading in Spanish. Thankfully both my husband and I have that “never turn away a child with a book” commitment, so if my son asks to read an English book I can smile and nod fervently and excitedly tell him “este libro esta en ingles para leer con daddy.” If daddy’s not home, he’ll put it in a special place until he arrives. And the same goes the other way. There have been several occasions where I will come home and my son will be looking through a Spanish book in a cozy nook anticipating my arrival.

By: Beth Butler

Beth Butler — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 20:18:43 +0000

Querida Kim ~ I loved reading this and feeling the weight of the all or nothing mentality being lifted off your shoulders (if even for Christmas morning and the Toy Story viewing in English sometime soon!!!). You really helped us readers ‘feel’ your anguish over the years with your boys, and I thank you for being so candid.

¡Feliz navidad amiga! Have a blessed and wonderful Christmas.