Saint Martin's Day: a German tradition for children

November 11 is marked across many parts of the world as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day or Veterans Day to recall the end of hostilities of the 1st World War. 
In Germany, the Carnival season begins at 11:11 on November 11 and people traditionally eat Berliner Pfannkuchen (similar to doughnuts but without a hole) on this day.
November 11 is also Saint Martin's Day, which is celebrated by all children in Germany as "Laternenfest", the party of the lanterns.
If you happen to be out on the streets just after dusk on Saint Martin's Day, you will most likely encounter one or more processions of children carrying lanterns and singing Saint Martin songs. 
However, if you're at work or live in a neighbourhood with very few children, you will hardly notice. It was only when I moved to Berlin (and to an area full of children) that I first saw a procession of lanterns.
If you're a child growing up in Germany the party of the lanterns is one of the highlights of the year. The lanterns are prepared days or weeks in advance at nursery or school and the children practise signing the typical lantern songs with their teachers. On the actual day, children, parents and teachers gather outside nursery or school and together they walk and sing. At the end of the procession there is usually a party with food and drinks. In some cases there is also a bonfire. On these cold and dark autumnal nights, the lanterns bring much needed light and warmth.

Growing up with three languages

"British Airways to London Heathrow on Saturday, ready to land."

"Aereo Alitalia in partenza per Roma."

"Lufthansa Flugzeug von Frankfurt nach Chicago."

The other day I was listening to my three-year-and-ten-month-old son while he was playing alone in his room. The way he could switch languages was absolutely fascinating. He was playing with his little planes and one minute he was speaking English, the next he was making an announcement in Italian and 30 seconds later he had moved on to German.... 

There are so many studies showing the positive effects of growing up with more than one language and yet I still hear a lot of doubt and prejudice on the subject. For example, people often tell me that children learning more than one language start to speak later. It might be true in some cases, but in my experience it's not the rule. 

How many times have I heard the story about when I said "pwetty twee" in front of the Christmas tree at eighteen months?
 

Multilingual playground in Berlin

I grew up in a bilingual (English/Italian) environment, my son goes to a bilingual (German/Italian) nursery and I know several children that are growing up with two or three languages (including German, English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Bulgarian and Farsi). 

A friend of mine was recently telling me about her son's new German nursery, in Berlin Mitte, where the majority of children speak two or three languages.

I haven't noticed any significant difference in the way multilingual children speak compared with monolingual children. In fact, in some cases I would say that their skills can be more advanced.

Of course, sometimes they mix their languages ("Io voglio mangiare Vanille Eis!") and the Grammar is not always perfect ("Io sono finito" instead of "Io ho finito"), but surely that's no big deal.

I remember when I was expecting Leo, I told my midwife that I was hoping he would grow up speaking three languages. She seemed to think that Italian and German would suffice and that English could be a secret language between Mamma and Papa. Well she couldn't have been more wrong: Leo already understands practically every word we say in English and, if we need to speak in code, we either have to spell the words out ("P I Z Z A" or "I C E"  "C R E A M") or say them in French (il est fatigué; never mention that little one is "tired" in English, Italian or German!). 

That works, at least for now.

Are you raising a bilingual or trilingual child? What is your experience? Comments welcome!

It's a dog's world

Darling come back!
Not so fast!
Stop!
This way!
Be a good boy (or girl)!  
Well done! 
Aren't you a sweetie pie...
Wait for me! 
Slow down!
Don't put that into your mouth. Spit it out!
STOOOOOP! COME BAAACK!  I said NO!!! 


Have you ever heard someone talking to their dog and wondered whether they might instead be talking to a child?
If you have, then that's at least two of us.

I'm not sure what is more disturbing: the fact that people talk to their dogs the way parents talk to their children or the fact that parents communicate with their children the way humans talk to dogs???

In fact, until I became a parent myself, I never realised how much parents and dog owners have in common: 

• They can't just go on holiday whenever they like.
• They need babysitters (or dogsitters).
• They need to make special trips to the paediatrician (or vet).
• Dogs have leashes - children have walking reins.
• Children and dogs like making a mess, but their parents and owners are not so keen to clean up after them.
• Parents and dog owners get lots of free exercise and fresh air.
• Parents always talk about their children - dog owners always talk about their dogs.

As far as I can tell the main differences are

• Dogs don't shout "Ich bin nicht müde; Ich will wach bleiben!" (I am not tired; I want to stay awake!") at bedtime.
• Your dog is always happy to see you - that's not always the case with your child.
• Chocolate is toxic to dogs, but addictive to children.
• Dogs don't lie (but mummy said I could watch a cartoon!!!)
• You can train a dog (having said that, I know some German parents that have done a pretty good job of training their children)
•  And a parent would never say: "Don't worry: he's not dangerous!" when their child runs up to a stranger.