Purposeful family living - with a French twist
Bonjour! I'm Michele Cherie: francophile, teacher, writer, runner, wife, and mama to five children. I'm a non-native French speaker from the West Coast, USA. My husband and I recently relocated our family to Alsace, France. IntentionalMama shares our bilingual journey and resources for a culturally-rich family life.
We live in a neighborhood of cookie-cutter homes, but we know our neighbors and we appreciate our little pied-à-terre. Yet few of our neighbors have young children, and fewer still know about the park within walking distance from our street. We call it le Parc des Champignons because of the mushrooms that grow from the bark chips there in the fall and spring.
Read MoreWhen my daughter turned two years old, I bought her a subscription to a French children's magazine called Popi. Admittedly, subscribing to a French magazine for delivery in the USA is costly, and I wondered if it would be worth the expense. But even at that age, my daughter adored receiving Popi and she continues to read those same issues even now at four years old. We switched to Toupie et Chansons the following year; that subscription included four music CDs with the special issues. I'll write specific reviews for those magazines in a future blog post, but for now, here's an overview of the French children's magazines available in the U.S. and how to subscribe. (Children's magazines in Spanish are further below in this post.)
Read MoreHow much time does it take a child to become bilingual? If we define bilingualism as enough proficiency to function adequately and comfortably in both languages, most studies suggest at least fifteen hours per week are necessary in the minority language. (This is not a outright rule--there are too many factors to control. Some researchers say twenty-five hours per week is a more realistic number.) If you are interested in using another language with your child on a more part-time basis, here are three factors that could increase your child's likelihood of becoming bilingual:
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When is The Children's Hour? Longfellow wrote about it in a poem by the same name. Today's culture has essentially forgotten that this daily interval has a name, but the timing remains the same: it's the hour after dinner and before bedtime. For many families, it's the only free hour together. Here are some ideas for making the most of this time:
Read MoreC'est novembre! We're officially into the month of giving thanks, although my son already managed to break a glass Christmas ornament at the grocery store on Halloween. I'll partially blame the store for attempting to skip Thanksgiving altogether. Here are my interesting links for this weekend:
Read MoreWhether you are currently hosting an exchange student or are simply curious about what activities are highly American in nature, this list is worth reading.
Read MoreAs a counselor to addicted, co-dependent, and emotionally exhausted people, Jeff VanVonderen recognizes the need for a grace-oriented message. While he writes for those of all religious backgrounds, his pastoral experience has given him a sobering view of how spiritual misconceptions can result in families struggling with guilt, exhaustion, and manipulation. In contrast, Families Where Grace is In Place offers hope by clarifying psychological truths and principles of grace, acceptance, and support.
Read MoreSince launching Intentional Mama two months ago, I sometimes get questions from friends and acquaintances who want to know how, exactly, to follow a blog. I'm happy to explain . . . but first let me convince you why you should follow several blogs!
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