Native and beloved
It is believed that the language spoken by the mother of the child, and is for him native (it is, therefore, called the mother). It is absorbed with the mother's milk and becomes "code" - on it in the future a person, as they say, will think. If mom and dad speak the same language, it only fixes the situation. If the father is the bearer of another language, then the child falls into the atmosphere of bilingualism (or bilingualism). And this is also wonderful. Because if you follow certain rules, the baby will learn both languages from early childhood. The main condition for this: parents must adhere to each specific language, that is, the mother speaks with the baby in Russian, and the father - in Ukrainian (English, French, German, etc.). This insures the child from a hodgepodge in your head, and you can be sure that as soon as he speaks, he will give out "pearls" in both languages, not confusing them. However, be prepared for the next nuance: psychologists say that children growing up in bilingual families later start talking - crumbs need more time to learn the "double" amount of information, process, analyze, digest it for themselves. to be afraid, as well as not to postpone the study of the second language for later, because only in the early childhood the child's brain is plastic (up to a year the brain develops by 70%, the remaining 20 are for a period of up to 4 years, and only 10% for the rest life!). Any training is given to an Up to a year with minimal effort.
A language or a mova?
Modern Ukrainian families often face one more incident: at home the family speaks Russian, and for the child this language becomes native, and as soon as he gets older and gets into the social environment (kindergarten, school), it turns out that he needs to know more and the Ukrainian language. The problem is that, having got used to "think in Russian", the child can hardly adapt in the Ukrainian-speaking environment, which can negatively affect such aspects as, for example, school performance, lack of understanding, followed by uncertainty, stiffness and stiffness How to avoid it First of all, take for granted that, no matter how you protect the child from the second language, he must also face the Ukrainian language, and this is actually right and healthy. - we live in Ukraine, means, must know the language and history of the country.Secondly, if the child from the cradle will hear Ukrainian speech, he will not have a psychological block in front of him, he will not perceive him as a "different", alien language, and infusion into the social environment will not be stressful . And thirdly, as we have already said, the more a child learns, the richer and broader his horizons will be. Why limit it? Knowing only one language, he will constantly face the problem of choice, and he will have to do it not by his own will, but obeying the circumstances. This applies to the choice of the school, and higher education, in the future - and work. We were convinced that we needed both languages? Let's start learning. That's only to do it properly and organically.
How should I talk?
The situation is simplified if one of the adults speaks Ukrainian well. By the way, it can be a grandmother. The main thing is for the child to see her often. Then he will not only be able to become attached to her, but will also perceive the language in which she speaks as her own. If you decide to invite a babysitter to a baby, choose a Ukrainian-speaking one, this will also give good results. Even better is the option, in which one of the parents will speak in Ukrainian. True, sometimes it is difficult, because here already an adult will have to thoroughly rebuild. In addition, the entire microclimate of communication in the family will change. But internal permutations are temporary, you will quickly get used to the new alignment of forces in the family, and the effect will be stunning in time. It happens that parents would be happy, but it is not possible to adhere to a permanent distribution by language. What to do in this situation? Talk to the child in both Russian and Ukrainian. Just remember the important nuance: the kid this change of languages will need to be constantly explained. So, tell the baby about animals, say the name of the beast in Russian, and then specify: "And now I'll tell you what it's called in Ukrainian" - and name it. Thus, you will insure the child from mixing tongues in his small head, since every time before switching to Ukrainian, you will warn him about it. And the child will learn that there is a difference between them.
And sing to the child Ukrainian lullabies. Read books in Ukrainian, tell tales. It seems to you that the baby does not understand anything, but it's not. Everything is written down in the subcortex, and everything must be applied in due time. If you do not know Ukrainian at all, do not despair in this case. Now there is a huge amount of audio recordings with fairy tales and songs in the Ukrainian language. Bright and melodic, they probably like your baby. Arrange for him sessions of such immersion in Ukrainian speech, it will not only enrich the luggage of the child's knowledge, but will also become an excellent developing activity for him - will acquaint you with Ukrainian culture, mentality and history. Try to ensure that in your environment there are speakers of the Ukrainian speech. Perhaps, these are friends of the family, colleagues, moms, whom you met on a walk. The benefits will be for everyone: your little one will join the beautiful Ukrainian speech, and the child from that family will go to the Russian one, the bearers of which are you. Do not forget that our children have a unique chance to become real polyglots from birth. Then study and other (foreign) languages will be given to him easily.
Careful, wrong speech!
Sometimes it's better to remain silent than say something wrong. The most pernicious in learning another language is to face a careless attitude toward it. It is important that the Ukrainian speech that your baby will hear is literate, literary. And it was not a mixture of "French with Nizhny Novgorod." The illiterate mish-mash of the two most beautiful languages, besides destroying the development of the child from the right course, is also harmful, since it is extremely difficult to eradicate misunderstood information in early childhood.