Since starting Børnehave, our son’s language journey as a bilingual child has completely taken off. He speaks Danglish most of the time, but recently he has started speaking in complete sentences på dansk. As a native English speaker (and aspiring adoptive Dane), it’s amazing to witness. I grew up hearing my grandparents speak German and I learned the obligatory French (and later switched to Spanish) in high school. But to grow up speaking multiple languages from a very young age is a true gift. Paired with this new language shift is the much-anticipated, sometimes feared, often exhausting and inquisitive chapter of “why”. Or in this case, “Hvorfor?”.
Daily we’re navigating our way through a sea of “Hvorfor?” He asks it, often multiple times in a row, usually before you’ve formulated or completed your response. I’ve learned to shorten my replies in an attempt to finish answering before the next wave hits. I’m very determined to not short-change him, I want to provide honest and interesting answers. But it’s a bit like one of those game shows where the obstacles keep flying at you and the ground is completely unstable. You keep going, you persevere and keep your eyes on the prize.
When it all began my husband and I sat in brief reflection, thinking, how cute? He’s in the “why” stage but it’s på Dansk. Perhaps it will remain amusing to our ears. Short- lived, because he imminently strengthened his approach when he discovered he can hammer out “Hvorfor?” until the cows come home … then follow it up with “But, why? Why mummy?” for good measure. And through it all, he’s genuinely curious. He has started asking things that leave me sometimes wondering … how do I not know the answer? He’s once again expanding our horizons in wild and wonderous ways. Oh, to be continually humbled, challenged and educated by your own child.
Occasionally at pick-up time, I have the opportunity to briefly be a fly on the wall, to watch him play with his fellow classmates before he spots me. He chats away in Dansk, often with friends who also speak English or another language at home. It leaves me wondering which language will be his chosen go-to language? How will this beautiful life shape his identity? His childhood is evolving and we’re lucky to be along for the ride, guiding him and weathering the questions that rise to the surface. Even if they leave us sometimes quickly googling his inquiries to make sure we’re not just making things up (though sometimes it’s funny to see what he’ll say if you respond with something completely outrageous). In the end, I believe an informed well-spoken child with a good sense of humour becomes an informed well-spoken and good-humoured adult. A powerful tool, whether spoken in English or Dansk.
