Bilingual Trend

Lately I've noticed a trend with our older three children - they now commonly tell us things in German if they have just experienced it in German, even though they usually have the ability to translate the information.

For instance, talking about soccer practice (Spencer), or gymnastics training (Hannah), or theater class (Shantal) explanations are almost always started in German. They tell other stories in German as well, but the trend seems to be especially strong in the things where they have no or very little experience with the subject in English.

When they start in German I have to work hard to answer back in English. Sometimes this seems to flip a switch in their minds and they continue their explanation in English, and sometimes they continue in German.