We caught up with Eva, the mother of Tobias, a preschooler at FAA, to learn more about their family.
“Now he talks my ears off in 3 languages!”
Q: What is your family background, languages spoken at home?
We are Belgians, from the north of the country, which means our mother tongue is Dutch. My husband works for the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so we move every 3 or 4 years to different postings all over the world. This is a great opportunity to learn languages, my husband and I each speak 5 languages with notions of some others, but speak only Dutch at home.
Q: What motivated you to choose a bilingual French-American school for your child?
French is an official language in Belgium, so we decided it would be good for Tobias to start his education in at least 1 of our country’s native languages. Being bilingual (or trilingual) in Belgium is a real asset. Furthermore, we like the curriculum and structure of the French educational system.
Q: What role do the other languages spoken at home play in Tobias’s learning experience with French?
We have always spoken a great deal with Tobias and read him a lot of books (As he was born during the pandemic, there wasn’t much else to do). He started speaking at a young age and although this was all in Dutch, a good grasp of the mother tongue will help with learning others. It took him a few months, after beginning school, to start speaking short sentences in French and even faster for English. Now he talks my ears off in 3 languages!
Q: How do you feel the bilingual education at FAA is preparing your child for future opportunities?
As the world is becoming smaller and more interconnected, speaking different languages is an asset for everyone. It ensures that he will have many options in terms of higher education in the future. Furthermore, learning languages at such a young age will make sure he speaks them perfectly, and it makes the brain flexible, so it will make it easier to learn other languages and new information later.
Q: Can you share a memorable moment, event, activity, or achievement your child has experienced at FAA?
Tobias was very enthusiastic about the visit of the Georgie Badiel, which made a real impression on him. He had spoken about it weeks prior and afterwards. He could tell me everything about the water and what they do to help. It is very special that he has an opportunity like that in school, that he learns how other children live, and it is a testament to the great teachers that make it so tangible and understandable for a 4-year-old.
Q: How do you embrace bilingualism at home?
We have many books and read a lot with Tobias. Before bed, we usually read books in all 3 languages. If he speaks French or English at home, we encourage him to reply in French or English. He also loves to teach me new words in French.
Q: Can you share some of the activities your family enjoys together, such as hobbies, volunteer work, or sports teams you follow? How do these activities bring your family closer or create special moments together?
We love to travel and especially visit the National Parks. Tobias is very interested in nature and how the Earth works, so he loves it. He also loves museums; his favorites are the Museum of Natural History and MoMA. We took memberships, so a visit is always good on a rainy day. Otherwise, we can go for a hike or play in a park.
Q: Have you found any unique ways to connect with other families from FAA outside of school events?
No unique ways, just normal ones. Tobias has playdates with friends. I joined the PTO board in September, which is also a great way of connecting with FAA families with older kids.
Q: If your family had a motto to live by, what would it be?
Go out and see the world!
