Saturday, August 6, 2011

So I was told...

Babies love to listen to their parents' voices, so I was told.  With little babies, they say, you can read anything and your sweet little one will just be thrilled because it is mom or dad's voice they are hearing.  Perfect!  That left me with lots of great ideas.  I could read Spanish to my daughter and teach her two languages from infancy.  I could read my Bible aloud to her.  She'd be hearing scripture while I fit in my Bible study time.  My husband, a student at the time, could read his text books to her.  Learning, study time, and bonding all rolled into one.  I was very excited to begin.

Cousin Haleigh "reading" to Anna.

I read some of her baby books to her.  Yep, my sweet baby girl loved having me read to her.  I started reading to her in Spanish.  She cried, she screamed.  That little baby, at about 2 months old, was downright mad!  I had met a lady from a trilingual family who said her child would get upset if mom or dad spoke in the "wrong" language.  (Mom spoke to her in one language, dad in another, and they used a third language to communicate with each other.)  Okay, that must be the problem, she just expects me to speak English.

I picked up my Bible and started to read to her.  She was ticked!  Hmm, maybe she is just tired or hungry at the moment?  A tiny baby couldn't really care yet what I read to her, could she?  I tried again on other days.  Same response.  My little darling only wanted me to read to her from children's books.  I gave up, but tried again when she was one.  Same response, except by then she had words to express her dislike.  "No Mommy!"  I tried again when she was two.  Same response, but with a larger vocabulary.  "No Mommy, you don't talk like that!"


Then my son was born.  Another chance!  My daughter was one picky little baby.  Maybe my son will listen if I read the Bible to him and speak to him in Spanish!  I gave it a try when he was just a couple months old.  He screamed too.  So much for that theory.


Thankfully, my kids will now happily listen as I read to them from the Bible.  They are also interested in learning Spanish and other languages.  I can make plans for my kids lives all day long, but when it comes down to it, I am not in control.  But God has got it all figured out.  I'll do my best to guide my children's stubborn hearts, but only God can truly direct their paths.

No comments:

Post a Comment