Adventures (las aventuras) are the spice of life! Motivation is the absolute KEY to Learning (I actually wrote the book on that, so I should know.)
As we discover what makes each of our children tick, we see more light bulb moments, more thirst for knowledge, and more joy in our own lives. Finding it out isn’t TOO hard, but as you try more speaking, moving, listening, narrating, or DOING with your child, you’ll learn HOW they learn.
As a parent, some times we just need a break. We’re teaching and parenting 100% of the time, whether we want to our not. Our Spanish Lessons, if they are consistently accomplished or not, sends a message. Come along side them and enjoy the adventure. It’ll do you good.
Today, my youngest son and I were out working with some feral bees. (It’s called a forced abscond.) It was intense. There was smoke, patience, oils, frames, hives, a special bee vacuum, and more patience. It was hot, and my allergies had decided to go for the gusto. "Let’s make today like no other!" the histamines must have yelled. Sneeze and sneeze and sneeze again…. INSIDE a bee helmet. (Or bonnet, or whatever it is. I’m not the beekeeper, I’m just the chauffeur!)
I had the thought, “My son and I are out here, with these wonderful old beeks. This is a teachable moment."
I started speaking Spanish to my boy. He really would have preferred English. He knows all this, but in this moment, las abejas (the bees) were more important than his fluency in Spanish. I didn’t stop. I stuck with it. He was flustered with me, but finally, the fluency jumped. And I knew it would when he relaxed! He spoke back to me in Spanish, grinning as the old beeks gained a new level of respect for him. A ten year old beek, out in the heat and the smoke with them, speaking Spanish with his mom with bees buzzing all around us.
Two hives, five beeks, and two learners, proud of their aventura. I learned more about abejas today, and my son learned more about perseverance. Use your adventure. Look up the words you’ll need today. Build a sentence with your flashcards, take the step and get going. You’ll be glad. And you can do it ALL without putting on a bee suit!
Words for your personal learning dictionary today:
la aventura = the adventure
las abejas = the bees
el estornudo = the sneeze
el humo = the smoke
la colmena = the hive