Speaking Swedish, bug style.

Language is such a funny thing. It is obviously at the core of nearly everything you do everyday. To learn another language is tough for me. An Austrian mom, a couple of years of college German and living in Germany for over a year and I still have a really tough time with it. Sure it is a tough language to learn. The grammar is seriously all backwards. But I have it in my head. I can hear how it is and yet to actually verbalize it is another thing entirely. I understand it and love to hear it but just can't get myself to put reasonable sentences together that makes any sense. I certainly cannot express myself beyond what you need to ask for directions and talk with clerks at a store. I think (on good days) that have now exceeded my German ability with Swedish, which really is something to me. I can put together whole sentences. I can speak in present, past, and future tense. I have a limited vocabulary but have enough so I can work around it if I am missing a word. I have an entire summer left really practice it. Unfortunately I just don't know that many Swedes to be able to utilize it. (That is a whole other topic for blogging and a tough nut to crack). The kids and I have started a contest in which we speak Swedish and the first one to use English gets "bugged" - basically we say bug to remind the other to speak it. Brynn is fluent but Keegan is half way in between Swedish and English. Our contest works and Keegan is the proof of it. His Swedish is really progressing. A few years back I met a woman at a party. She told me that the reason my kids didn't speak Swedish is because of me. That I should send the kids away to Sweden and not be around them and they will learn it quickly. Insensitive of her? Incredibly. I took it very personally and internalized it as I am mom who is hurting my kids. It was and still is the single most hurtful thing that anyone has ever said to me. But I have to admit that she is right in a way. I am with the kids the most and I speak English with them. So sometimes the truth hurts. A lot. I let her get into my head. Now she can "bug" off though. I have turned the corner on Swedish and though I may never speak it perfectly or even well, my kids will and for them to know something that I have always wished for my entire adult life is enough to make me proud.