Raising children through irish

Nevyn

Simu wrote:

http://www.comhluadar.ie/fergal_updated/eolas_new.htm

The link above was take from a thread in Geaglie Raising children through irish.

I was looking for more information as my 7 year old has decided to speak irish more of the time at home.
He has the idea that if we speak more of it at home and to his friends and family that one day everyone in Ireland will speak mainly irish.
His Dad has very little irish and mine is certainly not what it once was but I am
certain more then willing to make the effort.

What about yourselves ?

luckat

Good kid! Way-hey!

There are great courses - short but intensive - in Gael-Linn. If he's going to a Gaelscoil, there are usually classes on offer for parents, too.

The Oideas Gael week-long courses are brilliant fun for adults, with dancing and singing in the pub at night, and hillwalking and stuff available, plus lovely beaches if you're there in summer. http://www.oideas-gael.com/ (purple warning)

There's a tape and book you can get called Bun-Ghaeilge do Thuismitheóirí (Basic Irish for Parents) with lots of phrases that you can get used to for a start. http://www.eofeasa.ie/cuplafocal/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=701

I really hope he wins you over and you succeed. I'm so proud of him!

Charis

That is fantastic! We are in the middle of deciding for schools. I didn't sign my daughter up for the Irish schools but am thinking of applying and seeing what happens. There are three in our area. Sounds like a positive experience for your son, yes? He must be an amazing young man to have come to those conclusions at such a young age!
Luckat good site! Thanks for sharing it.

Nevyn

That is the startling thing is that he is not in a gealscoil but has just developed such a grá for it anyway.
There has always been some irish spoken at home both my children tend to pay more head when I speak to them in irish; even if it has only been be quiet, sit down, up the stars to bed and the same with crossing the road we do that in irish. Feic, feic, eist, feic agus trásna.
I have always tried to have at least one converstaion a day with them in what little irish I have but of late they have been speaking more both to me and to each other.

Charis

Now I am really impressed and encouraged. We have friends of varying nationalities so we have been teaching our children hello, goodbye, and thank you in different languages. Your son is an encouragement to me to keep working at it. Maybe my kids will be the same way in a few years regardless of which school they go to. I really like your idea of one conversation a day what age did you start that at?

Cake Fiend

Thaedydal wrote:

That is the startling thing is that he is not in a gealscoil but has just developed such a grá for it anyway.

To be honest, I think children who have been force-fed Irish (or anything for that matter) will be less likely to be enthusiastic about it. I reckon he'll stick at it if it's his own choice (he clearly has the interest, good man ).

Nevyn

I didnt start it until they started doing irish in school, never saw the point of them learning it and not using at least some of it outside of school.

luckat

Oh, and if kids are very little, Muzzy is available in Irish - a cartoon on video about a bear-like creature from another planet, good fun.

Nevyn

Dora the explorer, teen titans and the JLU on TG4 go down well here esp
with the subtitles on , lots of sneaky learning

ArthurDent

My lads love cartoons on TG4 too - although I find SpongeBob even more annoying (if that's possible) as gaeilge!:rolleyes: