My somali ain’t that good but inshallah I’ll improve so I can teach my kids
Take couple years off and live in Somalia with your kids. It's the only way.
How much do u have time for them if you are working and they are going to school everyday?Or just speak to them in somali, and expect them to do the same with you. With repetition, they'll learn the language in no-time.
How much do u have time for them if you are working and they are going to school everyday?
They'd watch tv too, and speak english most of their time while in school.
even taking yearly vacations for a month or two until they're grown up is good.
u can do both.The time you would spend communicating with them, is the time you would implement it. You always have time for the things you really care about. If you really want your kids to speak somali, you can do it. What will 2 vacations a year do for them when that's the only time they'll be learning. Imagine speaking, understanding and going on these vacations. They'll love who they are even more don't you think?
Would you speak english to your parents? Yes sxb, how's your somali now? Are you integrated in the somali community and has it improved?
The time you would spend communicating with them, is the time you would implement it. You always have time for the things you really care about. If you really want your kids to speak somali, you can do it. What will 2 vacations a year do for them when that's the only time they'll be learning. Imagine speaking, understanding and going on these vacations. They'll love who they are even more don't you think?
We have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of our parents. My parents spoke Somali to us but let us speak English at home. Now my siblings and I can barely speak the language.Somali parents failed their kids. Instead of practicing ESL on their children, they should've spoken to them in af Somaali. Most of the somalis in my area don't speak Somali, so when a habo or adeer see me, they speak to me in English and are SHOCKED when I respond back to them in Somali.
Sad, but true. We need to get it together. This generation is lost, so for the next generation, its important that parents speak to their kids in af somaali at home from a young age. That's what I intend on doing inshallah.
We have the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of our parents. My parents spoke Somali to us but let us speak English at home. Now my siblings and I can barely speak the language.
When I have kids inshallah, I plan to enforce an Af Somali only rule at home and to vacation back home every year or two.
Language and culture are crucial in resisting assimilating into a gaal society.
Somali parents failed their kids. Instead of practicing ESL on their children, they should've spoken to them in af Somaali. Most of the somalis in my area don't speak Somali, so when a habo or adeer see me, they speak to me in English and are SHOCKED when I respond back to them in Somali.
Sad, but true. We need to get it together. This generation is lost, so for the next generation, its important that parents speak to their kids in af somaali at home from a young age. That's what I intend on doing inshallah.
How is that going to happen when the future parents (ie our generation) don't know the language themselves? My hope is with the folks back home. I frankly do not have much hope in the diaspora.
The only af-somali rule at home many want to implement is important, I agree. If that is combined with a yearly visit to the motherland, much is indeed won. However, many do not visit Somalia, and if they do it is only once or twice. What should be done in such a case, from my experience, is to expose the kids to somali culture in the west. How so? By visiting relatives often and having them visiting you. Force them to sit and listen to the discussion the elderly are having even if they refuse to speak. Do not let them hide in their room! After some time they will feel confident in themselves and they will have gained a good amount of knowledge of both somali vocabulary but also how somalis speak, in addition to free history lessons and somali culture.
But as one of my OG cousins said back in the days:
Adeer, timirtii horeba dab loo waa!
Somali parents failed their kids. Instead of practicing ESL on their children, they should've spoken to them in af Somaali. Most of the somalis in my area don't speak Somali, so when a habo or adeer see me, they speak to me in English and are SHOCKED when I respond back to them in Somali.
Sad, but true. We need to get it together. This generation is lost, so for the next generation, its important that parents speak to their kids in af somaali at home from a young age. That's what I intend on doing inshallah.