Our kids speak Hindi:

Well, not quite that well, but they are getting there. I wanted my kids  to speak Hindi naturally and organically, without any formal classes or lessons, because they already have too much going on in terms of classes/activities etc. Plus, I can’t bear to drive them to one more class- and that too, on my precious weekends. Yes, we are very lazy parents…

Full disclosure: I did enroll my son in Hindi classes a few years ago,  but discontinued after a year or so. Reason- the afore mentioned laziness.

The best way for children to pick up a language is to hear it being spoken around them on a regular basis. My husband and I are very fluent in Hindi, yet we find it difficult to conduct an entire day’s conversation in Hindi! So I have been doing a Hindi word/sentence of the week, and using those words/sentences consciously for a few days. I encourage them to use those words/phrases but don’t really push them. I find it has worked very effectively with my kids understanding every day phrases without any effort, and the older one is now speaking Hindi- well enough!

I am happy to share the words/phrases with other Amara Parents every week. Who knows, one of these days, your child may come to you one Sunday morning, and say the magic, unreal words in Hindi, “Maine apna kamra saaf kar diya’!!

Hindi words for this week:

Doodh- milk

Piyo- drink

Jaldi se- Hurry/Quickly.

Jaldi se doodh piyo- Hurry and drink up the milk.

Get your child to say- Maine doodh pi liya- I have drunk the milk.

Check back on Tuesday, March 30th for some more Hindi words/phrases for kids!