Lost in Translation: Babysitting French Children
To people who like children, babysitting should be easy as pie. SHOULD. Long story short, I have a job as an English-speaking nanny. I take care of a 3 year old who speaks no English at all.
I'm new to this "language barrier in the workplace" issue, so here are a few things I try to remember in order to do my job as well as possible.
1. Learn to Listen
Hanging out with natives is a great way to learn a language- who said that native can't be a child? It's a great way to improve your listening/interpreting skills while simultaneously earning a salary!
2. Know the Basics
Every language has basic words and phrases used to communicate. "Attention" ("Look out/pay attention to ___") and "Qu'est-ce que tu dit?" ("What do you say?") are phrases used often with children and their nannies. Basic phrases will help immensely.
3. What Can You Both Relate To?
Kids are kids. There's not much to it. In my experience with kids in the US, Japan, and France, I've found that they're all the same. They (usually) hate bath time and love to show you what noises animals make when they're eating. Language almost doesn't matter once you realize that they'll respond to you the same way children who speak your native language respond.
Image Credit: Flickr/Donnie Ray Jones
4. Be Patient (Because the Child Won't)
"Patience is a virtue" rings true especially with babysitting. Being patient and adapting to the child are two essential ideas a foreign nanny must have. They don't realize that you can't respond to them as quickly as their parents, and you have to be on your toes at all times in order to make it work.
5. Make it Enjoyable!
As challenging as it can be when you're basically speaking in tongues with a toddler, you have to remember to have fun. You're not only there to teach a language; you're there to entertain the child. Once I realized he was just like any other kid, my job became a breeze.
Image Credit: Flickr/David Long
When searching for a job this semester, don't immediately dismiss being a nanny. If you're willing to put in the work to communicate, it can be one of the most rewarding experiences as a student abroad. I've already improved my French and my childcare skills (as explained in Chrystal Vavoulidis's article), and I haven't yet lived in Paris for more than a month. It's definitely worth it.
