Conversational Spanish

The other day at Target, R heard a couple speaking Spanish. This is not a novelty to her, as she hears my hubby's family speak Spanish. She knows a few Spanish words, one of them being hola. So, she couldn't pass up the chance to start a conversation with the couple. R said 'hola' and waved. The lady smiled and asked R, in Spanish, if she spoke Spanish. R couldn't understand what she said, and just looked at her. I was able to understand what the woman had said to R, but I don't speak much Spanish, so I replied to her in English that R only knew a little bit of Spanish. The woman and I chit-chatted for a few moments, then we left to continue our shopping, with an adios from R to the couple.

I retold this story to my hubby, and he and I both agreed that we need to start making a conscious effort to teach the kids conversational Spanish along with individual words. He especially needs to work with them, being the sole bilingual person in our house, and I need to help guide him, being the trained teacher in the house.

At dinner last night, we worked with the kiddos on basic vocabulary: arroz, lechuga, maize, vaso, plato. We also worked on conversational use of these words:
Que estas comiendo?
(Yo) estoy comiendo _______.

Que colores de popsicle?
Mi popsicle es _______ y _______.

We also asked whose cup is this, and answered the cup is mine. But I've forgotten how to say it (*blush*, I'm learning too!), so I will have to find out the Spanish from T. I hope to keep practicing everyday language with the kids. I know T regrets not teaching the kids sooner and more fully. He grew up in an environment, though, where being bilingual was a bad thing and that stigma is hard to let loose. I hope he will see how our children benefit from his knowledge, and use that as his impetus for getting over his hesitance.