jenpet

Sunshine, I have taught English voluntarily at the village maternelle for the past 4 years (initially to help my son integrate) this was my last year as I am due to have another baby myself at the end of August...however, the two "nursery rhymes" I have found most popular with the 3, 4 & 5 year olds are "5 fat sausages" (it's short, easy to remember, makes them laugh - hold up a sausage picture if neccessary) and "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands" again, a great one for learning body parts and this age group seem to love the physical involvement - as they learn the original words you can adapt it a bit too to help them learn new words.  Good luck. (children shout "hello, sausages" to me whenever I see them!!)

Close-ish to Bourges if poss, 1st week in Feb - any recommendations please? thanks in advance

This is our first year.  I know I am slow and thorough and me and MOH do it together.  Our guests yesterday checked out at 10.15, the two of us worked solidly (without even stopping for a cup of tea!) until 3.45pm when the next family arrived.  It wasn't particularly dirty, and perhaps we are over the top - I also have all the bedding and towels ready in advance so as not to waste time, but reading this perhaps I need to be quicker! I do know though (as I fell asleep in front of "the empire strikes back" at about 9.00pm!) that the place was faultless, not a grain of sand or a crumb to be found....and after all, working like that one day a week is no hardship compared to renovating in the first place is it???

We are in Brittany too and are full right up until the end of October.  We are amazed as it's our first year, and are also getting bookings now for 2008.  I have to wonder when it's all going to slow down....

Hello Emma, I was similarly concerned, although my son is only 5. Much as he enjoys stories, trying to write etc I wanted him to be able to read and write as well in English as in French, and to learn alongside what he was doing at school.  So we have started a small group who go to a great teacher who taught the same age group at a bilingual school in Paris, my son loves it and has become great friends with another little boy who goes too. This is my problem.  Despite me trying to get parents nearby interested, no-one was really interested! Too busy/too far/child not interested etc....I think at this young age if children are keen to learn it should be encouraged! But my advice to you would be perhaps to try and find something similar, it has to be good fun, otherwise he will lose interest and it will become a battle. Do let me know if you want to know anymore about it etc, and good luck!