Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia and Ariane, News 2 (June - December 2007)

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by Maxie

No, not at all.
We don't really have boarding schools over here. Boardings schools and Dutch people just don't go well together, I guess.

There are many boarding schools (kostscholen, internaten) ayway I guess around 200, most of these for children with disabilities, but also special ones for talented sports, for juveniles, for shippers' children but also -like in my case- just because the parents wants a proper education or whatever.

Like Eikenburg where I have had my secondary education. For a proper Catholic education.

[acdc1]

Are the girls spoken to in both Spanish and Dutch? I recall hearing Maxima saying some things in Spanish to Alexia at her birthday (I understand a limited amount of Spanish, but I cannot write in it well), I think 'very good'. Are they going to learn English at some point, too? Amalia already knows the English 'Happy Birthday' at only three years old, and she did a pretty good job with it.

[acdc1]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

There are many boarding schools (kostscholen, internaten) ayway I guess around 200, most of these for children with disabilities, but also special ones for talented sports, for juveniles, for shippers' children but also -like in my case- just because the parents wants a proper education or whatever.

Like Eikenburg where I have had my secondary education. For a proper Catholic education.

Sorry, is it juveniles as in juvenile delinquients?

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by acdc1

Are the girls spoken to in both Spanish and Dutch? I recall hearing Maxima saying some things in Spanish to Alexia at her birthday (I understand a limited amount of Spanish, but I cannot write in it well), I think 'very good'. Are they going to learn English at some point, too? Amalia already knows the English 'Happy Birthday' at only three years old, and she did a pretty good job with it.

The three Princesses are raised bilingual in Dutch and Spanish indeed.

Princess Catharina-Amalia sung happy birthday in English (after singing the traditional Dutch birthday song "long shall she live" *) but of course watching childrens' tv, Walt Disney, etc. they will pick up English.

In the Netherlands it is no custom to 'dub' original languages. All foreign programs are left in English, French, German, Spanish, whatever, and subtitles are always available. All of this of course encourages the Princesses' multilanguality.



I believe that besides a Dutch nanny, there is also a Spanish speaking nanny in Argentina/the Netherlands. The Prince and Princess finds it very important that their daughters are able to communicate with their Argentinean family. Like Prince Willem-Alexander was raised bilingual himself (Dutch-German) and Máxima too (Spanish-English).

* full translated version:

Long shall she live, long shall she live,
long shall she live in the gloria,
in the glo-ri-a, in the glooo-riiii-aaaa!
Heep heep hooray!
Heep heep hooray!
Heep heep hooray!

She lives high, she lives high, she lives high,
yes high!
Yes, high!
Yeees, hiii-iiigh!
She liii-veeees hiii-iiigh!

[Princess Maxima]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

The three Princesses are raised bilingual in Dutch and Spanish indeed.

.

Yes they do... but as far as I know, Amalia&Alexia don't enjoy very much learning/speaking spanish

[crm2317]

Originally Posted by Jikus

I found super-cute video of Alexia's birthday

NOSJOURNAAL - Pers bij Alexia's tweede verjaardag

Thanks for the video those are certainly three cute girls.Can anyone translate some of what is said in the video.Like what Amalia says to the press and wht Maxima was laughing about?

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by crm2317

Thanks for the video those are certainly three cute girls.Can anyone translate some of what is said in the video.Like what Amalia says to the press and wht Maxima was laughing about?

"Oh what a cake. I want thís piece.... And I want thát piece!" (Pointing to the marzipan figures)

And then she sung Lang shall she live and Happy Birthday.

And then she paraded in her white dress.

[Kelly]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

Prince Willem-Alexander was raised bilingual himself (Dutch-German) and Máxima too (Spanish-English).

That is interesting I thought later on Maxima had learn english but not that she had grown along side with the spanish.

[acdc1]

Pictures of Ariane from the party, PPE.

[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto in this one she looks so much like Amalia

[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto but she looks like Alexia in this one.

I think that she and Amalia have the same shape of eyes, and she and Alexia have the same shaped head. She'll probably look like a combo of the two.

[Marengo]

According to the ´Telegraaf´ Catharina-Amalia will go to another school today, she leaves the ´creche´ (daycare center) and goes to the ´peuterspeelzaal´, called ´t Beertje (the little bear). In December she will go to kindergarten.

[acdc1]

What is kindergarten in the Netherlands? Is it like it is here in the U.S., the start of "real school"?

[TLLK]

Originally Posted by acdc1

Pictures of Ariane from the party, PPE.

[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto in this one she looks so much like Amalia

[DNF] Fotoarchief Denieuwsfoto but she looks like Alexia in this one.

I think that she and Amalia have the same shape of eyes, and she and Alexia have the same shaped head. She'll probably look like a combo of the two.

I would agree with you.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by acdc1

What is kindergarten in the Netherlands? Is it like it is here in the U.S., the start of "real school"?

There is no Kindergarten anymore in the Netherlands, since a reform of the school system.

From 4 to appr. 12 years children follow 8 classes/years of 'Basisschool' (primary school)

Then, as the law says pupils are obliged to go to school until the age of 16, there is a miminum of at least 4 years of secondary education.



Princess Catharina-Amalia has now had day-care (playing, claying, dancing, drawing, etc.) with other children, no real school yet.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Vanesa

More clichés...and "modern" words as "interact"...Could we speak with our own words and not with imposed ones?
And yes, chidren must "socialize" (you see I'm modern too!...What a ridicoulous world we live in" )...But I must assume we were all stupid before the 1990's years. In other Centuries and even some ten years back, children didin't goes to school so early...and believe me, they were normal. My mother and father didn't go to Kindergarten and are not unsocial persons...Q!uite the contrary, I think. They have frends from their neighborhood, and some of them are still thier friends TODAY when they have both 65 years old. NO KINDERGARTEN BACK THEN. And their mother learned them colours, the frist words and all. They eneterd school knowing how to read and write...as it was customary these "awfol oldies days".

No; they only wants children going to school so early to adoctrine them and produce thousand of people whith identical toughts. Little Ryals will be persons whithout any personal initiative, but slaves of the systeme.

Vanesa.

This is just incorrect. Children need to begin some kind of mentally stimulating system (whether day-care or pre-school or kindergarten) as soon as possible, preferably age three if not before! The elasticity of a child's brain is amazing, and if you will start the learning process EARLY EARLY EARLY, the child absorbs so much and will do so much better in school throughout their lives! It does not much matter what the lessons entail at age three but anything like beginning to make shapes with clay, building with legos stimulates their minds in crucial ways. A child who misses out on this (usually children in poor, neglected communities) misses out on a treasure trove. It's no exageration. I am delighted that Amalia and her sisters are going to this day-care. The interaction with other children and their teachers, and all these activities are helping them for their whole lives.

[monica]

the three sisters are precious, but Ariane seems a wrist, Amalia is seen very likeable.

[Henri M.]

Originally Posted by CasiraghiTrio

I am delighted that Amalia and her sisters are going to this day-care. The interaction with other children and their teachers, and all these activities are helping them for their whole lives.

And it simply shows in their exuberant, enthusiast and not-shy behaviour between people.

The difference between spontaneous Princess Catharina-Amalia and poor, awfully shy and stressed Princess Aiko was painful, last summer. Infanta Leonor also has those staring eyes like a rabbit in the headlights, but it can be her DNA as well. The parents are quite more restrained in public than the Oranges.

The two eldest Orange daughters absolutely have inherited papa's goodnatured character and mama's explosive exuberance. Especially Princess Alexia (it is always the second) will become the heartbreaker of the family. A very pretty girl.

I'm convinced that the parents' open attitude and encouragement to see other children in day care have helped Amalia and Alexia.

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

[FONT=Georgia]
I'm convinced that the parents' open attitude and encouragement to see other children in day care have helped Amalia and Alexia.

You can see this attitude reflected in the parents letting the girls attended the birthday gala. Too many royal parents would choose to leave the kids at home with nanny. It's interesting. The parents are letting them experience these things early.

[Marengo]

Well, I don't think they attended the gala itself. They were there for the arrival of some guests and on the grouppicture, but I would be surprised if they went to the stables after that to attend the rest of the party. Most probably a nanny picked them up after the photoshoot and took them to Castle Het Loo where Amalia could tell her cousins all about it

[CasiraghiTrio]

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, I don't think they attended the gala itself. They were there for the arrival of some guests and on the grouppicture, but I would be surprised if they went to the stables after that to attend the rest of the party. Most probably a nanny picked them up after the photoshoot and took them to Castle Het Loo where Amalia could tell her cousins all about it

Well then they still got to experience the best part (the carriage ride). What is the rest about? Boring adults smoking and getting tipsy and making corny jokes.

[MissSaga]

Originally Posted by Henri M.

The difference between spontaneous Princess Catharina-Amalia and poor, awfully shy and stressed Princess Aiko was painful, last summer. Infanta Leonor also has those staring eyes like a rabbit in the headlights, but it can be her DNA as well. The parents are quite more restrained in public than the Oranges.

I think it's unfair to say that an innocent girl, who simply has a more reserved, shy and maybe interesting nature is "poor Princess Aiko" and stressed! Every child is different, and that's the way it is, none is better than the other. And the reason why Felipe and Letizia are more reserved in public may be because the Spanish Royal House stands much less safe than the Dutch one. Besides, Spain is a bigger country, so the Spanish RH is a much, much bigger insitution, which also explains why the members arn't like the Oranjes. The spanish royal house is not so much an entertainment for Spain or just a very rich and wealthy family, as much as it is a proffesional institution. Very different situations.