Your input needed: Should I keep in contact or take a break?

[smallwhite]

When I take breaks, I lose some vocabulary, and gain spontaneity in speech. The vocabulary loss I can fix with a quick review of my previous textbook or flashcards, or just ignore and move on. The gain in oral fluency is priceless.

[StringerBell]

When I take breaks, I lose some vocabulary, and gain spontaneity in speech. The vocabulary loss I can fix with a quick review of my previous textbook or flashcards, or just ignore and move on. The gain in oral fluency is priceless.

I've heard some similar reports, which is why I'm considering the break. It really seems counterintuitive to me.

[Serpent]

In my experience, it's enough to take a break from explicit/intensive learning and I guess production. You don't have to eliminate all contact with the language (if you were learning a major global language like English or Spanish, you perhaps wouldn't even be able to avoid all contact if you tried).

[Djedida]

I am in a similar position, except its more of a burn out than a family situation; I've dropped learning Russian until New Years when I'll decide whether its worth taking up again. Until then I am also learning Italian.

Although I'm on "break", I still keep up my Russian streak on Clozemaster as a way of preventing the little that I do know from decaying. Perhaps you could do something similar; you don't have to learn anything new, just give yourself 5-10 minutes to keep in the habit of practicing so that you can return without difficulty.

[Chupito]

I voted keep in touch but I don't believe it has to be every single day. It's just that the options were every day or not at all. Presumably, you won't spend 24/7 with your in-laws. It could be nice to take some time by yourself to do something for yourself that is completely unrelated to them, like listening to an interesting podcast or doing a list Polish session, every now and then.

[白田龍]

Do whatever you like, it won't make a difference.