Comments on: Raising Bilingual Children? Here are 13 Facts You Need to Know! https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/ Raising Bilingual Children Through Play Sun, 18 Feb 2024 20:19:10 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Lorena https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1908 Sun, 23 Jul 2023 13:47:08 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1908 In reply to Elina.

Elina, It’s incredible to hear about your multicultural background and your dedication to passing on the Japanese language and culture to your daughter. Embracing your heritage and providing her with the gift of bilingualism will undoubtedly enrich her life in countless ways. While it may be challenging at times, your effort and commitment will surely pay off, as she will grow up with a unique advantage and a broader worldview. Your decision to enroll her in a Japanese class is a wonderful idea, and I believe that with your love and support, she will thrive in learning and embracing both languages. Stay strong, and know that your hard work will undoubtedly turn out for the better, fostering a strong bond with your daughter and building a bridge between cultures that will benefit her throughout her life. Keep up the fantastic work!

]]> By: Elina https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1901 Mon, 17 Jul 2023 16:35:03 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1901 My mom is from Japan and my dad America. I grew up in the states while my mom spoke only Japanese with me. I’m probably about 2nd grade speaking level and have a nearly perfect accent. I’m just mostly lacking vocabulary, the slang that people my age speak (I’m 24), and sometimes my English intonations get mixed in with my Japanese.
I have a daughter who is two and have recently decided to start speaking only Japanese to her. My husband only speaks English. It has been especially tiring to speak with her since my japanese is not my main language and I am not 100 percent proficient in it.
However, I have this skill and I am very grateful for it. And I know my daughter will be greatly blessed from having this skill a well. I plan on putting her in the same Japanese class I went to growing up once a week. This is so much work and very difficult. But I hope it turns out for the better

]]> By: YN https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1266 Fri, 30 Sep 2022 22:16:40 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1266 Bilingual Parenting Fact 11: Siblings might not be as bilingual as the first born.

Hello,

Thank you so much for sharing your story and your knowledge . i am raising bilingual children.

The solution that I came up for fact #11

When I had my second child and they were speaking in English more than Spanish. I taught them that they are not allowed to speak to each other in English, only in Spanish. This has helped to the point that my little one started talking in Spanish early and talks better than when older two two were the same age. I only speak Spanish to them and if for some reason they speak English, I tell them that I do not understand what they saying so they tell me in Spanish. I will not respond to them if they talk to me in English. Like you say, you have to be consistent and it is a lot of work too.

]]> By: torres https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1193 Wed, 01 Jun 2022 10:56:09 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1193 I found this blog so amazing. So much information, and it’s all so well organized. . This is going to be a valuable resource for me. Thank you so much for creating it! Read another amazing blog : https://lead-academy.org/british-sign-language-alphabet/

]]> By: Lorena https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1179 Fri, 01 Apr 2022 12:43:25 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1179 In reply to Erica.

Erica,

Thank you kindly for reading and sharing your bilingual story.

I totally relate to your battle of keeping the family’s language in Spanish. I struggle with this on a daily basis. The pull towards English is very strong. Nonetheless, we fight to win the minority language battle.

Thank you for reading and commenting!

]]> By: Erica https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1176 Sat, 26 Feb 2022 20:31:25 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1176 I have a similar story but with an Argentine husband. My oldest (6) understands and speaks more Spanish than the second (4) but plays in all English every since she went to school. The baby (1) I try to speak to only in Spanish as we did with the other two for their first 2 years. My battle is keeping the Spanish going at home. My husband has even switched to more English. We just keep going the best we can! Thanks for pooling resources and ideas.

]]> By: Sarah https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1155 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:46:01 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-1155 In reply to Viola.

Hi Lorena,

I have a really similar story! My husband is Argentine, and I’m a US native who speaks Spanish moderately well. I only speak English with my husband, but we both only speak Spanish with our 2 year old daughter. She is so bubbly and outgoing, but no one understands her. Kids and their parents at the playground give her weird looks and don’t respond to her, which breaks my heart.

I’ve wanted to be a MLAH house, but I’m worried that she’s not going to have any socialization AND it’s getting harder for me to try to calmly explain things to her in Spanish when both of our tempers are high. I’m missing all of the softer language I can use in English, so I’ve been considering switching to one parent – one language.

Any thoughts on me suddenly speaking a different language with her at 2 years old? Her caregiver would still only speak Spanish with her, and we plan to spend 3 months a year in Argentina.

]]> By: Lorena Ruprecht https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-71 Sat, 22 May 2021 18:20:31 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-71 In reply to Taylor Carrillo.

Taylor,

Thank you so, so much for sharing your story! I really enjoyed reading your story and I love knowing how much you have changed from your bilingual beginnings!

Please stay connected and reach out to me on social media with the hashtag @lorenaylennox!

]]> By: Lorena Ruprecht https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-70 Sat, 22 May 2021 18:18:20 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-70 In reply to Viola.

Viola,

Thank you for your sweet comment, and congratulations on your baby!

I am so excited for you to embark on your bilingual parenting journey!

Regarding the bullying, I have not made it to that chapter of life yet with my son, Lennox. However, I make a huge effort every day to tell him how important it is to speak his heritage language and how useful it will be for him in the future.

When he is around his monolingual friends, I stay firm in speaking Spanish with Lennox, and when his friends ask me why we speak in Spanish, I give them a fun and light explanation as to why it’s important for us.

Also, around his Spanish-speaking cousins, I highly encourage them to use Spanish, and even though they all gravitate towards English, I create fun games or contest to keep them speaking in Spanish.

Once Lennox starts school, I will encounter different situations that I cannot quite speak on yet. However, I hope that by openly talking about the importance of language in our household, he will feel confident enough to hinder the bullying comments.

I hope this helps! Please feel free to reach out to me at my e-mail Lorena@lorenaylennox.com or on social media if you have any more questions.

Lorena

]]> By: Viola https://lorenaylennox.com/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-62 Fri, 21 May 2021 16:58:51 +0000 http://lorenaylennox.com/13/13-facts-parents-who-want-to-raise-a-bilingual-child-need-to-know/#comment-62 Hi Lorena, thank you for the article, I enjoyed reading it, and will follow the instructions once the baby is born. However, many of my friends have experienced “bullying” in the early childhood, because of their poor to none main language, when went to the kid-garden or school, which made them hate and deny in every way, their minority language. How do you suggest acting in this case? I mean, isn’t it too painful for the parents to understand they causing this to their child, and continue with the strategy?

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