The Bilingual Journey

Being a mother raising bilingual children is both a rewarding and challenging experience. It requires determination, patience, and a whole lot of love. Striving to maintain a balance between two languages can be exhausting at times, especially once they start school. But let me tell you, it’s all worth it.

Conquering the Bilingual Battle

As a native Spanish speaker, my husband and I thought it would be easy to pass on our language to our children. However, we soon realized that our oldest son had a preference for English, the language he used with his friends. It became a constant battle to encourage him to speak Spanish, correct his mistakes, and sometimes even resort to creative incentives to keep him engaged.

Along the way, we met other parents who had given up on raising bilingual children. They would speak to their kids in their native language, but allowed them to respond in English. As a result, although their children understood the language, they struggled to speak, read, or write it. Communication became a challenge, even with their own grandparents. But let me tell you this: Don’t give up!

Effective Strategies for Raising Bilingual Children

Now, let’s talk about some strategies that have helped me on this bilingual journey as a mother:

1– TV Programs:

Thank goodness for Netflix! Whenever possible, I make sure my children watch TV shows in Spanish. I remember how beneficial it was for me as a child to watch English TV shows with English subtitles. It expanded my vocabulary and improved my pronunciation. So why not do the same for my kids?

2- Speaking:

Speaking is the easiest yet hardest way for children to learn a language, especially when they’re young. I make a conscious effort to always speak to my children in Spanish. When my eldest son started answering in English, I would kindly let him know that I couldn’t understand him. Now, he knows that he must respond in Spanish all the time. Sure, there are moments when it’s challenging for him because he doesn’t know how to express himself or feels more comfortable in English. But we support him by translating, encouraging him to repeat phrases in Spanish, and using comprehensible input. This means we provide him with language that he can understand and learn from, even if it requires repetition or clarification, and it works! Yes, it can be tiring to constantly translate, repeat, and remind him to speak in Spanish, but trust me, it’s worth it. Consistency is key.

3- Immersion:

We are incredibly fortunate to have the support of our families back in our home country. Every summer, we send our children to the Dominican Republic, where they have to speak Spanish to communicate effectively. They attend Summer Camp and interact with Spanish-speaking kids their age. It has been the best decision ever!

4- Spanish at Home/English at School:

This is our golden rule. Our children understand that at home, we communicate in Spanish. If they need help expressing themselves, we’re there to assist, translating or explaining as necessary. But they MUST speak in Spanish. Yes, it can be exhausting, but the rewards are beyond measure!

To all the parents and fellow educators out there, raising bilingual children is indeed a challenge, but it’s a journey worth embracing. From my perspective as a mother, the strategies I’ve shared—TV programs, speaking in the target language, immersion experiences, and establishing language boundaries—have been effective for my family. So, keep going! You’re giving your children a precious gift that will enrich their lives in countless ways. Let’s celebrate and nurture their bilingualism together!

Interested in more?

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