Bringing up bilingual children

[sheleg]

Just wondered if there's anyone else on here who is raising their child/children bilingual?

My daughter has just turned one. My husband is Israeli, and we're currently doing the 'one parent, one language' method. He (and his mum and sister) speaks to her completely in Hebrew, while I speak to her in English. We can't tell if it's working yet, but time will tell!

Up for a chat if anyone else is in the same position.

 

[MrsM19]

It works. English will always be her primary language (assuming you remain living in the UK) so the sooner the other parents introduces a 2nd language, the better.

Clever little girl

 

[justheretoread99]

Just wondered if there's anyone else on here who is raising their child/children bilingual?

My daughter has just turned one. My husband is Israeli, and we're currently doing the 'one parent, one language' method. He (and his mum and sister) speaks to her completely in Hebrew, while I speak to her in English. We can't tell if it's working yet, but time will tell!

Up for a chat if anyone else is in the same position.

Yep definitely works! I have a friend who’s partner is from Poland and the child (about 3) understands both English and Polish now.

I wish languages were taught more early on in school rather than just a couple years of French and Spanish at secondary school.

 

[mcfeez]

I don't have children but just wanted to say good luck! A great gift for a child.

 

[Welshgal]

I was raised with that method (English and German) and it totally works! Just make sure to stick with it, even if you’ll notice your daughter becoming less enthusiastic towards one language.
My dad, who is like a grandpa to my niece, tried the same with her and even though he wasn‘t around as much as a parent it also worked quite well until she became a bit self conscious and stopped talking to him which meant he stopped and while she‘s ahead in her class she‘s no where near fluent.

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

Can you also speak to Israeli?

I think its amazing when kids talk multi languages

 

[springheeledyeti]

Yep one parent one language since birth, she's 6 now and bilingual although it does come and go in phases of using the native language more, but she can understand everything even if she'll sometimes revert to the native language. It has it's frustrations but absolutely works if you stick to it!

 

[MyLittlePony25]

I don’t have kids but just wanted to say that it’s such a great gift to have and I’m sure she will be fluent in both. I really wish I could speak another language too.

 

[Medusah80]

I have a 12yr old daughter who has been brought up bilingual . She is fluent in both languages but favours English more now that she is older ,wife and l speak to her in our native but she answers in English.

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

Keep going it 100% works. My friend speaks Slovenian to her daughter, the husband speaks Hindi and then there is also English in the mix. She is now 2.5 years and can understand and speak all three.

 

[DCICassieStuart]

I think it's a brilliant opportunity for children.

My husband's brother's wife is German, but she's lazy as the day is long and their kids can't speak one word of German. They should be pretty much fluent. She's done them a massive disservice

My friend is Polish (living here for about 15 years) and her husband is English, but ever since her little boy was small she always spoke to him in Polish. He's almost five now and pretty much fluent in both languages.
She said a huge part of her wanting him to be able to speak Polish was because her parents (who still live in Poland) don't have much English and she didn't want them to not be able to communicate with him as he grew up.

Husband's brother's wife's mother doesn't have a word of English and when she comes over, the kids can't communicate with her at all

 

[Very traditional]

I have no children but just wanted to say that I think it's a fantastic thing to give children more than one language, well done OP and the other people on the thread who've done this - i so wish I spoke more than English and I agree with the poster up thread who said it's a shame we only get taught a couple of years of basic language in secondary school!

 

[rainbowlemon]

It will work. I was also brought up speaking two languages, though I feel more comfortable with English.

 

[Kim Mild]

Children are like little sponges when they are young , they almost absorb language, rather than need to be taught it . Infancy is the best time for them to learn.

I think it's fascinating , I wish I could have been brought up bilingual.

 

[GiftedNotFree]

My cousin is native English speaking and is married to a Puerto Rican man - they’ve got a 3 year old child who can communicate in English and Spanish. When they’re at home, her husband speaks to the child in Spanish pretty much all the time and she does mostly English and some Spanish, so yes, it definitely works.

It’s so fascinating that children can just absorb multiple languages!

 

[Fizzwhizz2020]

I’m bilingual, my niece and nephew have 3 languages and my best friend has 5 (2 parents from different countries and having also lived in 3 other countries) but it was a simple fact of living in a country and parents speaking to us all in their mother tongue. You do naturally gravitate towards one language and then towards another, but it all sinks in eventually