I did an interview for a syndicated radio show yesterday to promote my recently published book Bilingual is Better, and I was asked some pretty interesting questions. One of them reminded me that while a lot of parents wholeheartedly support the idea of raising bilingual and bicultural children, a lot more people out there go as far as thinking that this practice is unpatriotic. I know that sounds ludicrous to most of us, but it's the sad reality. A lot of people truly believe that in order to be fully American, you need to let go of your (or your ancestor's) heritage, language, traditions and just assimilate into this country's culture. But nothing could be further from the truth.
My kids are American because they were born in Denver, Colorado and are being raised immersed in the culture, language and traditions of their birth country. But also because they are Latino children growing up bilingual and with strong connections to their Latin American roots. They are the new face of America.
Read more in ¿Qué más?: It's been proven, being bilingual makes you smarter
To imply that my children are not patriotic enough because they speak Spanish–in addition to English–makes absolutely no sense. I'm raising my children to learn to love and respect both their cultures and their languages. I want to make sure they know what makes their country of birth wonderful, but I also want them to know that the countries their parents came from are remarkable too.
Honestly, I've always had a hard time understanding why some Americans are so afraid of bilingualism, of diversity, of other cultures. I know that people are scared of what they don't know, but if they aren't willing to learn about it, that'll never change!
Either way, I plan to continue in my journey to raise bilingual children… whether others like it or not!
Image courtesy of Roxana A. Soto
