I've been raising bilingual kids for over six years and I've been researching and writing about it for almost four and yet, I'm still very surprised when I hear people say that bilingualism causes confusion. I've found this is a particular concern of new parents who've been thinking about adding a second language, but are worried that their kids will get confused. Truth is this is just a myth. One that has been perpetuated through the years thanks to old and erroneous information about bilingualism.
Sadly some of those responsible for keeping this myth alive are unusual suspects like pediatricians, speech therapists and teachers—professionals we normally trust.
Regardless of where this concern comes from, the bottom line is that bilingualism DOES NOT cause confusion. Our brains are such incredible learning machines that children can be exposed to more than one language at the same time without any problems whatsoever. And there are tons of examples to prove it.
Read more in ¿Qué más?: Bilingual bebés on board: The best method for your family
I can speak about this from experience not only because I'm raising two bilingual kids but because I was raised bilingual too. In the case of my children, who've been exposed to both English and Spanish since they were born, they've always been able to separate the two. They know at home we speak Spanish and everywhere else they speak English. My 6-year-old daughter reads and writes in both languages and is excelling in school.
But if my personal experience–and that of so many others–isn't enough to convince you, there are many studies out there that dispel the confusion myth (and many others) and prove that bilingualism is one of the best gifts parents can give their children. So go ahead and get started. I promise you won't regret it… and neither will your kids!
