In the last seven years since I became a mom and decided to raise my children to speak both English and Spanish, I've encountered many bilingual parents who've told me they regret not doing the same thing with their own children. When I ask what prevented them from doing so, I get all kinds of answers but, in the end, it always seems to boil down to lack of perseverance.
Raising bilingual children is not easy, but it's totally doable, especially if you avoid making these mistakes:
Read more ¿Qué más?: Bilingual bebés on board: It's never too late to teach your kids Spanish
1. Not being flexible. While it's extremely important to be consistent when you're raising bilingual children, it's even more important to be flexible. In other words, teaching your kids a second language should not feel like a chore to them. You need to make it fun and natural, but you must remember that you have to be willing to adjust and change the rules of the game depending on the situation and as your kids get older.
2. Not reading to them. Reading to your children in Spanish is, by far, my most important recommendation. It doesn't matter if you don't own any children's book in Spanish, just grab one in English and translate it on the go or make it up as you go along. The idea is for them to listen to you reading in Spanish and for them to be exposed to as much vocabulary as possible.
3. Not being patient. Your children will not become bilingual from one day to the next. Speaking two language is pretty much a life-long process and you need to be prepared for them making mistakes–even if if feels like they tend to be the same ones over and over again. I suggest you do a lot of praising because the more confident they feel about their abilities, the better off they'll be.
4. Not being informed. Although more and more people seem to be realizing the benefits of bilingualism, there's still a lot of misinformation out there. Arm yourself with the facts and information you'll need to make you feel comfortable about your decision to raise bilingual children.
