Raising A Bilingual Kid Is A Journey of Learning And Progress
One of my cubs started college a few weeks ago. Four of us drove to the school. Three of us came back home. One is in the dorm a few hours away.
I told the cubs, “When you go to college I will switch to speaking English to you. No more Chinese.” It sounds like a trick but I was and am serious about it.
A Spanish instructor at a prominent national language training center once mentioned that her English is not getting better because she only speaks Spanish at home or when her kids are around. She is not the only one. Many of us in the same situation feel the same way.
So, the first-week family video call started. The cub in college was on the phone. Finally, it was my turn. Something interesting happened.
This cub calling from college talked with me and mentioned that “…There is a Chinese student association, I need to join… Oh, there is a Chinese Mart somewhere I need to check it out…”
This cub, yes, the one who was talking on the phone, was speaking Mandarin the whole time without me reminding him at all.
Me: (listening to him and thinking about if I should switch to English as I promised or should I speak Mandarin…)
Cub: (continued in Mandarin) ….and I need to speak Chinese with you or I will forget, I need to practice my Chinese…
So, I went ahead and spoke Mandarin with him.
Then it hit me. The interesting thing may be more than just interesting.
The extraordinary thing is MANDARIN is not the language I want him to speak. It is the language he WANTS to speak.
The superpower of consistency is not what you see now. It is what you see when it is gone.
And I have been promoted to a cheerleader on the sideline.
Raising a bilingual child is a journey of learning and progress.
Raising a bilingual kid – all starts with a goal of a child who can understand and use more than one language fluently.
During the process, I continue to learn, discover, and experiment with my cubs. I trip, tumble, and fail then I make adjustments and try again. And Again…
Every setback is learning. Each fumble adds fuel to creativity. Every single failure is a step forward.
Progress.
A few years ago, this cub shared an important message with all the kids who are also learning Mandarin in this interview. At the time, when I heard it I chuckled and thought in my mind that it was a message for me. It is! It is a message for me and for all the parents who are raising a bilingual child.
Raising a bilingual child is a journey of learning and progress. I am grateful that this bilingual family community has been on this journey with me and witnessing how it evolves. More importantly, many of the readers have been moving forward along together with the resources I have created over the years.
From my very first class teaching English to Chinese children in Taiwan to teaching my own kids and thousands of children on four continents either in-person, or online, I firmly believe we need to instill joy in learning, help children to develop curiosity, and experience learning like a scientist.
I am looking forward to connecting further with you to help you to keep the consistency, embrace the bilingual parenting journey of learning and progress and reach your goal. The first step for you to take – join the 7-Day Challenge today!
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Raising A Bilingual Kid Is A Journey of Learning And Progress