Language and Culture

Hi S., if you find a mommy latin group, I am in. :) All I know is my son perfers English, but I know it is useful to know 2 language. I don't want my son to be stubborn like me. I literally learned how to speak Spanish 10 years ago when I moved to AZ. That is silly. It is best to learn it when you are young. :)

I don't know how old your son is, but I do know there are some Spanish/English preschools and Rigler Elementary is Spanish immerson.

Good Luck!

Hola S.,

We are trying to raise our 3 yr old kid bilingual. I talk to him ONLY Spanish since that is my first language and my husband talks to him only in English because he is American. I do everything with my kid in Spanish: sing songs, read books (I translate them) and watch videos on demand in Spanish. I have to say that he is a lot more fluent in English but he understands everything that I say in Spanish. We travel to Mexico once a year...Take care

Hi there -
we are raising our children bi-lingual, German/English. FYI - I only speak German with the children while my husband only speaks English with them. I think it does help a lot to have friends speaking the same second language...in addition, we travel to Europe at least once a year and the girls attend preschool there as well.

I am a latina mom, and I am raising my child to be bilingual. I only speak to my son in spanish at home, because I know when he goes to school, he will only speak english. And also when he goes to his dads he only speaks english. SO I am making sure that he keeps speaking spanish at home to make sure that he doesn't forget the language. It would help if he/she had friends that spoke spanish, but what I have noticed is that when they are by themselves if they can speak english they will speak it. I am just wanting to make sure that he is not going to forget the language, becuase that is what tends to happen if we don't speak it enough.

A.

I have been thinking the same thing S... I am not bilinguaul in spanish. I have spoken some and used french from my Mum's Montreal upbringing.. but

I'm so right there... do we need to teach our kids spanish right now...

can't wait to hear what the other moms have to say..

all the best,
marg.

Hi S.,
My husband and I are trying to raise our kids bilingual (english/spanish).......my husband is Puerto Rican and speaks spanish (I don't and am learning with the kids). We may not be exactly what your looking for, but it could be fun getting together and practicing. How old is you son? My son is 4 1/2 and my daughter is 3 1/2. It could also be fun setting up a "play date" with other moms & kids that are interested and practicing together. We are in Redmond.....what area do you live in?

E.

We lived in Germany for a few years, and we knew several bilingual families (English/German) with the same language issue. One family, the mother only spoke English to the childen, and the father only spoke German. The children had to answer the parent in the correct language. Then, when they had guests, everyone would only speak the language of the guest.

S. - I am not a latina mom, but I am fluent in Spanish (where I SOUND like I am from Mexico). My husband is from Mexico City and we speak Spanish in the home. Neither one of my boys speak it though, UNLESS they know that the person they are speaking with does NOT speak English. So, anytime they are on the phone to my inlaws in Mexico they speak spanish, or anytime we have spanish speaking friends or relatives at the house...that's it. They even speak English with my hubby although he only speaks spanish to them.
I am in the Mill Creek/Bothell area if you ever want to get together.
Que tengas buen dia! L.

Hola S.,

I've been wanting to post a similar request searching for moms who are raising their children bilingual. I teach Spanish to college students who struggle immensely to learn Spanish and thus I can't stress enough the need to introduce children to other languages at a young age. I have a five year old who until a year ago was trilingual but now that he's in pre-school his primary language of communication is English. He does speak only Spanish with me but the challenge now is to teach his brand new brother who is a week old Spanish as well. It will be difficult but it is so worth it not just for the benefit of learning another language but also for developing tolerance and acquiring a different worldview that comes with exposure to other cultures. I would be very interested in forming a mom's group with similar interests regardless of the second language their children are learning. Exposing children to diversity will give them a sense of pride and will motivate them to speak the second language. I'm in the Tigard/ SW Portland area. Hope to hear from you.

S.

We are raising our daughter bilingual (English/Chinese). My husband mostly speaks Chinese to her and I speak English. I have noticed that when we point to pictures and ask her what it is she will tell me the English work and she will tell my husband the Chinese word.

hi There
I live in black diamond , I had a 27 months old boy and another one coming in the next 2 months ,I'mexican I was raise and lived pretty much my whole life back in mexico (zacatecas) I met my husband back in guadalajara in wedding that we both were invited ..he is american guy , so we both had differents cultures and different lenguage of course ...I used to live in canada for a couple of years the first to learn english and the second just for fun .. and thats why I speak english , my husband doesnt so we both speak different lenguage for our boy and he tottally undestand both of them, he is talking both also so what I know for my friends back in canada that they had the same situation that us is their kids around 4 0r 5 start to separeted both lenguage...for my is really important that he speak spanish because is and extra for him and more in this days...english he'll learn anywhere family, school, etc ... so I guess we are lucky been a bilingual parents and have the opportunitty to teach our kids....cause I tell is expensive learn another lenguage..
you can email me at ____@____.com