Mom's who will have bilingual children...

Don't you find it amazing that they understand 2 languages so well? DD is only 13 months but understands both languages. She knows several body parts in both english and spanish and can be told/asked to do something in both languages and will do it. It's just unbelievable to me how much they take in at this age!

She has a lot of single words but just wondering how she will be when she starts really talking. Will she talk in english to me and DH and in spanish to MIL (she's the one that talks to her in spanish all day - she watches her full time) or will she just understand spanish and speak mostly in english?

It's just hard for me to understand since i'm not bilingual, but how will she distinguish what words are what language, esp when she goes to school? DH is bilingual and he doesn't remember, he said you just do it.

I'm just so excited for her!

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I have no advice but I think that is awesome! Your dd is going to have a great advantage when she is older

I wish my Mil would teach Ds anything, let alone another language

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

Yup, both girls have been exposed to, and are learning hebrew. I enrolled Alex in hebrew immersion at her school a year early, when she was 3, and DH is speaking hebrew to both of them at home 90% of the time. At this point, Alex understands EVERYTHING he and the hebrew teacher tell her - but she isn't confident enough to speak it back, so she responds in English. I think it's just sooooooooo cool, especially for when they get older and travel to Israel - they'll have no problem communicating with their family and friends, and will even have the opportunity to spend extended time there, and maybe even considering going to College in Israel

ETA - to answer your question, most children who are raised bilingual in the U.S., understand the other language, but their comfort zone is in English, from school and everyone else around them, so they usually respond in English. There are rare moments when Alex will respond with a word or two in hebrew, but usually she responds in English.

Message edited 9/21/2010 9:55:06 AM.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

My sons are spoken to in English, Spanish and Greek. My mother and grandmother have always spoken to my sons in Spanish only. My oldest (4.5) speaks spanish so well and is conversational in it. My youngest (2) understands everything that you say to him in spanish and says some words. I think he will be conversational in it too as my mom and grandma only speak to him in Spanish. As for greek, my mil and fil never spoke to my oldest in greek only so while he understands it he doesn't speak it that much. he says a few words here and there but won't have a conversation in greek. they are however trying to speak to my youngest in greek only in the hopes that he will be conversational in it as well. the boys speak to dh and I in english.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I am bilingual and just like your DH, I have no idea how I "knew" which words were english and which were spanish, I just did. I was born here in the US, but because my parents didn't speak english at the time, I only spoke spanish until I started school.

My younger brother (by 13 years!) learned english and spanish at the same time since my parents spoke to him in spanish and my older brother and I spoke to him in spanish. He can speak both and just kinda knew also. It's amazing how the mind works, especially at that young age!

With DS, DH and I speak mostly english to him, ocassionally in spanish, but my MIL watches him 3 days a week and only speaks spanish to him, as does my mom when she visits. I am hoping he will be able to SPEAK both, not just understand spanish and speak/understand english.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I grew up speaking both English & Italian and I will try to have DD at least understand rudimentary Italian.
I think it's great (especially Spanish- as it's so widely used here). She'll just know when to use the right words..most kids just figure it out.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

yes, it's absolutely amazing how much they absorb and how they are not at all confused between the 2 languages. They can go back and forth and it's so natural.

My DS speaks chinese, english and spanish!

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I was raised bilingual and I'm doing the same with DS. They just learn which words are one language and which are the other. The brain is truly amazing. We speak to DS in both English and Spanish and expect him to fully conversational in both. I am. They know which word is which based on the context in which it is spoken.

It's true that sometimes kids understand a second language but can't speak it, I don't really consider these kids bilingual. The reason this happens is bc receptive language is much easier than expressive language so they will respond in English bc its easier. So, if you want to make sure that your DC can also actually speak the other language, you have to enfore that they speak it. If they answer in English, tell them to answer in language #2, don't answer them until they ask in the desired language. Once they realize that must comunicate in language 2, they will.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I was born in italy. I came here when i was 5 and went straight to kindegarden. I learned english in school and we spoke italian at home. My mom watches my son she speaks to him in italian I try to speak to him in english so he can learn both. I think it's great and they pick it up so quickly this young.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

it's amazing how my son can switch between both...it's so funny though when i don;t understand what he is telling me, he says "no mommy...in spanish!!!"

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I was raised bilingual (italian)

My parents speak to my kids all the time in italian.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

Yes my mother speaks Greek to DD when she watches her and there are also several words that I say to her in both languages and she knows them...it is amazing.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

I was raised bilingual and it really is amazing how easy it is to pick up when you're young.

DD is also in a similar situation. She is spoken to/and is beginning to understand 3 languages (spanish, italian and english). My MIL who watches her during the day speaks to her in italian, my mother speaks to her in spanish and DH and I speak to her in english. Hopefully she comes out of this trilingual and not totally confused

Message edited 9/21/2010 11:24:59 AM.

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

Re: Mom's who will have bilingual children...

My dd is bilingual she says stuff and understands my inlaws when they speak Spanish which I'm thrilled with. I heard it can take them longer to speak in full sentences because they are learning to put two sets of languages together.