sevtroi in booju_mooju

Raising a Bilingual child?

Mar 07, 2010 13:48

Is it okay to raise a child bi-lingual if your partner can't speak the other language?

I think its something that would be beneficial to the child, but also fear that it could become a block where one's partner feels left out.

Thoughts?

alicia_beth

Why can't the partner learn to speak it?

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coinin

Some people have an especially hard time learning and speaking new languages, especially if the native language and the new one are incredibly different from each other and the person in question is an adult.

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alicia_beth

I'd say have them attempt to learn it at least, they could probably pick up some of it eventually I'd think.

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weeweekittie

Since the bi-lingual parent isn't going to be teaching the baby very complex phrases right from the get-go, maybe it will be at a level easy enough for the other partner to learn along with them and pick it up over time. Even if their partner can never reach a fully conversational level along with their child, they should hopefully get the basics of it enough to follow a conversation so they wouldn't feel left out!
Personally, if my husband or his family were bilingual, I would have started (or at least tried!) learning their language before having a baby, but that's just me. :)

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alacrity_danger

all the more reason for the kid to learn young.

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rainstorm159

Also, many people have no desire to learn another language. Nothing's worse than being forced into doing something that you don't want to do.

If the bi-lingual parent is willing to teach the child, then I see no reason why it would be a problem as long as the second parent is invited to learn.

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alicia_beth

I think if I was in this situation and the other parent had no desire to learn my language I'd be pretty bummed out. If the person cares deeply enough about their heritage to teach their child the language I'd hope it was also important to their partner to learn it too.

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rainstorm159

I'd probably be bummed too, but at the same time I'd be understanding of my partners wishes. I think I'd be more curious as to why they didn't want to learn the second language. For the child's sake, it's definitely useful to be able to speak another language.

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ol_whatshername

I have a learning issue which makes learning a new language almost imposable for me. I support my husbands second language 100% and will have it taught to my children. I may pick up a thing or two but I will never have it all. Blah

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