Up next as a featured parent is Maria, who was born in Colombia but now lives in Oklahoma with her husband. She shares a bit about raising a bilingual daughter with the goal of helping her feel proud of her Colombian heritage. Read more to hear Maria’s perspective on developing her daughter’s language skills in a playful, natural way.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Born in Colombia. Husband is from Oklahoma.

Why is raising a bilingual child important to you?

It is important to me that she is able to communicate with my side of the family and also be proud of her heritage.

Which languages are you helping your child(ren) learn?

Spanish. English.

Are you using any particular approach to teaching your child(ren) multiple languages? (i.e., one parent-one language , only speaking in that language at home, etc.)

I’m the one who speaks Spanish to her 80% of the time. Her Dad only speaks English but encourages her to use Spanish.

When did you start your bilingual journey with your child(ren)?

Since she was born.

How do you weave bilingual learning into your everyday routine?

We read, sing, play and learn in both languages.

How do you keep bilingual learning playful?

I don’t pressure her. I let it flow naturally and use both languages when we are playing or reading

How do you plan to maintain this language learning when your child starts school? OR How did you maintain this language learning when your child started school?

I plan to use Spanish to communicate with her always. She will eventually get better at English when she goes to school.

What is a misconception you think people have about teaching children more than one language?

I heard people say it delays speech. Funny thing is, my daughter is 16 months old and knows around 25-30 words in both languages. Her pediatrician said her speech is above average.

Do you have any incredible language-learning resources to share with other parents?

Reading. Reading. Reading. I can’t say this enough! Use your local library.