Raising a bilingual child is not that easy but it is also not impossible, especially if parents consider the benefits that it will bring not only to the child but to them as well. However, be prepared to exert a lot of effort because a child will not learn two languages overnight. It will take a lot of perseverance to accomplish this feat.
Be prepared to encounter many challenges along the way but also know that parents are not helpless in this task. Other parents have done it and you can make your journey a lot easier if you follow the top five steps to raise a bilingual child, as suggested by Huffington Post.
Strategize
It is important to make a plan depending on which languages parents want their child to learn and the level of fluency that do they prefer. It is easier to train a child to become bilingual if parents have control over the environment, which means you and your spouse are the primary caregivers in the home.
Be Consistent
Once you introduce the new languages to your child, it is important to be consistent in speaking the languages inside or even outside of your home. As what an old cliche says, "Practice makes perfect."
Make Learning Fun
One way to encourage a child to become bilingual is to make learning fun. Do not make it a burden as it will automatically produce an adverse result.
Age Does Not Matter
Baby Center said there is no such thing as age restrictions when teaching a child two languages. Children in general are like sponges and they absorb everything they hear at any age.
Be Persistent
Repetition, according to Multilingual Living, is the key to raising a bilingual child. It is important to always insist on using the languages parents want their child to learn whether during bath time or even tutorial time. This is especially true if there are relatives of friends that interact with a child.
Remember that raising a bilingual child cannot be done with a flick of a finger. It is definitely not magic but requires hard work, dedication and patience. So, it is imperative to give a child enough time to learn and get used to the languages being introduced by the parents.
