Should you raise a bilingual child?
Hear from the children themselves who are now all grown up
Have you ever asked yourself, “Why raise a bilingual child?” Maybe you have asked, “Is it even worth teaching my mother tongue to my child?” These are the questions we are trying to answer in this article. Of course, we are biased since promoting multilingual and intercultural dialogue in Ireland is our mission. So, instead of telling you why bilingualism is a lifelong gift that should be encouraged, hear from the children themselves.
We produced a video series called Mind Your Language where interviewees discuss their experience of being raised bilingual (or not) and how it shaped their lives.
You will hear stories of those who are forever grateful to their parents, those who sadly feel a part of them is lost in translation for not being able to communicate with family members, and those who did not have the opportunity to fully embrace their origins.
In each video, you will hear about the individual’s childhood, language story, and advice for parents who are raising a bilingual child. From this video series, we hope to raise awareness on the importance of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Aislinn Lucheroni: engaging with language, creating a foundation, and identity
Finn Plekkenpol: growing up bilingual and becoming an enthusiastic linguist
Asha Heibe: wishing for the opportunity to make it happen
Veronica Conti: Hispanic identity and raising bilingual kids
Bilingualism is a gift that lasts a lifetime. Do you agree? If so, make your family’s journey easier. Nowadays, there are many resources available to support your multilingual family that the interviewees above did not have access to growing up.
Why not get help?
Lastly, February is the month of love and we want to share the love of language with you at Mother Tongues Festival, the largest festival celebrating linguistic diversity through the arts in Ireland. Join us Saturday, February 18th for our family day!
P.S. Make planning easier for #MTFest23 with this blog post that sorts activities by age group.