The making of a bilingual kid in NYC

Learning Spanish in Ney York City is not just for adults. You often read about raising bilingual kids in magazines, newspapers and you even hear about it on TV. My friend, Michelle, has two kids ages five and four. Michelle knows that I am learning Spanish and, probably influenced by Dora, she wants to have her kids learns Spanish too. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dora (and that “swiper-no-swiping” thing. Hehe…) but I don’t think that’s reason enough to push your kids to learn Spanish. Learning is fun, and learning Spanish will definitely benefit your kids in the future. But first, you would need to know if your kids are even interested in learning Spanish. I mean, sure, they’re shouting “andale! andale!” while running around your living room but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to sit in front of a computer with a Spanish software for HOURS.

Aside from learning if they’re interested or not, you would do well learning about their capability. It is important for you to understand that children have different levels of intelligence and what may seem simple for one is hard for the other. This is especially true for siblings. If you decide to have your kids learn a second language, Spanish for example, don’t fret if one is having difficulty. Even though some children are faster at acquiring a second language, don’t let this turn-off your kid from learning. Dedication, and not just intelligence is the key to learning.

Know your reason for wanting your kids to learn Spanish. Is it because you live in a Spanish neighborhood? Is it for their future? Or is it just for show? Whatever your reason is, please do it for the right reason. Your kids are not robots, learning is fun but it is also not easy. Understand that the way to learning is a rough road, and your kids will go through this road.

Remember that deciding to have your kids learn Spanish goes hand-in-hand with giving them your 100% support and patience. Your children can’t learn on their own. It would benefit them greatly if you are available whenever they have some questions (or at least somebody is), or maybe you can sit with them while they are studying. If you have not studied Spanish, then maybe you and your kids could learn together. However, whatever — I’m sure your kids would appreciate your support.