1 - Parents are from another country and don’t teach their native language to their children

2 - Bilingual students speakers (by students I mean those that needed to learn later another language)

In the first case, many times, immigrants make a huge effort in trying to be absorbed by the country’s culture where they live. One of the major aspects is the idiom. So, if their children speak at home another idiom, parents think they might have some problems of non-adaptation or social isolation. In many countries, as US, Spain, etc this might be really a problem.

Of course that, if compared to the possibilities of learning naturally two languages, these worries aren’t so serious.

Here in Brazil, this isn’t a problem at all, and is common that families try to maintain their culture. It’s particularly true with german, italian and japanese families. Apparently, there is another very important point: note that countries that valorize their culture, and are proud of it, try to maintain that culture when live abroad.

The second case normally occurs cause parents try that it would cut much of the emotional naturality of communication with their children.

If it really happen at the beginning of the process, later the gains will overcompensate.

But Ryan, you are so correct when you say it takes effort and dedication.

My husband and I are monolingual (English) parents. We are not from Spanish-speaking families, but from the time our first daughter was conceived when knew that teaching her a second language would be a good thing for her.

We teach our children Spanish and I’m so delighted when I hear them play together using Spanish.

Teaching your child a language that you you’re not fluent in is a challenge. But we are learning Spanish along with our children.

With dedication, consistent interaction and constant exposure, monolingual parents can lay a tremendous foundation for their children to become bilingual.

Jessica L. Robers
Visit my blog http://www.spanish-lesson-plans-for-children.blogspot.com to see how our family manuevers our bilingual journey.

Another reason is the way certain languages are perceived. I know kids who are ashamed of their ethnic origins or scared of how their friends will react if they see them speaking another language. They, like most kids, want desperately to fit in and some of them perceive speaking a foreign language as a way of being different in a bad way. I have met kids who are Brazilian, living in the USA, and refuse to speak Portuguese because they are scared that they will be confused with hoodlum Mexicans. That’s sad on many levels.

In spite of all of this, my wife and I fully expect to raise our kids to speak English and Spanish and maybe even another language! I think that it’s worth the effort.

We have a group for families interested in supporting each other and their children as they raise them bilingually in the Greater DC area. If you live in the area, please feel free to reach out and join us.

Carla
http://bilingualfamilies.collectivex.com/main/summary