Hi- I am just starting out on this path. Do you only read books and sing songs to your children in Spanish as well? My son is almost here and I would really like to be able to read to him in both languages as well as sing songs in both languages. What do you think about this?

OK. well, I had responded to both of you and then my computer lost it.  Dang.

Well, at least this way it will be brief.

Soliluna.  I only speak and read Spanish to my children.  We have tons of Spanish books that I've either bought online (try La Tiendita which will take you to Amazon and also support AnaLilian & Roxana) or have found at large chain bookstores.  We also have lots of English books as my husband likes to share his favorite children's books with the kiddos.  Still, he will also read to them in Spanish.  This has a two-fold benefit.  One, he has learned more Spanish and increased his vocabulary.  Two, by his reading and speaking to them in Spanish it shows the children that the language is important to our family. 

In the beginning we only listened to Spanish music until my husband complained.  So now we have some classics (e.g., Peter, Paul & Mommy).  We also take Music Together classes, but those have all kinds of music and always include at least one Spanish song in each cd.  Still, 8 out of 10 songs when the children are with me we sing/listen to Spanish songs.

I think the important thing is to ONLY speak Spanish to the kiddos.

Gabi. Mi piace molto il Italiano.  I don't think it would hurt your daughter to learn it since it has so many similarities with Spanish.  My 2 year old already knows he speaks two languages and knows that there are more than two.  It's pretty cool.

Buona fortuna.

For us the OPOL system has been a great fit.  I speak ONLY Spanish, my husband speaks English most of the time, but is learning Spanish so he will have times where he practices with the kids (who are having a great time helping him learn, and also seeing their ml is something dad values).  We have three kids that are pretty balanced bilingual right now and my oldest will turn 6 in a few weeks.  I feel like I seem to have a little different vantage point from many that have come here so far with little ones and I'll try to give feedback that can help those of you just starting out.  As I said in my into post, I would of loved to have had something like this when I was getting started and nervous and unsure!

AnaGloria- I would agree with you that I think its best to be strict about sticking to “your language” for OPOL to be really successful.  I never speak in English directly to my children.  With them it is Spanish always.  The only times I find I sometimes need to translate is if someone asks directly what I have said or I want my message to be clear to them and another speaker.  But, that said I usually would say it in Spanish first in that case.  Most of the time, like on the playground or in a store, I think its obvious by context what I must be saying and, like you said, I'm talking to my child so I don't fret about it if someone is annoyed.  If we are with a group of kids and I am talking to them all (perhaps organizing an activity) I will use the majority language (which may be English or Spanish depending on the group) but will speak Spanish if I say something directly to one of my children.  That said, while I am quite confident and comfortable doing this now, in the first couple years it was something that was much more of an effort, especially on a busy playground.  So for those of you just starting out, remember that any looks you might get are probably curious, and don't switch to English out of nerves!

Soliluna- although I completely understand your desire to read and sing in both languages I would suggest to really stick to Spanish, especially in those first 5 years (if you are sticking to the OPOL model)  The truth is that if you are living in the US there is no question your child will become a proficient English speaker, the language you are going to have to work to maintain, especially as the kids get older,  is Spanish.  So every book and song is like a small battle won for Spanish.   6 years ago I had to really search to find music and books in Spanish.  The good news is that now you can go somewhere like amazon.com and choose from a plethora of options.  There are even toys and games in Spanish easily available now.   Do you feel like being able to do both is a sticking point?  Why?  I would really think about what your goals are and what method you think will suit your family best and then go from there.  What language will others in the family speak? You don't want it to be stressful, or negatively impact your relationship with your child, but you want to have a plan you can stick to…

Gaby- I agree that you shouldn't worry about italian at all.  She will definitely get it from the community and how wonderful for her to be growing up trilingual at this point.  Again, I remember when I was starting out I really felt pressured to translate for everyone around me.  As I have gotten more comfortable I rarely translate anything I say to my children.  think of it this way, if you were speaking English would you speak to your child and then ask the adults nearby if they understood you or wanted clarification?  Like AnaGloria said, you are speaking to your child.  I wish you lots of luck and hope you and your husband keep up the great start.  This can be a challenging road, but it is worth every step.

AnaLilian -thanks for your warm welcome to my intro post and I'm glad you are searching out more Spanish music.  When I first started a kind stranger sent me two cd's in Spanish and it is all we listened to over and over for about 6 months until I finally tracked down a couple more I liked.  I still think of how that small kindness really helped us get started out on the right foot.  Now I have built up quite a collection.  Maybe at some point I'll try to post a list so you all can try them out….  I totally understand how those oldies like Twinkle Twinkle are quick to come to your lips, I was the same way in the early days.  But by baby #2 it was “los pollitos dicen” or “duermete niña” or “Los Elefantes” that I had ready at any time.  And, there are some great Spanish versions like “la araña pequeñita” or “Las ruedas en el autobus” that have become favorites around here as well.  And yea for only reading in Spanish, if your experience is anything like ours, it will pay off in the end.

To share a little of our story when the kids are with me, and often even if dad is along, we listen to music in Spanish, read in Spanish, and the rare video is in Spanish.  It was a tough transition for my husband at first but he has been an amazing support and its helps his Spanish too.  When the older two were smaller we only took classes if they were in Spanish, and when I couldn't find one in our area I started a Spanish storytime at the library with a friend so they would have a class to go to.  I searched high and low and talked to every Spanish speaking person I ran into until I found a Spanish speaking playgroup for us to attend and 6 years later they, and I, have great friends as a result.  Really in many ways its been for us a big priority and although the first couple years were really hard its now effortless.  I'm a teacher and worked at a bilingual school in the past and I know how important those early years are so for me it was/is worth it to give some things up (mommy and me classes or having three playgroups instead of one) in order to make Spanish our priority.  Also with things like music and reading its been a great way for me to build up vocabulary I don't otherwise have (like when my son really liked tractors and we read every book we could find).  I still don't know much of the vocab in English, but I can rattle off lots of construcion area vocab in Spanish no problem

Anyway, obviously this got a little long but I know its a challenging journey on the already tricky parenting road and its a topic I get passionate about easily.  Best of luck to all and hope some of this helps.

Oh, no Daniela!  Don´t feel bad AT ALL!  Just the fact that you found SpanglishBaby and are taking time to read and post on the forums says a lot.  It means you truly are passionate, but, like you said, you just need some tips to  make it work.

For starters, if your kids understand Spanish then it´s a great sign.  It means they already have the language information they need, now they just need the practice, and that´s where you come in.

It´s not rude at all for you to speak Spanish in front of your husband to the kids, but he needs to be aware of why you are doing it and the importance of a bilingual upbringing.  It might be weird to get used to at first, but the worst that can happen is that he´ll also learn some Spanish along the way! 

Now, you have many options in LA!  There´s a heritage language school called Grupo Educa which I´ve written about before here.  They meet every Sunday at a school in Pasadena and have classes for children from preschool to middle school ages.  They do require that the children understand Spanish and it is spoken at home by at least one parent. They are not a school where you will learn a language, it´s meant to reinforce the language and culture and provide the kids and parents an opportunity to immerse in meaningful activities in Spanish. Check out their website for more info:  http://www.elgrupoeduca.org/

If you´re looking for books I would definitely check out your local library. I live in LA and have always found great books in Spanish at the library.  Many libraries and major bookstores also offer story time in Spanish.  It´s also a great way to meet other parents who are raising bilinguals!  If you want to buy, check out the great selection we have in La Tiendita. (Plus, you´ll be supporting what we do!)

There are also some, not enough, public schools in LA County that have dual immersion programs.  they need to start in Kindergarten, but they may be able to opt-in if their language skills are strong enough to catch up.  Check this thread for some info http://www.spanglishbaby.com/f…..s-angeles/

My biggest advice is to find ways to enrich their day with fun, playful and meaningful activities for them in Spanish.  Focus on what they already like to do and how you can add Spanish into the mix without it being forced.  We have tons of articles from parents and experts addressing exactly the same concern you have. You are not alone!!

Keep in touch!

Ana

Daniela,

Just wanted to chime in to add to the masses saying to hang in there and know you are not alone. 

To answer one of your questions,I am also married to a non-latino, non-Spanish speaking man but I always speak Spanish, even in front of him.  It was a little wierd at first, but after 6 1/2 years his Spanish has gotten to the point he can generally follow most of what is going on.  Really, lots of conversation with young kids has many non language cues.  And I also want to add that he has been really supportive of me and our choice to do this from the beginning and that is a key ingredient to it not being a situation where he feels left out.  If anything he shares with the kids how much he too wants to be bilingual and as they have gotten older they have really embraced helping him learn Spanish.

 You have already gotten some great advice.  I think seeking out all the Spanish input you can is good, and keeping it fun and low key.  It will take time to step in at this point but it is definitely doable if you just stick to it.  I have been speaking only Spanish with my kids for years now and there are still days that it is tough to maintain and I question myself, but thankfully I know better than to listen to those little doubts.  This forum is a great resource, and if you are in LA I would bet you could find a local playgroup of Spanish speakers which would give you a local community and, in my experience, that really makes a difference.

Best of luck,
Maria

And Danielanav- don't put yourself down if your kids can already understand some Spanish, because as an adult my father went to Germany and tried to learn a little German– he had to take classes, having lost it– but everyone complimented him on his perfect accent and those funky grammar twists that only “native” speakers usually get. So it wasn't really lost!!! It just needed a little nurturing! My brother and I have learned some German in school but will never quite get the accent completely correct, not to mention having the grammar really inside our minds. Won't it be great if we can give our kids the gift of staying in touch with their heritage in the first place!!!

Hi Beth,

Thanks so much for your posts.  I really enjoyed reading your father´s story. There are definitely so  many twists to our language tales.  The good thing is that it seemed to have inspired you to become multilingual and pass it to your family.

Your son will definitely, one day, be grateful of your efforts.  That´s our mantra!

Welcome to the forums!

Ana