Many parents appreciate the benefits of raising their children to be bilingual or multilingual, and not necessarily just mixed-language couples. This can be an exciting opportunity for children, especially seeing as they won’t even remember having learned the languages. But there are a few things for parents to take into account…

Plan

If you and your partner are from different countries and one of you does not speak fluently in one of your native languages, then you will have to be careful. You would not want the child to favour one of the languages and potentially alienate the other parent. If your child and your partner can speak in a language you can’t, it could leave you feeling excluded and insecure about a bond you cannot share – likewise for your partner if the situation were reversed. Planning how you bring your child up in relation to their language is therefore extremely important in these circumstances.

Network

One of the languages your child will speak is probably going to be more prominent than the other. If, for example, you live in the UK and you want your child to learn English and German, the native language of your partner, English will by and large be spoken more in the child’s day-to-day life. So if you’re keen for your child to stay focused and continue learning German, you might want to consider getting involved with extracurricular activities where your child can socialise with German children. A further option, if your child is losing touch with a language, is to enrol them on lessons. Many of the German courses London language schools offer cater for needs such as these.

Take advantage

For children of couples who do not have different native languages, bilingualism usually occurs because the family has moved to a country where another language is spoken. Whether or not children become fully bilingual in such a scenario may depend on their age when the family moves abroad. If you are planning a move to France, say, and your child is over 3 years old, it may be wise to look into the French courses London schools offer by way of getting a head start.

With increased possibilities of travel, and greater levels of migration for work, bilingualism is becoming increasingly common. Couples who wish to raise their children to speak both languages fluently are giving their children an invaluable gift, but they should think carefully about getting the balance between the two languages right.