NEWS
My child understands me, but doesn’t speak
This situation can feel incredibly frustrating. I know it well myself, because my own son used to answer me in Italian whenever I spoke to him in German. So what can you do when a child understands the second language but always responds in the dominant one?
Can I pass on a language to my child even if it’s not my mother tongue?
The short answer is yes. We naturally assume that parents always pass on their own native language, but you can absolutely pass on another language you speak very well, especially if it’s part of your daily life for a variety of reasons.
Myths and legends about bilingualism
If you speak more than one language and have children, you’ve probably received plenty of advice and warnings about raising bilingual kids. And usually, it’s the least knowledgeable people who feel most entitled to give that advice (often unsolicited, too).