Raising Bilingual Children: A Practical Guide

Maritere Rodriguez Bellas

Sep 2014 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

For most immigrant parents in America today, raising bilingual children is not a choice or a decision, but rather a way of life. Yet teaching children their parents’ native language often comes second to ensuring they are proficient in English so they can thrive in school and later reach leadership positions in the workplace. In addition, the task of teaching two (or more) languages can be overwhelming, leaving many of us wondering where to start.

Raising Bilingual Children is here to help with easy, practical steps for children of every age and stage in life. Author and parenting expert Mari Bellas provides answers to questions such as: What do I do when my five-year-old doesn’t want to speak Spanish at home? My husband doesn’t speak Korean, so how do we find common ground to raise our kids with two languages? My child is two years old and not speaking in either of the two languages we speak at home—should I be concerned?

Whether your native language is Spanish, Filipino, Korean, Chinese, or French, it is natural to want our children to communicate in the language we were born with. Raising Bilingual Children is the ultimate guidebook for busy parents looking for advice and direction about the everyday challenges and joys of raising a bilingual child.

About the author

Maritere Rodriguez Bellas writes an influential parenting column for La Opinion, the largest Spanish language newspaper in the country, and she recently launched a similar column with Vista magazine. Her articles typically deal with the vast range of issues facing immigrant parents who seek to find a balance between the culture they left and the culture they adopted. Bellas is also the author of the forthcoming Arroz con Pollo and Apple Pie in which she offers immigrant parents a comprehensive guide for understanding their emotions, solving their problems, and finding joy in their multicultural reality.