When contemplating the idea of teaching my three-year-old and one-year-old Chinese, I often pondered the feasibility of such a task. Should I surrender? Or would it be wiser to wait until both children are older and more self-sufficient? The journey of nurturing bilingual children is far from effortless. It demands dedication, persistence, and patience. The endeavor entails a significant amount of effort—mentally, socially, and emotionally—and necessitates a substantial investment—both financially and in terms of time. I grappled with the concern of keeping pace with my children’s learning alongside all my parental responsibilities. I questioned whether this endeavor would enhance my parenting skills or if I would eventually adopt a more authoritarian parenting style.
In search of a pragmatic approach to proceed, having spearheaded our family’s bilingual expedition for a considerable period, I have devised four fundamental strategies that have rendered our bilingual voyage more manageable. These strategies may prove beneficial to those treading a similar path or contemplating a comparable journey.
Seasonal Planning
The notion of “it’s just a season” frequently emerges in discussions with friends regarding the trials of raising young children. This concept of seasonality extends beyond parenthood into various aspects of life. I admire Christy Wright’s perspective on life balance in her book “Take Back Your Time,” where she defines balance as executing the right actions at the appropriate times. It does not entail allocating equal time to every task consistently.
You might find yourself in a phase of tending to a newborn and a toddler, unable to dedicate ample time to language-learning activities. And that’s acceptable because it is merely a temporary phase. It is permissible to shift your focus to what holds significance for you during that period and adapt as circumstances evolve. Personally, during the initial stages of my son’s arrival, I reduced the teaching sessions with my daughter. Managing round two of baby boot camp was challenging enough, and both my husband and I were primarily focused on survival (which we still are at times). Nonetheless, one aspect we remained steadfast on was reading. I ensured that my daughter continued reading Chinese books daily. Subsequently, as things stabilized, I gradually reintroduced teaching into our routine.
Align with School Curriculum
Avoid reinventing the wheel. Parents already expend copious mental energy on numerous tasks, so there’s no need to devise a new curriculum. I appreciate the weekly newsletters from my daughter’s preschool, which outline the topics covered in class. I leverage this information to prepare corresponding materials and activities in Chinese. This approach ensures that she comprehends the same concepts in both languages, facilitating better comprehension and connection.
Progressive Learning Approach
Drawing from Piaget’s renowned work on child development, which posits that children progress through distinct stages of development, each building upon the previous one, language acquisition should follow a similar trajectory. Commence with fundamental concepts such as numbers, shapes, and colors, and advance to more intricate ideas like objects and commands.
Simplicity is key in the initial stages to instill confidence in your child’s language acquisition abilities.
Consistent Language-Learning Routine
While your daily routine may vary depending on the circumstances, the crux of raising bilingual children lies in consistency. There will be weeks when you can introduce new activities and others when you cannot. Engaging in simple activities with your child proves beneficial to their bilingual journey as it maintains a consistent learning pattern, encompassing all four essential facets of foreign language acquisition. According to the Center for Literacy and Learning and numerous language experts, these four facets comprise “reading, writing, listening, and speaking.” A straightforward exercise like a coloring sheet featuring a bear outline and the Chinese character for bear at the bottom can engage all four areas as you read the Chinese term for bear aloud to your child (reading and listening), prompting them to repeat after you (speaking), and encouraging them to trace the character with their crayon (writing).
In my experience, I strive for two activities per week during standard periods, opting for activity worksheets to instruct my preschooler due to their ease of preparation, minimal upkeep, and limited mess. I can generate multiple copies of the same activity and store them conveniently. This approach ensures that when the need arises for an activity or a revisit to a specific topic, I am well-prepared.
Embarking on a bilingual journey with your children can be daunting initially. I’ve been in your shoes and continue to navigate through the process as my children advance in their linguistic skills. Witnessing my daughter identify Chinese characters I’ve taught her or inscribe my Chinese name on her artwork fills me with immense gratification. Rearing bilingual children presents its challenges, yet with determination and meticulous planning, the possibilities are boundless.