My Bilingual Family

Nowadays we don’t always live close to our families and communities where our languages are spoken. So how can we create opportunities for socialising to help our children speak our mother languages?

Raising your kids bilingually can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain, requiring almost superhuman effort. But if we look at the global forces which make some languages more powerful than others, it isn’t surprising how impossible bilingual parenting can sometimes feel.

Speaking our mother language doesn’t always spark joy but can cause discomfort and pain because of how it’s perceived by others. When you are trying to parent bilingually, it can become especially urgent to acknowledge and work through these feelings.

Raising bilingual children involves all sorts of challenges. But what if your family has additional complexities which make it even harder to pass on language?

Raising your kids with more than one language is easier said than done for many of us. We may have every good intention starting out but soon find it hard to keep up. There are many different strategies you can use. So what is the best approach?

Raising your kids with more than language is easier said than done for many of us. We may have every good intention starting out but over time find it hard to keep it up. There are many different strategies you can use. So what is the best approach?

The first few years of bilingual parenting can be an anxious time, especially when your children don’t seem to be talking much. Perhaps your child is hearing one language at home and another at daycare. It’s natural to wonder: are they getting confused?

There’s no handbook on how to raise bilingual kids. It can take a lot of effort to pass on language to your children. But you're not alone. Join host Dr Elaine Laforteza to hear great advice from experts on My Bilingual Family, a new podcast from SBS. The podcast launches on International Mother Language Day, 21 February 2022.