Comments on: Ask an Expert: Will my Toddler Miss Out in the Community if She doesn’t Speak English Yet? http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/ Raising bilingual and bicultural kids Thu, 26 Jul 2018 07:12:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.2 By: sailing school houston http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-747521 sailing school houston Tue, 06 May 2014 09:15:06 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-747521 However they will get usually put up with the help of that concerns
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]]> By: Blanca http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-1600 Blanca Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:08:33 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-1600 Thank you so much for your reply Lisa! I truly value your advice and I feel reassured about our methods of using only Spanish with our children. I think sometimes I may worry too much about the whole “fitting in” issue since I had these problems as a child. For example, when I began 1st grade, a boy used to pull my hair in class and I did not know how to tell the teacher in English what he was doing. I need to stop thinking that my daughter will experience the same insecurities. Thank you as well to all other users who provided me with words of advice. I truly appreciate all of your comments. I will keep you posted on my daughter. For now, I can say that indeed she is already starting to pick up on English words by watching bits of educational television shows! You are all so right about that. She also has started to say “thank you” instead of Gracias..and I just say “Y en espanol como se dice?” Se then says “gracias.” As far as starting a play group..I will definitely attempt beginning one close to home, as I found one that sounds perfect, but they meet about 40 miles away.

]]> By: AnaGloria Rodriguez http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-1523 AnaGloria Rodriguez Wed, 27 May 2009 05:56:23 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-1523 Wow. I am very impressed with all the responses. And I agree that the English will come and you’ll be surprised at the rate. I, too, moved to the States when I was 7 years old. Spanish was pretty much my only language and yet I picked up English very quickly. I was kicked out of the ESL class after three months.
I would also like to point out that children don’t always act the same around strangers as they do around their parents. The quiet child might be quite garroulous around others and the garroulous child at home may appear completely shy in public. And that has nothing to do with language acquisition or fluency.
I am also wondering: what is it exactly that you, Blanca, think your daughter will miss out? Making friends or fitting in? I highly recommend finding or starting your own playgroup with Spanish speakers.
Good luck. Hang in there.

]]> By: Maria http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-1522 Maria Wed, 27 May 2009 05:01:03 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-1522 Blanca,
I understand your worries as we shared them when my ds was young. We stuck with the Spanish and the truth is the older he got and the more we were out the more it became Spanish that I had to worry about and the happier I have been that we didn’t worry about his English acquisition!

As for your worry that people around her don’t know all she can articulate in Spanish, I think you have to also remember that parents usually understand their own 2 year olds much better than the passer by, no matter what the language. So, with that in mind, rest easy that even if she was speaking “fluent English” others might not understand her as well as you do. And on top of that, she might not want to interact lots with “strangers” no matter what their language. If you are worried that others know how bright she is I think a quick “she knows lots but Spanish is her strongest language right now” should fix it.

Coincidentally I was just talking with a friend about this topic a few days ago. When her now 4 year old daughter was your daughter’s age she had the same challenge (daughter could speak well and was quite bright, but only spoke Spanish and couldn’t communicate in English) so they started showing her videos in English and reading books in English. Now a couple years later they are switching to only Spanish videos, books, and anything else they can as they see the English slowly taking over.

I actually avoided/avoid taking my kids to any storytimes or classes that are in English and (we are lucky to be in an area where we could find or create a Spanish alternative) and 6 years later I am glad. The truth is that living in the US there is little worry that their English will develop (assuming they are going to leave their house on a regular basis) while maintaining a functioning level of Spanish gets harder as they get older.

I think that you are at the age when your concern is a common one for many. Hang in there and know you are doing her a great service by giving her a strong start in Spanish, and know that the English will come sooner than you think.

best of luck
Maria

]]> By: Ana Lilian http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-1506 Ana Lilian Tue, 26 May 2009 05:09:55 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-1506 I´m just at the point right now where Camila´s language is exploding (21 months) and I´m starting to freak out that English is “winning”. We speak and read to her only Spanish at home, but, as I’ve mentioned in previous posts, she’s at daycare twice a week and she’s quickly, very quickly, learning from her amiguitos.
So, Blanca, your daughter will catch up really fast as soon she’s in social situations. Her need to belong and be part of the community will take over and she’ll know which are the tools she needs to assimilate. By the age of 5 or 6 she’s still within the language “window of opportunity” and will pick up English with the ease only a child can.
Thanks for sending your questions. They’re very helpful for many.

]]> By: Silvia http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-1504 Silvia Mon, 25 May 2009 23:22:33 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-1504 Even though my older son never spoke like a storm in Spanish when he was very little, at some point I got concern about his ability to lean English too (he was with me 24 hr a day hearing just Spanish) but I’m amazed how fast he picked it up. Now he just want to speak in English, go figure!!

Silvia’s last blog post..Música para niños en español/Children’s music in Spanish

]]> By: marina k. villatoro http://spanglishbaby.com/ask-an-expert/ask-an-expert-will-my-toddler-miss-out-in-the-community-if-she-doesn%c2%b4t-speak-english-yet/#comment-1501 marina k. villatoro Mon, 25 May 2009 20:33:49 +0000 http://www.spanglishbaby.com/?p=3678#comment-1501 You know, I moved to the US when I was six. I didn’t have the luxury of fitting in or not, I just had to do it. And I was speaking fluently in English in less than one month, the younger the children the faster they adapt.

I’m very worried about my son with his three languages. But, I think our worries stops them! Once I let him go, he’s fluent in English and Spanish, now I’m waiting for the right moment for him to start on Russian.

marina k. villatoro’s last blog post..A Real Chocolate Tour

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