Teaching baby and husband how to speak Spanish.

Re: Teaching baby and husband how to speak Spanish.

• mattandbekah

  November 2011

  Have you looked into the One Parent, One Language (OPOL) system at all?  As far as teaching LO, that is probably a good place to start.
  

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• MOONGIRL2467 member

  November 2011

  before our daughter was born,  my husband was very uncomfortable with this language situation. - what was she going to learn first, she won't understand me etc etc

  He speaks only English, as does his whole family. My family on the other hand is bilingual spanish/english. Coming from a bilingual family I understand how important it is to learn two languages. And I wanted the same for my children.- there is a difference between acquiring (later in age) and learning.

  My husband was pretty opposed to our daughter ( before she was born) to even learn spanish at such a young age...his family said she would get confused & their fear was she would be the kind of person who would talk bad about them and they wouldn't understand. --

  She is not just about 4 months old and I speak both languages to her my husband i think is a bit worried to be made fun of if he tries speaking it..he doens't know much besides the bad words lol

   I guess after my ramble my only advice is that you speak it as often as you can & explain to your H what it means, have him repeat it back & practice with the baby. & most importantly translate it for both of them. it will be easy for baby to pick it up..its your H who is going to have to practice lol

  and as the other poster commented on the One Parent, One Language...my husband and I read about it...and that's as far as it went. That would make him feel much more uncomfortable, instead I speak spanish and then repeat in english for my daughter. Good luck!! You are in the right direction if your husband is open to learning!!

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• MrsNole member

  November 2011

  I came from a bilingual household(Spanish/English) but my parents did not really put much effort into teaching me or my brother Spanish which I regret to this day.  I understand about 80% and hate speaking it because I think I sound dumb.

    But please please try your best to teach your LO Spanish!  I like how pp said to say it in Spanish and then translate for both your LO and DH...also having your DH repeat en espanol.

  Buena suerte! 

  
  
  
  

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• lukasmom

  November 2011

  I am bilingual and my main mission was to have my daughter (20 months now) speak Spanish, no if's, ands or buts about it. Both my husband & I speak Spanish fluently so it's a little different from you and your husband but regardless you should make every effort to speak to your baby in Spanish from the beginning. I would leave the English to your husband and you take care of the Spanish - I know many multi language families where one parent will speak to the kids in one language and the other parent in another.. kids are like sponges and will pick up it up all very quickly - they won't be confused! My daughter goes to daycare so despite us only speaking Spanish with her, I already consider her to be bilingual because she has picked up many words in English and they also pick it up from the television so really enforcing Spanish is important from as early as possible. Suerte!

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