Friend thinks I'm weird for speaking Spanish to DC

[leftcheekrightcheektiptoe]

my two Dc (ages 4 and 7) are already bilingual, they speak English of course and the mother tongue of their grandparents which is Urdu.
They have been learning Spanish in school and I have started my Spanish up again as I started learning a few years ago.
My friend heard me speaking to DC in Spanish (just some basic commands) and she got very annoyed and asked why we were learning Spanish, I told her because I've always loved the language and watch films and listen to songs in Spanish since a young age. (i watch films in many languages with the help of subtitles).
She said it was ridiculous because I have no Spanish ancestry or link to Spain in any way and I should stick to English or Urdu as we have links to the languages and introducing a third language is going to make them seem weird and confuse them.
i tried to laugh it off as I've not seen her react like this before but she was off with me the rest of the time.
Am I a weirdo for wanting my DC to speak a third language?
Admittedly we have no connection to it but it can only benefit them to know another language?

I can't see anything wrong in that at all, provided that the DC are happy with it.

What an odd thing to get upset about

I have no helpful advice, as we only speak English and a tad of French (no particular reason)

As long as the kids are happy to learn does it matter??

Ah yes, you’re weird for encouraging your children to learn a new language and grow up with the skills to learn a new language and use it well. How very silly of you to give your children these life skills OP!

I speak languages I have no connection to and think it's fine but maybe your friends think you're being a pushy parent?

My DC learn languages that I speak but it doesn't occur to me to speak to them in eg Spanish as why would I? The only time I push them is when we're in that country and I encourage them to eg order an ice cream in French or whatever.

She’s probably jealous that she’s not taught her DC another language. People sometimes irrationally attack things that they envy in others. Sounds like that to me from what you’ve written.

How good is your Spanish? If you're fluent then great, but if your level is lower than that you may accidentally reinforce mistakes/poor pronunciation in your DC.

Learning more languages is a great idea even if they don't go on to being completely fluent in them all.
Spanish is widely spoken around the world and could be very useful in the future.

Wow, wtf is her problem ?

Is she one of those who sees anything other parents do differently as a slight on her parenting by any chance?

Your friend is very weird and, I would venture to suggest, jealous of the wonderful start in life that you are giving your children. Has she been horrid and jealously judgemental before?

ella está celosa de ti

I know a couple of trilingual children at the school DD will be going to (English and each parent's first language). DD's first language is English, they learn French at nursery from age 3 (so all children there on their way to being at least bilingual) and DD has picked up a smattering of a third language I am learning as she is in when the tutor is here.

Nothing wrong with it. Ignore your "friend".

I speak several European languages despite having no ‘connection’.
I chat to my kids in French as they learn French, will be doing the same when they star Spanish. Your friend is weird/ jealous. Why on earth would you NOT teach your kids a language. Does she object to you reading with them? Doing maths with them? Playing games or cards with them? Taking them swimming? Or is it just their development in foreign languages she dislikes.??

Your friend is weird. I think it is brilliant.

I think if you were a native/very fluent speaker it would be great, but as you’re having to ‘start up again’ then I’d be cautious as unless it’s nust a few basic words you could do more harm than good.

She sounds jealous. I think children should learn as many languages as possible personally, it is the easiest age to pick it up.

My DF is French so I speak some French (wish I spoke more...) and my DC’s dad is South African so I’ve always encouraged him to talk Afrikaans to them.

Spanish is great! And so very useful. Even if they just learn a bit it’ll encourage growth and enthusiasm in your children. Only very shortsighted people (or frankly fools) discourage language learning for children. Watch your pronunciation and teaching them any errors but otherwise speak it as possible. Good for you!

Kids are like sponges at that age. My DC are 7 and speak English, Spanish, Catalan and French. Keep it up, you'd be mad not to.

Well yes it's never a bad thing to learn a language. But I would think it a bit wierd/slightly annoying/rude if you were doing it in the middle of a mum's and kids play date when you were all sitting

Yes, I,would,think,it,a,tad,wierd

Sorry about profusion of commas

*posted too soon.

chatting and you suddenly switched to Spanish. If it's just you and the kids on your own somewhere then that would be fine.

Your friend sounds deeply jealous.

Spanish is a lot more use than the French schools usually dish up. bar a few African and Pacific Islands, no one speaks French - bar the French of course. Where as Spanish is spoken throughout Latin America, the 'staff' in the USA will be predominant Spanish speakers, and also across the Asian catholic countries

Are you definitely sure that it wasn't coming across as showing off a bit?

i am by no means fluent but I can understand a Spanish song or movie without the need for subtitles for the most part.
The only things I say to my D.C. are simple commands like 'poco mas', 'Ven conmigo' and similar or pointing out animals or plants or clothes etc..

They are learning in school so I'm trying to reinforce what they learn there and I don't push it on them, they seem to enjoy it and participate freely.
We also holiday in Spain a lot and when we're there they switch to saying please thank you etc in Spanish all by themselves.
Friend has never commented on any of my parenting before and doesn't seem the jealous type but she did seem to overreact to this so my first thought was that she was jealous.