Did this approach work for you?

[caramelcoffeelover]

Hi all,

I was wondering if you could give my some advice if you happened to be in a similar situation to mine. I have been speaking to my girls, 3 and 1 years old, in my native language since the were babies. My DH was not keen to start with but has since come round. I find it difficult to stick to my language all the time, i understand that it is best if one parent sticks to one language and the same with the other parent. I tend to speak in my language with them only when nobody english is present as i find it might be a little awkward for the other person if i did. Is this something you did and dad it work for your children??

Thanks a lot!

Yes and Yes.

Don't worry too much about occasionally not sticking to it. Dd is now 9 and fluent in both languages. Tbh, if I find myself in an "Italian" situation (ie helping her with her homework) I might do it in Italian not English.

Very few bilingual people are truly honestly 100% bilingual, and very few OPOL users stick truly, honestly, 100% to it.

Oh, and tell your husband if he still has reservations he is truly, honestly, 100% wrong. Being bilingual? What's not to like?

I am glad to hear that!! Re my DH, he is just a little insecure of not being able to understand what the girls and I talk about, even though, having been raised by two parents from different countries and not been taught the second language, he does admit to occasionally regretting not being bilingual. Go figure!! I guess this is a subject for a totally different conversation :)

I agree - we do OPOL but are not strict about it.

You can use English as a family language and you speak to the DC in your language.

If your DH doesn't like it, he will have to learn your language too!