“She only answers in English.”
“He only wants to read low-quality TV character books— ¡y en inglés!”
“My kids’ grandparents are native Spanish speakers, but will only talk to my kids in (not wonderful) English.” In conversations I’ve had with friends, subscribers and others in this fantastic tribe of people raising bilingual readers, the same sorts of challenges seem to come up over and over.
As a parent, you are your kid’s first and best teacher. I know you know this! But if you’re the only native Spanish speaker in your house (and your partner can’t speak or understand you), I totally get that it can feel heavy to be the only one in charge of keeping your kids bilingual in a mostly-English world.
And if your partner is the native speaker, it can feel like he/she isn’t doing enough to get your kids the Spanish exposure they need to be truly bilingual. You want to be supportive, but you’re not really sure how to help (and maybe feel like it’s really your partner’s responsibility).
I get it! I really do. And the whole point of my business is to help you, support you, and make your life easier as a parent of bilingual kids. So I’ve been thinking—wouldn’t it be nice if we had a practical, short guide with helpful tips and tricks to address these common concerns?
It was one of those things I thought, and then couldn’t STOP thinking. So, I’m doing it. I’m diving deep into research, turning to experts in bilingual parenting and literacy, and pulling it all together in a concise, easily actionable (and free!) guide.
This is where you come in. I would love, love to hear what problems/concerns/challenges you’re facing as you raise bilingual kids and little readers! You can tell me in the comments, or email me at hola@solbookbox.com.
I can’t wait to hear from you!