https://mothertongues.ie/2019/05/29/the-gift-of-language/
Raising multilingual children has always been a mission to
me, I have gone too deep to give up.
After my second child was born, I gave up my job to give the
gift of language to my children, posh Mandarin Chinese that is spoken in Taiwan. 😊 Despite challenges, with the great support of
my “quiet” partner, my children are not only talking to me still, but we can
discuss news in Mandarin.
Although bilingualism may come easily when children are
young, as soon as they start to attend the mainstream schools, English, the
lingua franca dominates their heritage languages. It is imperative however, to maintain the
reflex of using mother tongue with your children regardless what language they
respond back. At least, the listening
skill is contained and there is a slight chance of passing the mother tongue to
the third generation. My children and I
have this mutual reflex that we must force our brains to speak English to each
other when we had to, and it didn’t feel natural.
Everyone is aware of the benefits of multilingualism. The young generation’s second or third
languages in European countries are far better than their peers herein Ireland
where they spent the same amount of time studying a language. It is not only
the lack of motivation, but also lack of environment. There are significantly more learning
prospects in English than other languages in the media. Parents need to create the opportunities.
A few tips for parents based on my own experience. I meet up with friends who speak Mandarin to
their children regularly. I read stories
to them in Mandarin up to they were ten.
I encourage them to read and study the same. I listen to Chinese songs with them. I volunteer in their school to promote
Chinese culture and language annually. I
spent time watching silly cartoons or movies in Mandarin with my teens. I take every car journey as an opportunity to
discuss current affairs. I do not care
if I embarrass them in front of their peers.
I text them in Chinese words and pinyin too sometimes. I take them home to Taiwan as much as I can
afford. I felt that I have invested in
too deep that there is no turning back.
To finish I have a few words from my husband on his
perspective.
“It is fantastic that my children converse with ease and
fluency in Mandarin with their mother.
It is the only language they speak with her. Even now with them in their teens, there is
no resistance to conversing in Mandarin, its just a completely natural thing
for them to do having always done so.
For the most part it does mean I don’t know what they are talking about,
but that can be a good thing sometimes as well”.
Evan Furlong
