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My duty station is Germany , so my kids go to a German babysitter. Just the other day my wife told me our son (8 months) responds more to German words than English. This scares me because I don't want my son confused. I told my wife to have the babysitter speak more English than German. Both of my children were born in Germany. So eventually I would like for them to learn the language. But for right now I think English should be priority. Any suggestions ?

Child Tips

I think there should be room for both. It may take a little work to fit in both languages for the entire family, but it is very important to learn the language where you reside. Give others the respect of attempting to speak the language. Within your own home concentrate on English, but outside, in the German culture, I would make the attempt to use German as much as possible.

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As a baby I had a Swedish babysitter and my mother became concerned when I would come home and ask for things in Swedish. However, she learned by reinforcing English words at home, I was able to communicate effectively in each. I wouldnt worry too much about it, kids are very adaptable and learn very quickly.

Child Tips

Hey thanks for the advice guys. I guess my son will be equally balanced getting German at the babysitter and English at the house. They say kids pick up another language faster than adults.

Child Tips

I was wondering how do you teach a child under 10 years old to speak 2 languages? My son used to have a babysitter which spoke to him in Spanish, and he knew spanish. When he was 3 1/2 years old I moved him to an Engish speaking babysitter so he could learn preschool. She had a difficult time teaching him to speak English (he was a quiet child and hardly talked). Now he's 8 & he knows about his Argentine heritage but teaching him spanish has been the most difficult. Yes, I know the language but alot words I'm beginning to forget since I don't practice Spanish alot.

Tips for Child

The kids brains are like sponges and they eaily learn from everything and everyone around them. In the US, I have a friend who is Filipino and married an Iranian. She speaks to her baby in Filipino all the time while the husband in Farsi. They hardly talk to their baby in English but the little girl is very fluent in English. Her playmates are English speaking and she learned from them besides watching tv most of the time. In conclusion, kids tend to absorb the language that they hear all the time and they learn it quicker than an adult.

Tips Child

Claudia, did you try to put his favourite cartoons in Spanish?. I don't know if you have cable but they usually have cartoons in Spanish. Actually many kids-friendly shows have something with Spanish.
But really, the best thing to do is for you to speak Spanish with him at home and your husband can speak with him English, in this way, he'll associate each one of his parents with a particular language.
I have a son who is 4 years old and he's an American. My husband is a Trinidadian so since he was born all he heard was English, but because he has a speech delay, it is very hard for me to introduce Spanish when he is having such a hard time to pronounce basic words/sentences in English but I cannot wait to teach him!. We are going back to Argentina in January so I know he will definetly have to learn it. I want him growing up speaking fluently both languages and I may add one more in the future, French.

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kids learn a lot faster than us adults my daughter picked up spanish by simply watching spanish cartoons also flashcards are a good way of learning too