Should I teach my kids our native language or raise them bilingual?

[AddisonA]

I’m trying to decide if I should teach my young kids our family’s native language, but I’m worried it might hold them back socially in our English-speaking town. I see other bilingual families, but I can’t shake this fear that it might create a barrier for them.

[Jerry_T]

We started raising them bilingual at home and it was awkward at the start with reactions from other families. There were days when it felt like it might hold them back in class but we kept at it. Now they switch between languages pretty naturally and help translate for relatives. It also opened up a connection with cousins who speak the same language.

[EmmaW]

i never did the home language thing with my kids and i worry about it too but i think the social stuff is manageable in our town. kids here pick up English quickly in school and still keep their home language at home without it becoming a barrier.

[JacobT]

maybe the real issue is confidence or how grown ups frame the thing. i went to a language storytime at the library once and the kids wandered off after a bit, yet some parents leaned in and talked about it later. is the real problem the language barrier or is it more about how the kids feel in social spaces?

[Mia52]

a rushed attempt here we tried a weekend where we spoke only our native language at meals for two days and the kids sometimes stared at the tv and cried for English. we ended up dropping it because it felt like more fights than wins.