*** Para leer este blog en español en MamásConPoder.org, haga clic aquí: http://www.momsrising.org/blog/node/45544

*** Want more information on raising multilingual children? Visit MomsRising's bilingual parenting resource site: http://action.momsrising.org/survey/bilingual_baby/?source=blog

My dad always called me a Café con Milk kid when I was growing up. A mixture of two different cultures that, when joined together, turns into it’s own unique creation. Part of that special brew also included being a dual language learner during my earliest years.

Growing up, I learned Spanish at home and learned English at school. And while this led to a lifetime of wonderful bilingual (not to mention Spanglish) skills, it also meant that the development of my English reading skills occurred at a different pace than that of my peers because of the cognitive demands of processing two languages at the same time.

Sadly, dual language learners weren’t fully supported at my elementary school. My earliest experiences with English language and literature were sources of humiliation and frustration. Thankfully, my teacher turned out to be an amazing advocate. By the end of the year I read voraciously and was able to keep up in class. I’m still so grateful to Mrs. White and my parents for being such incredible champions of my education, but I’ve often wondered how many kids this happened to who didn’t have a Mrs. White and how many parents were struggling with whether or not they should be speaking their home language with their children.

That’s why this Hispanic Heritage Month I want to celebrate our linguistic diversity as Latinxs by sharing great resources from parents and experts on supporting dual language learning.

Speaking your home language with your child builds strong cultural connections and is great for their development. Research shows that bilingual youth often have increased emotional intelligence, stronger problem solving skills, and improved academic outcomes in the long run. Knowing multiple languages can also help youth be competitive in a global workforce as adults. It’s a win on all fronts!

Ready to speak your home language more? Here are some awesome tips and tricks to help your child strengthen their dual language skills (that are also a lot of fun!).  

Tips from moms:

• A fun way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is through song! Mommy Maestra has great tips on how music can help us acquire new (or deeper) language skills.

• Lullabies are a great way to share your home language with even the littlest learner. It is also a great way for siblings to connect with a new baby, they can even practice with an audience of their favorite toys! Spanish Playground offers some great melodies.

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• Diana Limongi, aka Ladydee, offers multiple resources including bilingual toy options, bath time activities, and how to use Skype to help your child build their language skills.  

• Anna Flores, co-founder at SpanglishBaby, says it takes a village to raise a bilingual child. Find (or start your own!) playgroup with children and parents that speak your target language.  

• Mundo Lanugo has some great tips about tackling worries when raising bicultural/bilingual children, emphasizing that no matter what to ENJOY, LIVE and BREATHE your culture!

Tips from the experts:

• There can be emotional barriers that create obstacles to dual language learning. The Southern Poverty Law Center, with their Teaching Tolerance project, has tips about how to help your child cope with these new anxieties.   

• Too Small to Fail has multiple tips, including following-up classroom activities and readings by talking with your child in your preferred language.

• Colorín Colorado offers a fantastic tip sheet for reading with your children so they can become successful readers in all of their languages! The best part is that the document is available in 11 different languages! 
  

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• A creative puppet show or a tricky tongue twister can all help strengthen your child’s language skills! OneAmerica has created a resource, in 23 languages, about ways to speak your language at home.

Other great resources:

• The International Children’s Digital Library offers free e-books in various languages for all ages!

• Actividades Infantil offers worksheets and activities that you can do with your child, all in Spanish! One of our favorites is the nebula in a bottle.

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  Check out Mundo Lanugo for videos, music, and even an app for your smartphone, to help your child learn about Latino heritage and the Spanish language - a win-win perfect for Hispanic Heritage Month!

Have your own tips or suggestions?

Tell us about your experience growing up bilingual or what it’s been like raising your own bilingual kids in the comments below so other parents visiting this post see what works for your family. You can also tweet your tips to us at @MomsRising and @MamasConPoder.