Member-only story
Languages Are Not an Issue, But a Tool: Multilingual Children Know How to Use Them
Challenges and satisfactions of parenting multilingual children
Mamma, mangiamo un gelato? My children are asking me; then, my husband answers Welk ijsje willen jullie? Our kids promptly answer back Wij willen een chocolade ijsje! My husband and I agree to go to eat an ice cream because, as we are on vacation, we are not so strict about junk food.
Joyfully, we all get in an ice cream shop.
I entered first, so I order for all of us Hello! We’d like 4 ice creams, please. Our children rush to the counter glass and, pointing to the bucket of chocolate ice cream, ask expectantly to the lady Please, 2 chocolate scoops in a cup with some cream, thank you! … And I want also the smarties on top, thank you! I pick up our ice creams and my husband is going to pay How much is it? And we leave, eager of licking and taste our delicious ice creams. Our kids are smiling: Mamma, è buono il tuo? … Papa, je ijs is erg groot!
This dialog is just a normal scenario in ours and many other international families. I am Italian and my husband is Dutch. We lived abroad in various countries for 11 years. My daughter was born in Wichita Falls TX and my son was born in Lisbon, Portugal. Our children grew up in a multi…
