Whether it was a Swedish parent living abroad or an American parent in Stockholm, I was puzzled (and still am) as to why they would hinder their child by speaking their 2nd language to them.
For Swedes who live in the USA or outside of Sweden, I understand the ease of
speaking English or the local language with their mixed child although the
comfort seems more for the parent. Is the parent embarrassed?
Hearing from a highly educated
American parent (who lives here) about how she speaks her 2nd language
(Swedish) to her child was shocking. When I asked why she did that, she replied
that it was “easier for my child” and she wanted her to be “comfortable” as
Swedish was the primary language spoken at the day-care. As many people
know, children can easily handle two or more languages and are often proud of
it.
Maybe the opinion of this
neuroscientist and her research may help those who fall into this category:
Q. Many immigrants choose not to
teach their children their native language. Is this a good thing?
A. I’m asked about this all the time. People e-mail me and say, “I’m getting married to someone from another culture, what should we do with the children?” I always say, “You’re sitting on a potential gift.”
There are two major reasons people should pass their heritage language onto children. First, it connects children to their ancestors. The second is my research: Bilingualism is good for you. It makes brains stronger. It is brain exercise.
Here’s what an American woman
(married to a Swede) with two children wrote to me recently:
"George - Giving kids multiple
languages is such a gift - I think the persistence of speaking your mother
tongue to them (even if they reply in their other language) pays off and is
something they will be grateful for in the long run. A great bonus that
it helps their brains in other ways as well."
The “replying in their other
language” is something that can throw a parent off as maybe they feel a need to
speak the primary language of the child. My daughter speaks mostly
Swedish to me and only Swedish to everyone else, yet I would never deny her the
English language in return.
I’ve also heard about the extremes
cases, where one parent’s language was forbidden in the household. Such
an act takes “Denying of a Language” to another level - a shameful one in my
opinion.
One can’t help but feel for those
people affected by the aforementioned selfish act; having to continuously
explain why they don’t speak the language of one of their parents.
Parents or Mom’s/Dad’s to be, don’t
take the wonderful gift of another language away from your child. As
parents, we are supposed to give our children every chance to learn, improve
and succeed in life. If you snatch this opportunity from them, you are
not only hindering their progress, but doing so in those all important
formative years.
Remember, it makes “brains stronger”
and it “connects children to their ancestors” as the neuroscientist so
eloquently said.
That should be incentive enough for
any parent.
Happy Gswede Sunday!
A weekend moment with Father and Son
