Question about my 21 month old son learning spanish?

Question

Hi All,

My son has a new daycare teacher (its a home daycare) that speaks mainly spanish. She has been teaching my son spanish words. I know that this will be good for him in the long run, but I would rather him wait another year or 2 before he is taught spanish. We speak english only in our house. I just feel like because he is still learning to speak english, the spanish learning should wait. Am I being paranoid? I just don't want him coming home and pointing at something, and saying what it is in spanish, but not knowing what it is in English. Is it too early for him?

Answer 1

if you would rather him wait, ask her to please use english only around him. She should respect that.
But i dont see anything wrong with it. My 2 1/2 yr old knows just about as much spanish as english. Learning spanish in no way slowed down his english speaking. he's just going 90 miles an hour in 2 languages instead of one :)

Answer 2

Children are much more likely to pick up two languages by being immersed in them than adults are. You son will speak English which you teach him and he learns through his home life, television, songs, stories and books. This will be reinforced living in a predominantly english speaking country. Spanish will be to him a second language. Many children in countries such as Switzerland become fluent in three languages and they are very good at all of them. It is a well documented fact that once a child has another language they find it easier to pick up even more languages. You would be doing your son a disservice by taking him away from such a golden opportunity. He will thank you later in high school when he breezes through language class.

Answer 3

I don't think its too early my children were not quite 2 when they started learning spanish we only speak english in our house but our children speak better spanish than me or my husband. Now is the best time for him to learn his mind is like a sponge and he can catch on to the language quick

Answer 4

The younger the better. Two languages now a days is brutal! Imagine what kinds of jobs he could get in the future. My son is learning English and Spanish and he's three. It doesn't bother me at all because it helps me learn Spanish also. Personally i think you should be proud of him.

Answer 5

I don't think learning Spanish or any other language is bad in early age, like if you live in any English speaking country so your child would easily grab English coz English is his/her mother tongue.
But if your child learn other languages this will good for him/her.

Answer 6

The earlier the better ... I know many bilingual children..and they are amazing to me...they know instinctively at 3-4 what language to speak to who.

Sometimes it takes a little longer... but in the long run...it pays off in spades.

Encourage it..and help him !!! Point at the same object, say the same word in both English and Spanish...

Answer 7

You're son is probably being raised bilingual and it's better to learn two languages in an early age. If you're worried about his functionality with English, as soon as he starts school, he will learn to distinguish the two languages. Spanish altogether may phase out because he will get less and less exposure, conversation, etc.

Answer 8

THe earlier the better. Infants can be biligual, its actually great for their development.

If he's pointing at something and asking for it in spanish, you need to say the word in english, ask him to say it in english, and then ask him what it is in spanish later, so he can tell there are two words for each thing. Its not too much for him to learn. You're lucky he's learning this early. Its excellent for his development. What a leg up he'll have in verbal communitcation.

Answer 9

You are being paranoid. This is the time for him to learn both. He will learn both and excel and will easily know the difference.
If your son points to something and says the name in Spanish, say:
Si, en Espanol, es un _______, pero in English, it is a ____.
(Yes, in Spanish, this is a ____, but in English, it is a _____).

He'll get it more than you would believe.

Answer 10

No! Give the teacher a thank-you card. A little bit of confusion for a few months will be more than worth it. I know a child of 3 who is fluent thanks to an Hispanic nanny. She has no trouble switching back and forth between the languages. This is the time when it is easiest for a child to learn, and what an advantage for him later!