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Growing up in quadlingual home - anyone has experience/input?

post #1 of 4
Thread Starter 
*** I realized after I posted this that it landed in the wrong section. Can someone move it to multicultural section please? Sorry:( *******


My 21 month old DS is growing up with four languages. I dont know any other kid with similar exposure. Some people wtih expertise in speech, language study said its a good thing. I and my hubby are trilingual ourselves. But I thought I will post here since so many moms here seem so smart:)

I speak a native language and am at home with him so he understands that most. He can follow directions, understand small discussions directed at him. My hubby speaks his own language which my DS understands least since hubby is home only three hours( while we are awake). The third language is what hubby and I use to communicate, since our natives are different. I know DS understands that language a bit too. For eg, if we are talking about offering him water, he would go and fetch his cup. The fourth language is english since we are in US. DS vocabulary consists majority of english words. I read him book in english, we hear english toddler songs while driving, other kids speak to him during playgroups etc. Unfortunately he has very less one to one kids interactions. I try taking him to pllaygroups but thats about it. We afe in a new city for just a year, so we dont have close friends or family.

He doesnt speak two word sentences. Started saying Mama finally at 18 mo. Still does a lot of pointing and gesturing. He can speak clearly though. He is not silent, he keeps yapping away all day, half of it in his own language.

I guess I wanted to know of anyone has any kind of input. I am not worried to be honest. DH was a late talker( growing up in a single language household) and still speaks much lesser than average. But, if anyone has any sugestions on doing this in a better way, please let me know!
post #2 of 4

I grew up with 3 languages and now speak 5 (but still only really master 3!). I speak to my kids in all 3, DH speaks 2 of these so he chimes in with the two he knows. DS1 (5) is bilingual and picking up new words in the 3rd language all the time. DS2 is 25 months, and can understand the two languages perfectly, but so far no real words from language number 2. He seems to prefer English for expressive, but he also has a diagnosed speech delay, so maybe that comes into play. My brother was severely speech delayed (apraxia?) but still mastered all 3 languages by 5 or so. The more languages, the better, is what my research has led me to believe. Your DS is lucky to have exposure to 4. Keep on talking!

post #3 of 4
Thread Starter 
Thanks Mama, thats very encouraging for me to hear. joy.gif
post #4 of 4

Here is all I know, which isn't much:

 

1. we are raising DD2 bilingually and were told to do it as follows - each parent speaks one language exclusively (100%) and that is the easiest (but not the only) way for baby to pick up the languages and formulate language in general.

 

2. what I know of literacy development is that while multilingual kids may have an initial delay or slowness in acquisition, within a few years they are on schedule.

 

don't worry mama it's a great thing to give your kids!

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