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bilingual child by native parents

4K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  Anna1979 
#1 ·
Hi

I have 8-month old kid. We're both Polish leaving in Poland. I'd read a lot about teaching children other language and how good it is for your child to be bilingual before I decided to do the same.

It happens mostly in families where one parent is from different country so you just go for method one parent one language (OPOL). Seems natural.

What about my situation? I decided not to wait until he goes to school and starts learning English and I introduced it from the beginning. We use the same method with my wife - OPOL.

Out of curiosity, do you think it's very unnatural when I speak to my kid solely in English despite I'm Polish?
I mean, my English is neither native nor proficient. I have sort of Polish accent. But when he goes to school and is taught English there he will pick up Polish accent too, so what's the difference. When he picks it up from his dad then it will be less difficult at school at the age of 6-7.

On the other hand, I see stares of people in the street from time to time looking at me like weirdo ;)

I consider that opportunity for my kid, but maybe I'm all wrong.
Please be sincere :)
 
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#2 ·
Honestly, if you are moving to an English-speaking country, I would stick with Polish at home/spoken by both parents, especially if your English is not proficient, as you say. Believe me, you will have a fight on your hands for your child to retain Polish, not to learn English. I am also Eastern European and speak my language to my kids, as my parents did to me. I don't even remember learning English although I am told I didn't speak it until I went to school. My family spoke only our language at home (parents and grandmother) plus we attended school on Saturdays in that language, community events in our language, etc. No problems learning English!http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/
 
#3 ·
I'm Polish born in Poland but left when I was seven. We lived in Italy for 18 months and my sister and I went to school and learned the language no problem. Then we moved to Canada when I was 9 and again we learned the language no problem. I have a slight polish accent even now at 35 having lived most of my life outside Poland and its not a big deal. I wouldn't worry too much about teaching your child another language until they go to school, there is plenty of time for them to learn.
 
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