The Raising Bilinguals Podcast

Your bilingual child won't answer grandma. They're making grammar mistakes in the community language. They came home from a playdate and suddenly don't want to speak English anymore. Before you spiral — none of these are what they look like. In this episode, Anna and Anne unpack three of the most misread moments in bilingual parenting: what actually happens in a bilingual brain after a long social day, why grammar errors in the community language are not a sign of falling behind, and what it really means when your child resists the minority language after spending time around another one. Spoiler: your child is not being rude. They're not behind. And they're not rejecting the language you've worked so hard to build. What you'll hear: Anna's story: her son wouldn't answer his Spanish-speaking grandma after a full day out — and what she realized later Why bilingual children default to their native language when exhausted (and why it's the same thing adults do) Anne's five-year-old makes grammar mistakes in Spanish that surprise people — but comes home and delivers complex English sentences Why your bilingual child is running two separate grammatical systems, not falling behind in one The research behind why bilingual children actually have a head start when learning additional languages What it feels like when your child comes home "in Spanish mode" and resists switching back Anne's strategy for getting kids back to the minority language — including using the youngest sibling as the reason Why the minority language is fragile and the majority language is not — and what to do about it Building childhood memories in the minority language, so they carry it forward even when no one makes them This one is for every bilingual parent who has felt a small panic when their child switched languages — and needed someone to say: you're reading it wrong.

Do you ever get nervous speaking your second language around native speakers? Do you worry about passing on your accent? Does it sometimes feel like a mistake — like you're not qualified to do this? Welcome to the club. Every single one of us has been there. In this episode, David, Anna, and Anne continue their candid series with four questions nobody usually asks out loud: Do you feel like a fraud? What's your biggest fear? What's the most ironic thing that's happened to you on this journey? And — the one that surprised everyone — what has all of this revealed about who you are? What you'll hear: Why all three hosts feel like impostors sometimes — and what they tell themselves when it happens Anne's response to the American woman who asked "what are you going to do about your accent?" Why the people most critical of your accent are almost always monolingual Anna's biggest fear: that her son's reserved nature might be linked to being bilingual Anne's story: her daughter came home in tears because kids didn't want to play with her because she spoke English How Anne responded — and the "superpower" reframe that actually helped David's biggest fear and why it doesn't keep him up at night The most ironic moment: David and Anna still can't speak English to each other after two years of trying What this journey has revealed about each of them as parents, partners, and people This episode is for every parent who keeps going even when they're not sure they're doing it right.   Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Ann's project: https://www.instagram.com/ann.sprinkles/ Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com 

Nobody posts their hard days. Nobody records the moment they switched back to their native language because their child was hurt and they couldn't find the words in English. Nobody talks about the week they forgot French entirely, or the Sunday they almost gave up for good. This episode is about all of that. David, Anna, and Anne sit down for a candid, unfiltered conversation about what the bilingual parenting journey actually looks like from the inside — the moments that surprised them (in both directions), the days they seriously considered quitting, and the one thing each of them would say to a parent on a really hard day. What you'll hear: What each host thought bilingual parenting would look like — and how wrong they were Anne's surprise: watching her three children choose English with each other at home Anna's humbling moment: being a professional language teacher and still falling off the wagon David's confession: he still wants to quit almost every week The jet contrail story — and how to handle moments when you can't find the words Anna's hardest day: not knowing how to comfort her son in English when he got hurt Why switching back to your native language in a crisis is okay — and what to do next What Anne told David that reframed everything: you're not just passing on a language One piece of advice from each host for parents on a hard day This is the episode for anyone who has ever felt like they're failing at this.   Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com

Six months of bedtime stories in Spanish. Eight months of French songs in the car. And your child still answers in English every single time. Is it working? In this episode, David and Anna introduce the Progress Ladder — a five-step framework that shows exactly where your child is on their bilingual journey, and what to look for at each stage so you stop second-guessing yourself and start seeing the progress that was always there. What you'll hear: Why progress in bilingualism feels invisible at first — and why that's completely normal The 5 stages every child goes through before they choose to use a language on their own What "exposure tolerance" is and why it matters more than you think Why your child answering in English (or mixing languages) is actually a green light Anna's story of how her son recognized a Mandarin character after just a few weeks of exposure The moment your child starts trying the language — and how to create more of those moments Why Step 5 requires a community, not just a parent The free printable guide to track your child's progress (available free at our community) Grab here the PDF: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/posts/108973585 Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com  

Have you ever wondered why some people actually become bilingual — and others study for years and never quite get there? After a decade of teaching adults Spanish for a living, Anna has a clear answer: it's not skill level, pronunciation, or the number of mistakes you make. It's mindset. In this solo episode, Anna shares the four elements of the bilingual mindset she's observed in her most successful students — and how you can model each one for your children, starting today. What you'll hear: Why mistakes are information, not a verdict on your intelligence The difference between nervous and excited — and why excited always wins Growth mindset in practice: focusing on what your child can already do The input/output balance mistake most parents (and language learners) make Why you are not less qualified to teach the language because you're not a native speaker Whether you're a heritage speaker reconnecting with your roots or a non-native parent who simply fell in love with a language, this episode is for you.   Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com 

There's a difference between knowing a language and using it. Many adults say it themselves: "I understand everything but I can't speak back." This episode is about closing that gap — not with drills or flashcards, but with grocery runs, role play restaurants, video exchanges, and songs. All practical. All doable this week. And all designed to make the target language feel like something your child uses, not just something they hear. ts, video exchanges, and songs. All practical. All doable this week. And all designed to make the target language feel like something your child uses, not just something they hear. What We Cover What "active bilingual" actually means — and why a toddler who can order ice cream is already there The bilingual grocery run: how a shopping list with pictures turns a Wednesday errand into real language practice Role play scenarios: restaurant, vet, zoo, doctor — and the high-frequency structures they naturally repeat (I want, can I have, how much?) Why modeling matters more than correcting — and how children move from one word to full phrases on their own Recording your children using the target language and watching it back together — Ann's experience with her two-year-old and Mandarin songs The video exchange: how sending short videos between families gives children a real audience and a real reason to use the language The community meetup: what's coming and which languages are already represented Songs as language infrastructure — why music embeds vocabulary and structure in a way nothing else does Where to find quality children's music in almost any target language Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com   

You're at the park. Your child runs up to you and you answer in English. Someone glances over. And before you've made a decision, you hear yourself switch. This episode is about that moment — the psychology behind why it happens, what your child is experiencing at the same time, and concrete strategies for holding the language when the social pressure to drop it is highest. What We Cover The Spotlight Effect: why we overestimate how much others are judging us — and what actually happens when people notice Social Identity Theory: the neurological reason you feel the pull to switch languages in public (and why it's a reflex, not a signal to obey) What's happening in your child's brain when they don't know how to say "do you want to play?" in the majority language — and why it feels like social exclusion, not a vocabulary gap Why some discomfort is good — and how to make sure it doesn't harden into "I don't belong here" Anne on consistency as safety: why always responding in the target language gave her children something to rest in The Sandwich Rule in practice: how to hold the language while including everyone in the room How to prepare your child's vocabulary before a social situation, not during it Deciding your "line" before you go — not while you're standing in the room How to tell the difference between ceding ground and making a wise strategic choice The unexpected positive reactions: strangers, neighbors, and the moments that will carry you Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age  *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/   Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals   Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com   Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com

This episode is for anyone who has ever thought: we're already doing English — could we really add another one? Anna and Anne share how their families introduced American Sign Language, Mandarin, and French alongside their primary target language — what worked, what didn't, and the surprisingly simple method behind all of it: find what your child loves, build one game around it, and repeat until the language is there. What We Cover Why ASL: Anne on using sign language as a tool for inclusion and connection with the deaf community — and how showing her daughter sign language interpreters at Disney World made it personal Why French: Anna on how a spontaneous afternoon of speaking French to her son led to his face lighting up — and a language journey she never planned Why Mandarin: Anne on adding a fourth language through homeschool, play, and deliberate community-building The core method both families use: one game or theme, layered vocabulary, repeated until automatic The ice cream shop game in Mandarin — and why one game can carry months of learning Printing animal cards in French: how to build bilingual resources around whatever your child is already studying How to keep third and fourth languages alive during chaotic weeks — anchor them to emotions, not routines The floor-time principle: why fifteen minutes of silly play in the language beats any structured lesson Follow Ann's journey: https://www.instagram.com/ann.sprinkles Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com

Season 2 opens with a big announcement: Anne — who joined us as a guest in Episode 12 — is now a permanent co-host. And the three of us wasted no time getting into something real: the frustrating gap between what gets labeled "bilingual" and what actually provides immersive exposure for your child. We share our own disappointed searches for resources and classes, explain why constant translation works against acquisition, and talk about what to do when the community you need simply doesn't exist yet. Spoiler: you build it. What We Cover The big Season 2 announcement: Anne joins as co-host Why most "bilingual" resources aren't genuinely immersive — and how to tell the difference Why translation is a trap: when everything is translated, children learn to wait instead of acquire Why children need to see other children using the target language — and what one French bookshop moment did for our son's motivation Anne on introducing Mandarin: even full English immersion at home wasn't enough — the culture and community had to be built deliberately From consuming to creating: Anne's Instagram account, the community meetups, and what happens when you stop waiting for the resource to exist The Raising Bilinguals community: now hosting online meetups with children interacting across languages (German, Chinese, English, Spanish)   Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age  *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com

Our second and final guest episode of Season 1 — and the one that will carry you into Season 2. Anna is a lifelong friend who has been raising her three children in English, American Sign Language, and Mandarin for nearly nine years. She is Mexican, Spanish is her first language, and none of the languages she's teaching her children are her native tongue. In this conversation she shares what each of her three children has taught her, what the trickiest age really is (and when it gets easier), the sandwich rule for mixed-language social situations, and what she would do differently — which turns out to be the most honest advice in the whole season. What We Cover Anna's story: homeschooled from age 6, self-taught English through audio immersion, six months in England at 16 that changed everything Why she and her husband decided to raise their children multilingually before they were even married What each child has taught her: the firstborn pioneer, the middle child still in process, the youngest beneficiary The pandemic effect: her firstborn at 2½ was in total English immersion and arrived at playgrounds expecting everyone to speak English How siblings speak to each other in English by choice — and why that changes everything for the younger ones The sandwich rule: how to address children who speak different languages in the same moment What metalinguistic awareness looks like at age 5 (asking for vocabulary mid-conversation) and age 8 (carrying a word all day until she can ask for the translation) Why ages 3–5 are the trickiest — and why after 8 both languages are fully there Emotional conversations in the target language: why staying in it for the hard ones is the most important thing she'd do differently ASL and Mandarin: how to introduce a language you don't speak natively Where to find her real-life multilingual family content Follow Ann's journey: https://www.instagram.com/ann.sprinkles Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age *first 50 users get special launch price: https://community.theraisingbilinguals.com/ Checkout the app: https://studio.com/howtospanishpodcast/raising-bilinguals Visit our webpage: https://www.theraisingbilinguals.com Our Spanish Project: https://www.howtospanishpodcast.com