Everywhere you go you hear people speaking different languages. Interesting thing about this is that it's in your own backyard.
You don't have to leave your city or country in order to hear different languages being spoken. Wouldn't it be nice to understand what they were saying?
Better yet, wouldn't it be great to communicate with others in different languages? Knowing more than one language gives you an advantage that many do not have.
When we were in high school, one of the courses we had to take was a second language. Without this credit we could not get into college. Once in college, if it wasn't necessary to continue this course, they would eventually forget everything they learned. Truly a loss for them because nowadays having that second or third language opens many doors for you.
In many countries, it is a requirement to learn at least one other language. Of course there are countries that teach the children the languages of the surrounding countries. This means that by the time this child leaves school and heads off to college, they know at least two or more languages. Already they are a step in front of those that only speak one. When they graduate from college, they can pick and choose the careers they want.
Of course many of our children don't have to learn a second language at school. They can learn it at home. Many people immigrate to this country looking for better opportunities. As soon as they arrive, they make sure their children learn English but at the same time, they make sure they never forget their native tongue. This means that at an early age, they are already bi-lingual. Many of these parents advice their children to pick up another language. As soon as they finish high school they speak three languages and already have a greater advantage before going into college.
But, they are not the only ones that can speak more than one language. Many, born and raised in this country, have the advantage of a second language and in some instances a third one. The problem is that most of us will become lazy and when our children are small, we give up because they resist being taught a second language. We are so use to speaking to them in English that this is all they learn. Yet many of these children have parents who speak Spanish, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, etc.
Whether you are Spanish, Chinese, Italian, etc. make sure to teach your children these languages. Think about it. By the time they get to first grade they already know two languages. In some instances they may know three because they may have a parent that speaks Spanish, another Italian and then of course they learn English. Now it may sound overwhelming for them but it isn't.
Here is a way that you can teach them more than one language. First, start before they speak any language. Always speak to them in both languages. As soon as they begin to speak, teach them how to say mom and dad in your native tongue and English. They are so young and curious that it's easy for them to learn anything. Talk to them in your native tongue and have them respond back to you in English. Then do the opposite. By the time they get to first grade they will speak all the languages you teach them fluently. Imagine they have an upper hand already. There are also programs that they can watch which teaches them many different languages.
Now just because they know two or three languages when they get to school, they should just end it there. When it's time to take a course in another language, advise them to make sure it's one they don't speak already. The more they learn, the better opportunities they have as they grow older. Think about the possibilities they will have. Once they have finished their education and chosen a career they can move up faster than any other person. Many of the companies have offices all over the world and at times find it difficult to find the right people to fill the positions.
The ability to speak more than one language is an advantage for anyone. Nowadays many jobs require a person to be bilingual. If their career is medicine, it's even more important for them. It allows them to communicate better with their patients. Same thing goes for lawyers, dentists, realtors, etc. A second, third or fourth language can only make things better for them. So as parents, one of the best gifts we can give our children is to teach them all we can to help better their future.