Good reasons for kids to learn heritage language & culture

[Anonymous]

When I see poor people. I see God does not exist. So much suffering everywhere. Fk easter

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's NORMAL for younger kids to fight you on this, OP. We are international, are friends with a lot of international families, and this is what always happens!

What you do is force them. When they're old enough to have American friends taking beginner language classes in middle school, they will feel superior and start to realize the advantages they were born with, but not before. And when they get to high school and you start explaining the language requirements for graduation, as well as the language requirements for college admissions and many undergraduate programs... they will appreciate it more!

But it won't be before they're parents themselves and are mature enough to value passing on culture and values to their own children, that they will truly be grateful for what you've done for them.

So my friends and I all force our kids to attend their weekend language schools; we all show them news, movies and radio programs in our native language (radio is quite challenging because of the rapid fire delivery unaided by visuals); we introduce them to the great classics of literature, and main cultural and historical events. Some language schools have history classes built in anyway. The more you can travel to your home country, the better. It's a very important and valuable aspect of your daily life, OP. You won't regret pushing your kids on this.

100%. Our kids are applying to colleges now and boy are they grateful I made them do the lessons every weekend.

[Anonymous]

I have trio nationality, and my husband has dual nationality. My kids are American, and they can legally reside in 3 other countries because of our complex nationalities. I tell kids that they have more options to choose where to live, study or work when they are older. It is true that they may stay in America for the rest of life, but they may date/marry others from those countries here one day. They are not interested and find the languages too difficult to learn. I think they will regret one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have trio nationality, and my husband has dual nationality. My kids are American, and they can legally reside in 3 other countries because of our complex nationalities. I tell kids that they have more options to choose where to live, study or work when they are older. It is true that they may stay in America for the rest of life, but they may date/marry others from those countries here one day. They are not interested and find the languages too difficult to learn. I think they will regret one day.

Are you second generation? Were you born in the US? Your husband?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have trio nationality, and my husband has dual nationality. My kids are American, and they can legally reside in 3 other countries because of our complex nationalities. I tell kids that they have more options to choose where to live, study or work when they are older. It is true that they may stay in America for the rest of life, but they may date/marry others from those countries here one day. They are not interested and find the languages too difficult to learn. I think they will regret one day.

I just go to the other countries for vacation. I'm staying in USA. America is every country in this continent lol. Bolivia is America

[Anonymous]

I think the only reason to put significant time and effort to learn your removed cultural/language is because you want to. If your kids aren’t interested, that’s fine. Learning a second language is great- but maybe your kid would rather learn Spanish at school than learn Hungarian at home

[Anonymous]

My DH is an immigrant. He seems no value in teaching our children his native language and culture. We cook some foods, but that’s about it. His culture is intertwined around a religion he doesn’t believe. He would rather put his time and effort into tutoring them math and science (which is his strong point) than teaching a language they likely won’t use.

[Anonymous]

We do a language school and it doesn’t really work to teach the language. If you want them to speak the language, you need to speak to them only in your language.

Finding friends who are recent immigrants and mainly speak the heritage language is another tip that has worked for us. Cartoons in the heritage language. It needs to be a real part of your life.

[Anonymous]

Usually immigrant parents feel too much pressure of judgment from their extended family, local immigrant community and from others if their kids don't learn their heritage language. It makes it tough for kids who aren't interested or able to learn.

[Anonymous]

We are Irish and Greek -Americans and we have taught our kids to be proud of their cultures. Our kids go to Greek language school and Irish dancing and music school. We travel to both countries most years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We speak English and Spanish at home. What matters they are good and empathetic kids.

That’s it? Wouldn’t they be better off if they spoke multiple languages and experienced multiple cultures? It’s not either or…

Yes we do embrace both cultures! We eat our parents traditional foods, I even speck the native indigenous language Quechua from Bolivia. Not many people speak it around here but I really like the language.
We like other countries traditions too like Dia de los Muertos to celebrate the good memories instead of crying, and Americans too like Halloween, Easter bunny and more

There are a gazillion Bolivians in Arlington and many in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Our family originally comes from Austria and Poland. Assimilated Jews who survived the Holocaust. We try to keep the cultures relevant and on-going by eating a lot Polish food and by sending our kids to the German School for for elementary age years. They continue on weekends for language and other German/Austrian activities. Like other posters here, our kids travel to both countries regularly. Both are looking forward to doing student exchanges (AFS or Rotary) in high school and semester abroad-type study in college. We will also be going to those family language camps in Minnesota this summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We speak English and Spanish at home. What matters they are good and empathetic kids.

That’s it? Wouldn’t they be better off if they spoke multiple languages and experienced multiple cultures? It’s not either or…

Yes we do embrace both cultures! We eat our parents traditional foods, I even speck the native indigenous language Quechua from Bolivia. Not many people speak it around here but I really like the language.
We like other countries traditions too like Dia de los Muertos to celebrate the good memories instead of crying, and Americans too like Halloween, Easter bunny and more

There are a gazillion Bolivians in Arlington and many in MoCo.

Naive. You just assumed they speak Quechua an indigenous language.
Do you speak Cherokee language, you dumb fk?

[Anonymous]

Go read The Trail of Tears. Fk Easter. Even most priests are saying instead of not eating meat go be a good person

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our family originally comes from Austria and Poland. Assimilated Jews who survived the Holocaust. We try to keep the cultures relevant and on-going by eating a lot Polish food and by sending our kids to the German School for for elementary age years. They continue on weekends for language and other German/Austrian activities. Like other posters here, our kids travel to both countries regularly. Both are looking forward to doing student exchanges (AFS or Rotary) in high school and semester abroad-type study in college. We will also be going to those family language camps in Minnesota this summer.

I hated my Jewish parents. I'm not going to continue with the traditions when I get my own family. And I'm never going to Israel. Most American jews are against the authoritarian government of Israel, what they did abd keep doing do Palestines is horrible.

stop israel apartheid