The Raising Bilinguals Podcast
Alle afleveringen
20 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Yes, I Feel Like a Fraud — And I'm Doing It Anyway - S2Ep8
3 november 2026 · 25 min
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? Lees meer
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
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The Honest Truth About Bilingual Parenting: Wins, Struggles & Wanting to Quit - S2Ep7
27 oktober 2026 · 21 min
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. Lees meer
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
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How to Know Your Bilingual Parenting Is Actually Working (The Progress Ladder) - S2Ep6
20 oktober 2026 · 24 min
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? Lees meer
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
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What Actually Makes Someone Bilingual (It's Not What You Think) - S2Ep5
13 oktober 2026 · 21 min
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. Lees meer
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
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From Passive to Active Bilingual — Ideas That Actually Make Kids Speak - S2 EP4
9 oktober 2026 · 22 min
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. Lees meer
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
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How to handle social situations where the majority language is not spoken - S2Ep3
29 september 2026 · 27 min
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. Lees meer
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
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How to Introduce a 3rd (or 4th) Language to Your Child — Real Strategies From Real Families - S2 EP2
22 september 2026 · 29 min
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. Lees meer
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
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Why "Bilingual" Classes Aren't Really Bilingual — And What to Do Instead (New Host)
15 september 2026 · 30 min
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. Lees meer
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
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Ann: 3 Kids, 4 Languages — What We All Need to Hear
1 september 2026 · 45 min
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. Lees meer
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…
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How to Raise a Bilingual Child When Your Partner Doesn't Speak the Language ft. @BirdsongToys - EP11
25 augustus 2026 · 28 min
Our first guest episode. Ashley Rivera grew up in Colombia, moved to the US at 11, and is now raising her daughter Olivia in Spanish — while her husband speaks only English. She shares her Three C's framework (Connection, Consistency, Community), what the science says about language acquisition from the womb, and her very practical playbook for making bilingualism work when you're the only person in your home who speaks the language. Plus: the tip about preparing vocabulary before major parenting milestones that we wish we'd heard sooner. Lees meer
🐦Follow Ashley HERE https://birdsongtoys.com
https://www.youtube.com/@BirdsongToys
https://www.instagram.com/birdsong_toys/
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
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You Don't Have to Be a Native Speaker to Pass on a Language - EP 10
18 augustus 2026 · 26 min
This is Episode 10 — the Season 1 finale. Ana is flying solo today, and she's talking directly to non-native speaker parents: the ones who wonder if they're good enough, if their accent is a problem, if they're simply crazy for trying. Spoiler: they're not. She covers where the "native speaker only" myth comes from, why it has no basis in the research, what non-native bilingual parenting actually looks like from the inside, and why any consistent exposure — however imperfect — is better than none. Plus a recap of everything Season 1 covered, and a preview of what's coming next. Lees meer
What We Cover
The "native speaker" myth: where it came from, and why it keeps parents from starting when they absolutely could
What bilingualism research actually shows about cognitive, social, and professional outcomes — and why it doesn't ask who taught the language
Non-native bilingual parenting as its own distinct field of study — and what the research is finding about its specific risks and outcomes
Ana's honest account of being called "crazy" while pregnant and why that comment still resurfaces
What actually matters: consistency, emotional connection, and presence over perfection
The modeling argument: showing your child what it looks like to learn, make mistakes, correct them, and keep going
Any exposure counts — from full immersion to one book at bedtime
Season 1 recap across all 10 episodes
Preview of Episodes 11 and 12: our first guests, both non-native speaker parents from the community
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
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Raising Bilinguals From a Place of Joy — Why It Matters and How to Actually Do It
11 augustus 2026 · 26 min
Joy in the bilingual journey isn't decoration — it's the mechanism. In Episode 9 we explore why parenting from a place of joy actually makes your child's language acquisition faster, deeper, and more sustainable, and why a burnout-driven approach eventually stops working for everyone. We cover three research frameworks (Self-Determination Theory, play-based learning, and savoring), what kills joy in bilingual homes, a powerful mindset reframe for the hard days, and six micro-activities you can start today with no preparation. Lees meer
What We Cover
What joy actually is — and why it's different from happiness
What cultivates joy (positive relationships, nature, self-awareness) and what kills it (pressure, emotional overload, negative social environment)
Self-Determination Theory: the three innate needs your child has — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — and how a joyless bilingual regimen quietly destroys all three
Why play IS learning, not a break from it
Savoring: how to make good moments stick instead of letting them pass
The "I have to" vs. "I get to" reframe — small shift, big difference on a hard day
From our home: our son asking how to say things in Spanish (his second language) and why it's unexpectedly tender even when it makes us nervous
Six micro-activities you can do in five minutes or less
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
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What We'd Do Differently: 6 Honest Reflections After 3 Years - EP 8
4 augustus 2026 · 28 min
Our son just turned three. And after three years of raising him in English — as non-native speakers, in Mexico, surrounded by Spanish — we wanted to stop and look back. Not to dwell, but to learn. In Episode 8 we share six things we'd do differently if we were starting over: honest, specific, and applicable to any bilingual family regardless of where you are in the journey. Plus a reminder that works: our son now uses English 90–95% of the time. Whatever you're doing, it's worth doing. Lees meer
What We Cover
Three years in: where we are, what worked, and what surprised us
Why our son defaults to English when he's emotional — and what that tells us about native-level acquisition
6 reflections: flexibility with family, connecting with other families, pushing yourself as a non-native speaker, the majority language myth, practicing the language as a couple, and writing down your deep why
The grandmother and the Spanish book — and what it taught us about connection over strategy
Why you don't need to teach the majority language (the environment does it for you)
David on imposter syndrome: holding back as a non-native speaker and why that was a mistake
Ana on overexplaining: stopping the need for other people's approval
What a "deep why" actually looks like — and why you need to write yours down
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
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Making It Joyful: Games, Traditions, and Creative Ideas for Your Bilingual Home - EP 7
28 juli 2026 · 22 min
After episodes on science, fears, myths, and restarts — this one is just fun. In Episode 7 we share 13 practical ideas for bringing joy into your bilingual home: games you can start this week, traditions anchored to moments your child will remember for years, and creative activities that make language the vehicle for imagination rather than a task to manage. Some of these ideas came from our community. We also return to wins and struggles — including a big language moment with our son and a compromise Ana had to make for violin class that taught us something important. Lees meer
What We Cover
Why fun is not optional — emotions and memories are the mechanism by which language gets stored
Category 1 — Games and Rituals: The Secret Language Moment, The Language Jar, Language Detective, The Language Knock, The Language Tax
Category 2 — Traditions That Build Emotional Memory: The Birthday Tradition, The Language Meal, The Annual Book
Category 3 — Creative Activities: The Bilingual Playlist, The Language Treasure Hunt, The Language Voice Memo, The Cooking Show in the Language, The Language Trip, Re-Enacting a Story
This week's win: our son said "allow me to help you" — spontaneously, in English, at almost three years old
This week's struggle: the violin teacher only speaks Spanish, which led to an unexpected but right compromise
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
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If You Started, Stopped, and Want to Come Back - EP6
21 juli 2026 · 25 min
Life happens. Sometimes you stop. And then the guilt sets in — the feeling that you've failed, that the language is gone, that starting again is harder than starting from scratch. In Episode 6 (the sister episode to Episode 5) we talk about what actually happens when a bilingual journey pauses, what the research says about language reactivation, and how to come back in a way that sticks. Stopping is not failing. The language is still there. And the way back is almost always smaller than you think. Lees meer
What We Cover
Why stopping feels like failing — and why it isn't
The difference between a passive language and a lost one (spoiler: they're not the same)
One documented case: a child reactivated a minority language within 10 days after months of silence
Three questions to ask yourself before restarting: why did you stop, where is your child now, and what's the smallest sustainable version you can do starting tomorrow?
How to assess your child's current language state without pressure or testing
The restart approach by age: babies, preschoolers, school-age children, and teens
What to do when you're the one who lost confidence — not your child
Our story: how Ana used Formula One driver interviews to casually reconnect our son with English after an immersion week in Spanish
The role of humor in rebuilding confidence: bilingual jokes and wordplay as a low-pressure re-entry point
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How to Start Your Bilingual Journey — at Any Age, From Any Point - Episode 5
14 juli 2026 · 28 min
There is no perfect moment to start. There is only where you are right now and what you do next. In Episode 5 we walk through three starting situations — prenatal and newborn, toddler and young child, and older children and teens — and give you a clear, honest picture of what to do in each one. We also talk about the guilt that comes with feeling like you've missed something, and why that guilt is almost always wrong. (Episode 6 will cover what to do when you've already started, stopped, and want to come back.) Lees meer
What We Cover
The prenatal window: at weeks 26–28, the ear becomes functional and your baby is already picking up the rhythm of the language
Why the first 12 months are one of the highest-value windows — even though there's no visible feedback
The most common mistake at the newborn stage: waiting until the child speaks before starting
Separate advice for native speakers and non-native speakers at each stage
Ages 1–9: how to make the target language appealing without pressure, and why correction is the fastest way to lose them
Ages 10+: why your job is not teaching the language — it's finding their reason to want it
What to do if your teen resists
There is no "late." Whatever you give your child is a head start
A teaser for Episode 6: what to do when you've started, stopped, and want to restart
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
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Habit Stacking: How to Build Bilingual Moments Into Your Everyday Routines - Ep4
7 juli 2026 · 23 min
You don't need more time. You need to use the time you already have. In Episode 4 we talk about habit stacking — the technique of attaching a new habit to one you already have — and how to use it to build bilingual moments into four routines that already happen every day: meal time, bedtime, bath time, and car rides. We share what the research says about exposure thresholds, what we actually do in our own home, and why flexibility and connection matter more than a perfect system. Lees meer
What We Cover
What habit stacking is and why it works (no willpower required)
The 30% threshold: how much target language exposure research suggests makes fluency significantly more likely — and why even 10% can make a real difference
Meal time: deep conversation questions for confident speakers, yes/no and opposites for those still building vocabulary, and how music can carry the language when everyone's tired
Bedtime: why the pre-sleep brain is one of the highest-value windows for language input, and how to use picture books as conversation tools — not just stories to read
Bath time: why repetition and predictability are your friends, and how to build a core set of phrases that compound over time
Car rides: comprehensible input, music, podcasts, I Spy, and when to just let the Mariachi play
The reminder we keep coming back to: language should connect, not stress. Choose your battles.
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
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The Perfect Bilingual Parenting: It's a Myth - Ep3
30 juni 2026 · 25 min
Are you doing it wrong? Probably not — but the myths around bilingual parenting can make you feel that way. In Episode 3 we debunk three of the most common ones: that OPOL is the only valid strategy, that bilingual children speak later and code switching is a problem, and that more exposure always means more language. We also get honest about the guilt that shows up even when you know the facts — and why whatever you're giving your child is already more than enough. Lees meer
What We Cover
Why OPOL is a great strategy but not the only one — and the 4 main approaches you can use instead
The numbers: families using mixed-language strategies achieve bilingual outcomes at 79% vs. 74% for strict OPOL
What code switching actually means (hint: it's a sign of sophistication, not confusion)
The truth about bilingual children and speech timing
Why quantity of exposure without quality interaction doesn't build language
The guilt David carries about his English — and why he keeps going anyway
Ana's honest reaction when she sees Spanish "taking over"
Why you are enough, regardless of your fluency level or how many hours you manage
A question for the community: what should we call ourselves?
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
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Facing your insecurities - EP 2
23 juni 2026 · 25 min
Every bilingual parent has fears. Fear of passing on a bad accent. Fear of not being able to connect emotionally with your child in the other language. Fear of what the people around you think. In Episode 2 we name these fears out loud, talk about where they come from, and share what the research — and our own experience — says about facing them. We're not here to tell you the fears aren't real. We're here to help you keep going anyway. Lees meer
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What We Cover
- This week's wins and struggles from our home — including a big language moment with our toddler
- The numbers: what percentage of children worldwide grow up in bilingual environments (and why that number doesn't tell the whole story)
- Fear 1: My accent will confuse my child or hold them back
- Fear 2: I can't connect emotionally with my child in this language
- Fear 3: The people around me don't support what I'm doing
- What to say when someone questions your bilingual journey — especially when your child is listening
- The honest truth: we still have bad days tooJoin the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age (first 10 users get 1 month free, + 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
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Our messy, beautiful bilingual journey - Episode 1
19 juni 2026 · 20 min
Welcome to the very first episode of the Raising Bilinguals Podcast! We're David and Ana — parents raising our son in English, a language neither of us speaks natively, while living in Mexico. In this episode we introduce ourselves, share why we started this project, and talk honestly about the fears, struggles, and breakthroughs that come with raising a bilingual child. Whether you're just starting out or already in the thick of it, we want you to know: it's hard, it works, and it's absolutely worth it. Lees meer
What We Cover
Who we are and why we started this project
The moment we decided to raise our son in English — even though we're Spanish speakers living in Mexico
What it feels like to speak to your child in a non-native language (spoiler: weird at first)
The two biggest struggles bilingual parents face: not knowing where to start, and feeling completely alone
Our OPOL (One Parent, One Language) experience — and why we changed the plan
How we built the Raising Bilinguals app and community because the tools we needed didn't exist
Why connecting emotionally in a second language is possible — and how it grows over time
Join the community and get access to the episode guides with practical strategies by age (first 10 users get 1 month free, + 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