Polish/Italian/English

You each speak to the child in your language. It’s a common misconception but bilingual children have slower speech, but it’s more than they learn speech at the same pace, but they’re learning more than one language.

So whilst a child who speaks only English may learn 10 words, the bilingual child will learn 5 words in English and 5 in the other language, which is why people assume the child is learning slowly.

I knew that it might take a longer time since it more then one language, however I have family friends and members with kids who are also bilingual and at that stage of being 2,they were saying some words in all the languages.

Their kid is not saying any words in any language so that is my only concern or worry really.

I don’t expect the baby to start talking in all 3 languages straight away I was just wondering if there is a way to ease them into it and to not confuse them with all the languages at once.

Bilingual households do not cause confusion in children or speech delays. It’s an old wives tale/myth so if at 2 your partner’s child isn’t speaking, they should look to make a referral for a speech and language therapist.

My husband is English. I speak both English and Punjabi to my daughter. At age 3 she speaks like an adult, full clear sentences in English, and can count to 20 and knows about 100 words or so in Punjabi. She understands more than she can speak so I can tell her to go upstairs and bring me her shoes in Punjabi, she will do it.

My niece is 5 and her mum is Greek, she is similar but she also attends a Greek learning school for 5 hours every weekend too as her mum doesn’t speak Greek at home as much.

I am Italian and my son is 3 and the other one is 1,5. I am raising them bilingual and to do so I only speak in Italian while my partner only speaks English. I started to talk my own language since they were born. We repeat words pointing at the same objects in both language and we do this always. You should expect language delay as the brains is processing syllables and put it with the right language. But if you keep doing that aroung 3 they will speak full sentences. About the third language, I would leave it to the environment your baby will be in. Nursery and schools will teach English. Also read a lot and find out how many techniques there are and pick the best for your family.

I used to nanny for a little boy with a Greek dad & Portuguese mum, although he was slower with speaking English he understands all 3 languages at 4 years old and can say things in all of them, his little brother who is 1.5 is the same. Xx

One of the things I remember learning from English Language A Level is that babies can differentiate different languages from a very young age. Fascinating. I thinks it’s amazing to have a multilingual child, what a gift for them! X

The best approach is OPOL- one parent, one language. Always speak in your language to the baby, no matter who's around. Never talk to it in English, "so that your partner can understand" or so that "other people do not get offended". Your partner should do the same. This is the best way to assure your baby grows up trilingual. (Bonus points if you manage to delay the exposure to English, e.g. by not sending the baby early to nursery, because it will unfortunately have too strong an influence on the child)