I had big dreams from my child to be multilingual so I got him started very young. So imagine the wake-up call when my remarkably opinionated toddler told me he no longer wanted to speak Chinese with me. I had hoped to raise him to be multilingual, to accompany him to China, and to assist him in making friends from all over the world. I had not anticipated, as a first-time mother, that he would not agree with my plan.
I realized at that point that I needed to make some significant modifications in order to capture his heart and persuade him that learning Chinese was in fact worthwhile.
But what are your options for encouraging your child to learn Chinese? I’m here to divulge what I did since this is a common occurrence across the board. Here are some ideas for dealing with this particular situation:
1. Speak with them
It will be simpler for your child to feel comfortable trying to speak the Chinese language they are studying if you already speak it. They will benefit from attempting to practice their language skills together, just as they did when they acquired their original language from you. You can help kids lay a strong foundation at home, away from the pressures of exams and the classroom.