The Raising Bilinguals Podcast

David & Ana
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Practical guidance for parents raising bilingual kids — whether you're a native speaker, a language learner, or somewhere in between. Each week, we explore the real challenges of building a bilingual family: staying consistent, choosing a strategy, and raising children who actually use both languages. Hosted by the team behind How to Spanish Podcast, The Raising Bilinguals Podcast combines research-backed insights with honest stories from families actually doing this. Join our community at theraisingbilinguals.com

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    What We'd Do Differently: 6 Honest Reflections After 3 Years - EP 8

    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. 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

  2. Jul 28

    Making It Joyful: Games, Traditions, and Creative Ideas for Your Bilingual Home - EP 7

    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. 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

  3. Jul 21

    If You Started, Stopped, and Want to Come Back - EP6

    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. 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

  4. Jul 14

    How to Start Your Bilingual Journey — at Any Age, From Any Point - Episode 5

    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.) 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

  5. Jul 7

    Habit Stacking: How to Build Bilingual Moments Into Your Everyday Routines - Ep4

    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. 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

  6. Jun 30

    The Perfect Bilingual Parenting: It's a Myth - Ep3

    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. 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

  7. Jun 23

    Facing your insecurities - EP 2

    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. --- 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 too 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

  8. Jun 18

    Our messy, beautiful bilingual journey - Episode 1

    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. 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

  • 8 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Practical guidance for parents raising bilingual kids — whether you're a native speaker, a language learner, or somewhere in between. Each week, we explore the real challenges of building a bilingual family: staying consistent, choosing a strategy, and raising children who actually use both languages. Hosted by the team behind How to Spanish Podcast, The Raising Bilinguals Podcast combines research-backed insights with honest stories from families actually doing this. Join our community at theraisingbilinguals.com

Information

You Might Also Like