When families move to a new country, parents often carry a big dream: they want their children to learn the local language for school and community life, but they also hope to keep their home language alive. After all, language is more than words; it’s a connection to grandparents, culture, memories, and identity.
When you raise your children away from your homeland, you quickly realize that the task is not only to keep a language alive. For many of us, it is about passing on a whole world of feelings and identity.
For multilingual families it is natural for adults to blend words or phrases from multiple languages. This “mixing the languages”, or code-mixing, is very normal in multilingual communication. However, it is not advisable to use it consistently when speaking to and with young children, i.e. babies and toddlers in one-on-one situations.
Parenting styles differ significantly across cultures, and starting a family in Norway or moving there with kids can bring unexpected adjustments. Norwegians are known for their child-centered, independent, nature-focused, and relaxed approach to discipline and parenting.
Neurodivergence is a widely discussed topic today, and efforts are underway to adapt social and educational environments – traditionally designed for neurotypical children – to be more inclusive. One of the key goals of inclusive education is to adjust tasks and activities so that neurodivergent children can fully participate. However, embracing neurodiversity goes beyond accommodation; it means accepting, celebrating, and supporting neurodivergent children as they are. Their differences are part of natural human variation and do not need to be fixed or changed.
When we talk about multilingualism, we often talk in theories: about language acquisition, critical periods, language input, or cognitive benefits.
But what does it really mean to live across languages, to raise children who call more than one language “home” – or sometimes, none at all?
Discover how language, love, and community help children grow proud of their multilingual identity. Insights from psychiatrist Dimitris Karagiorgas.
Parents who want to raise their children with more than one (or two) languages, often look for ways to make this work. A first step to find answers is to ask the right questions: What language should your child speak? With whom? When? For what reason? Furthermore: Who else in your community speaks your language that
Reading bilingual books can be a powerful tool in fostering multilingualism, maintaining heritage languages and learning new ones. However, it is crucial to approach this activity strategically to maximize the benefits and avoid potential pitfalls. We read these books in a different way depending on the age and proficiency of the reader (or listener). Bilingual
Children of international families, whether they are immigrants, expats etc. are NOT translators or interperters!