5 Ways to Expose your baby to Spanish before he is born
There is no other feeling in the world that would make you feel happy, anxious, rejoice and panic, all at the same time, than the excitement of the arrival of your first baby. You are getting ready for your baby’s much-expected arrival. The day when you can finally hold your baby in your arms is getting closer than you think.
Your belly is growing and you start to develop a bond with that little person you will meet in the upcoming months. It is then when you start talking more and more to him or her. This is the time where you can start exposing your baby to the language. If you start immersing them in Spanish from the get-go, it will just be a natural process they won’t show resistance later on.
According to the experts, the first window of opportunity to expose babies to multiple languages is during their first year of life, or better yet, when they are still in the womb. Babies should be exposed through rich interactions to the two languages at home. In this way, their brains can absorb all the sounds and retain them by the time they turn a year old and this window starts to close.
The Bilingual Baby Project–a study presented by researchers of the University of Washington and the University of Texas at San Antonio, concluded that the earlier we start exposing babies to a second language, the more flexible their bilingual brains will be. The more they can identify and separate the sounds of the different languages they are exposed to. This study gives us great insight. It is the first study to measure brain activity in the first year of age and relate it directly to language learning in babies exposed to both English and Spanish at home.
Knowing this, I have listed 5 strategies bilingual families can implement when raising a completely fluent bilingual kid. It is a commitment and takes a real conscious effort and discipline. These are relatively simple ways to boost the baby’s language exposure even before they are born:
1. Talk, talk talk!
Talking to your baby in the womb and as a newborn is one of the best ways to bond with him. He’s getting used to your loving voice sound and it gives him comfort. Talk to your baby all the time in Spanish, or your second language, even if you think he has no idea what you are saying; If you or your partner speak Spanish, make sure that you speak it to him a lot. Talk about anything, sing, read, put on some music. What’s important is that he’s absorbing the sounds of the language and recognizing them from you.
2. Choose a method early on.
The strategy or approach parents adopt to raise their child bilingually is fundamental to creating a rich and consistent environment to learn a second or multiple languages. As a family, decide early on which methods to raise a bilingual child you will use in your home: Minority Language at Home, One Parent, One Language (OPOL), or Time and Place. Once you decide, stick to it to create familiarity and consistency in the baby’s environment. For example, if the mom will be “The Spanish” speaker, she will always be “the Spanish” speaker.
3. It takes a village.
Just as it takes a village to raise a kid, period. It also takes a village to go through this bilingual journey. It is important to find support from any members of your family, friends, and community. Identify who can also provide the necessary language exposure to your child. In my personal experience, my mother, who only speaks Spanish, has been such a blessing to have. Make sure your family is on board on this bilingual mission and have them become your bilingual accomplices.
4. Commit to your decision.
Committing to the bilingual journey requires a real passion and determination to follow through. Be sure of what your reasons are and let that passion filter through your daily actions. Ensure a fun and immersive bilingual home environment for your baby. It might get harder along the way, especially when kids start to show resistance to it. Just hink about it. They have no idea of the gift you are giving them. The incredible ways this gift will manifest as benefits later on in their lives. But now the best part is they can’t even complain or argue against it yet.
5. Stock up on resources.
Spanish-language books, toys, music, and games. If you’re going to have a baby shower or just starting to plan your registry, make sure you also include some books, music, and toys in Spanish to start building your immersive and fun collection.
