Parent to Parent

What is your best "success story" or proudest moment as a parent of a bilingual child?

One moment that stands out is when our daughter was about 18 months old. I was showing her images in a picture book. On one page there was a car and a rabbit. I pointed to the car asked her (in English) what is was. She said "car." Then I said, "and what is the other one" (meaning the rabbit) and she said, "voiture" (French for car). I was astounded that even at 18 months she was aware that there are two words for everything. 
— Mother of bilingual 4 1/2-year old and 3-year old (French)

It is amazing to see her switch languages according to who she is talking to. Also, one time she said "au revoir" to a man on the street. When she realized he didn't know what she said, she then said "good bye."
— Mother of trilingual 2-year old (French and Spanish)

When we go to France and I see her function, interact with other people in French.
— Mother of bilingual 5-year old (French)

My daughter has a set of Spanish children's songs which she can sing and recite perfectly and her Spanish-speaking grandmother has her sing the songs over the phone to visitors in their house. They are thrilled that she is learning Spanish since they speak very little English.
— Mother of bilingual 2 1/2-year old (Spanish)

When I hear them having a conversation in Portuguese with others.
— Father of bilingual 2 1/2-year old twins (Portuguese)

Our son was able to speak Mandarin in sentences at age 2 after spending 3 weeks with his grandparents. Prior to that, he had never spoken any Chinese words.
— Mother of bilingual 15-year old and 13-year old (Chinese)

I was so happy that he decided to take French all through middle and high school and continue in college.
— Mother of bilingual adult child (French)

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