Raising bilingual children - Not so easy after all!

Today, I flew to Berlin with my daughter and was once again truly happy: Happy that our bilingual upbringing has been successful. Even the day before our departure, my four-year-old automatically started speaking German with me—not as perfectly as in French and with a slight accent, but incredibly sweet and remarkably articulate. However, it wasn’t always like this. For a long time, I thought I had failed in this regard. From the beginning, I did speak German with her, but not consistently enough. In everyday life, with a French father and three half-siblings who only speak French at home, it was simply challenging.

Research shows that bilingual children often develop better cognitive flexibility and problem-solving skills, as they regularly switch between different language systems. These skills are immensely beneficial in a globally connected world where multilingualism is increasingly important. Naturally, as a mother, one wants to provide the best for their child and offer them a promising future, especially when the conditions for it are practically laid out on a silver platter.

But German moments only occurred when we were alone, and even then, I often forgot about it. My daughter always understood everything, but for years she consistently responded only in French. At some point, I thought I had failed. However, I am glad that I continued, even though I didn't have much hope left. Last year, when we spent a week longer than usual in Germany during the summer, the linguistic barrier suddenly broke. The first sentences followed quite quickly. And even after our return to France, this progress continued, so that after 2-3 weeks, she simply spoke in German!

I was so astonished at how much she had absorbed over the years. And now, suddenly, it all came pouring out. I am so glad that I didn't let myself get discouraged and kept at it. Today, my daughter comes to Germany and feels comfortable here. You can tell that she feels at home here as well.

Language is a central aspect of identity. The longstanding friendship and cooperation between France and Germany, which is crucial for peace in Europe and has been strengthened by numerous cultural exchange programs and political agreements, is founded on linguistic understanding. I am so glad that my daughter can be part of this development and build her identity in the context of this significant relationship.

I can only encourage anyone who tries bilingual upbringing to keep at it. Whether you invest a lot or a little, and even if you sometimes have doubts and want to give up—I believe that it will always be worth it in the end.