Q about infants and language

[Solideliquid]

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There is a little debate going on in my little family. We are going to have a child soon (2-3 yrs), I want the child to be exposed to english only. While my wife wants the child to learn english, and russian.

So here's the question, is it overload for parents to introduce two or more languages to the developing infant? Should we focus on one language, and let him/her decide to pick up other languages in high school?


Thanks!

 

[BayesianDoc]

The earlier the better.

 

[DrMom]

There is a little debate going on in my little family. We are going to have a child soon (2-3 yrs), I want the child to be exposed to english only. While my wife wants the child to learn english, and russian.

So here's the question, is it overload for parents to introduce two or more languages to the developing infant? Should we focus on one language, and let him/her decide to pick up other languages in high school?


Thanks!

Small children consistently exposed to multiple languages (ie: from a parent regularly using the language at home) can easily become fluent in both. Their brains are at a stage where language is picked up easily, and this innate ability is lost before middle school age. (obviously people learn foreign languages after that, but it isn't as natural a process at later points) I can't think of any reason not to offer this to your children if you or your wife are fluent in Russian. Yes, small kids will mingle the language a bit, but once they're older they can completely separate the two.


And I just saw that this is a duplicate thread. I'm closing this one...people can feel free to contribute to the open one in Psych (which currently has many more responses)