Giving my children the bilingual advantage.

I've been speaking to my children in German and English since they were born. The reasons for this are many. My husband immigrated from Germany and we wanted our children to understand and embrace their roots. Their grandparents don't speak English. These are really important reasons. But beyond this aspect of culture and heritage, is the cognitive advantage bilingualism will give my children.

Being bilingual teaches kids to be more flexible in their thinking
Bilingual kids are familiar with two different sets of grammar rules (even if they don't explicitly understand them). They are used to perceiving more subtle differences and nuances than monolingual children and are found to be more aware of meaning and structure in language since they experience so much more language input. A monolingual child only has to deal with one set of sounds when she's learning to speak. Bilingual kids will eventually have to differentiate when to use a German pronunciation for a word and when an English one is required. All this boils down to a higher level of flexibility and awareness that kids may extend to other areas of their lives (math, logic, etc.).

Bilingual kids can see that the world goes beyond just the United States.
Children who speak more than one language inherently understand that there is a wide variety of people in this world and not everyone speaks English. Their bilingualism may make them feel a bit different at first but many kids soon realize that their knowledge of two languages is something special.

How can I help my children become bilingual?
The best thing you can do is to start as early as possible. An early start helps establish habits you'll be able to carry on as your children grow. If you already speak German (or another language), you have a huge headstart, but it's not an absolute requirement. Many parents decide to learn a language right along with their children. You can create an at-home immersion environment with books, CDs, DVDs in German. If there are other German-speakers in the area, find out about social opportunities, join a German school or join (or start up) a German playgroup.

How do I know that this will work with my child?
Well, it all depends on your own circumstances and the level of immersion you'll be able to provide your child. Children have been growing up with 2 or more languages for thousands of years! It's not a new trend and it doesn't require expensive software or advanced study. If you or a family member is bilingual (or even has some compentance), start conversing in German, reading books, listening to music. Let it grow from there.

Won't learning two languages confuse my child?
Children have an amazing ability to learn languages almost effortlessly. You see it in a language explosion of a monolingual child from ages 2-4. It seems they they learn new words and phrases every day! Some children may mix their languages together for a time and others differentiate from a very early age. Even if a child mixes languages, it doesn't mean that the child is confused. It just means that perhaps he couldn't think of the right word in the target language so he substituted what he did know. For most kids, this sorts itself out on its own. I recently interviewed a mother of bilingual toddlers and she noted that her children have always used the "correct" language when speaking (German with her, English with her husband).

Consistency is key
The most important thing to do is to be consistent with your language usage. If you choose to speak German 100% of the time with your kids, than try as much as possible to stick with that. Some families speak German at home and switch to English when they're out and about. Others speak German at breakfast and then switch to English for the rest of the day. Whatever you can do to ensure regular German input on a consistent basis will help to move your children along the road to a greater knowledge of German.

You won't regret it!
So to help kids think "outside the box" and gain a greater understanding of the world around them, help them to become bilingual. You'll be giving them a lifelong headstart in so many areas while providing connections to the past and other places. It is a great investment of time and energy but I guarantee that you won't regret it.

For more information on bilingual parenting, see 7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child, available from Alphabet Garten.

Announcing a Trip to Germany!

Have you been wishing for a trip to Germany this summer but it's just not in the cards? Well, why not join us instead?

No, this is not a real trip - this is a virtual trip that you take with your kids right in the comfort of your own home on your own time, and for way less than the cost of a plane ticket.

Grab your books and get ready to depart.

Non-native German with Hugo

Sarah interviews Laura Hoyer who is speaking non-native German with her two-year old son, Hugo.

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Sarah: Hi Laura, thanks for taking the time to do an interview with me. So you have a two-year-old, right?

Laura: Yes, he just turned two in March. Hugo.

Sarah: Same age as my Jack pretty much…

Laura: Well, I have to say, I love your website! I don’t know what I would do without it.

Sarah: Really? Oh, fantastic!

Laura: Yeah, because before it, I guess you’d have to order it somewhere else, right? But yet you have it all there, it’s so organized, I love it.

Sarah: Oh, thank you! That’s fantastic. How long have you been a customer?

Laura: For two years. My mom found you actually. I don’t know how – she lives in New Jersey also and I think it was something to do with a New Jersey link or maybe you were in the paper… I don’t know what it was, but she found it, and she did the first order, and then I’ve been addicted ever since.

Sarah: Oh, wow, that’s so cool! Yeah, it’s undergone a lot of changes and we’re working really hard to kind of take it to the next level and really serve, especially people like you who are not native German speakers. I think that’s where we try to bring a lot of value – just to help you make things easy to find books that are going to be great and exciting, and you don’t have to wait for the stuff to come from Germany.

Laura: Exactly. And you give a good description, too, so it’s just easy. Easy shopping.

Sarah: Wow, that’s great to hear.

Laura: Yeah, I love it.

Sarah: That’s what I’m going for.

Laura: You’re doing everything right, so don’t worry.

Sarah: Oh, wow, well thank you. There’s always room for improvement, but thanks! So you said that you speak some German, your mom’s from Germany, is that right?

Laura: Right, so she watches him two or three days a week, and she speaks almost all exclusively German.

Sarah: Oh, that’s fantastic!

Laura: Yeah, so then I do half and half. You know, when I’m tired, I just give up. But my husband, he doesn’t speak any German at all. But I have to say he’s learning so much just from hearing me speak to him, having to read the books to him and everything. So it’s funny – he’s picking up a lot.

Sarah: Wow, that’s cool. So did your mom speak German to you growing up, or like half and half?

Laura: Not really. A little bit, and then, I have a younger brother, and when he came along, she didn’t do anything anymore really. I don’t know why, but yes, she didn’t, so she’s definitely making up with it with Hugo.

Sarah: Well, so how did you learn German then?

Laura: I guess it started with my mom a little bit, and then, in school. And then, even after school, then I joined like a little speaking group and reading group. It was small, there were only about four or five other people in there, so it was great. And I did that all the way up until Hugo was born. So that was the way I got my German exposure. And now that I don’t have that anymore I really notice. It takes a while to learn it, but then it goes away so quick.

Sarah: Right, definitely. Was that like a weekly thing or monthly thing?

Laura: Yeah, once a week. Once a week after work. Yeah, it was really fun. We’d have a bottle of wine, and we’d talk about – it was pretty much a reading group, you know, like a book club, let’s say, but in German.

Sarah: So you tried to conduct the whole thing in German, and you had a book that went along with it.

Laura: Yes. The leader of the group was from Germany. You know, she taught it pretty much as a class, too. She’d correct us during our conversation. I’d like to get back to it again one of these days, but I just don’t have the time now.

Sarah: Right, you’re working a couple of days a week?

Laura: Yes, I try to keep it part time.

Sarah: So how does Hugo respond? Does he answer in German?

Laura: Yes, he does mostly in German, but also in English too. But you can tell he understands it all, even when he answers in English. He definitely understands.

Sarah: Wow, that’s fantastic. What was his first German word?

Laura: “Nein”, of course! (laughing)

Sarah: (laughing) “Nein”

Laura: And it’s still a favorite word …

Sarah: Jack’s favorite word right now is “Wow.” He does that all the time – “Wow” – I guess I must say that a lot.

Laura: Maybe he’s easily impressed. That’s good.

Sarah: Yeah, I guess so. Maybe I’m kind of animated I guess when I’m looking at stuff, little kids are like, I might say that a lot.

Laura: You don’t realize that until they repeat it back to you, right?

Sarah: I definitely heard myself there. It’s all over his speech, it’s so funny.

Laura: They’re little parrots, right? They just repeat everything.

Sarah: One thing that I had done with the older kids too, but I hadn’t done it so much with Jack… If they said something in English, I’d just ask them to repeat it in German.

Laura: Oh, that’s a good idea!

Sarah: If he says, “Look at this!” Then I’ll say, “Ja, sag’ mal – ‘Schaul mal, Mommy’ ” – and then he says it right back to me. He’s in this really receptive parrot stage, so that’s really cool to hear him use the German words and then sometimes he tries to use them again.

Laura: I’ve noticed that too. With Hugo.

Sarah: So why did you want him to speak German? What are your goals, what are you hoping for?

Laura: Well, I really just wanted him to be familiar with another language. Because I feel that then down the road it will be easier for him to learn another language. Plus, I figured it would be nice if he understands and can communicate when we visit our relatives in Germany, you know. And I figure, it’s the best time to get started when they’re young.

Sarah: Absolutely. It’s so much harder when you wait.

Laura: Yes, and it’s really working out.

Sarah: Really?

Laura: I wasn’t sure if it was going to work but I started from the very beginning from when he was a baby and I’d read books to him in German, so I don’t know, so far, so good.

Sarah: So do you speak German with your mom, then, when the three of you are together?

Laura: We try to. So then he hears that too. But it is kind of difficult sometimes, because my German is not so great, I stumble a lot, and I make too many mistakes. And then, like you said, he’s a parrot, he’ll repeat the mistake. Then my mom will come over and say, oh, no, that’s not right.

Sarah: You kind of have to back up a little bit.

Laura: That’s definitely the challenging part, but I’m trying to keep with it, you know.

Sarah: So that’s been your biggest challenge?

Laura: Yes, definitely my biggest challenge.

Sarah: Getting to the same level that you want to be at.

Laura: And then, I’m a little worried – what’s going to happen, you know, in the future, but we shall see.

Sarah: Yeah, well, and if you have your mom, too, then she can keep you on track. He’ll hear from her, too. I’ve heard that if kids have one model of a good accent and proper grammar, then they’ll pick out the mistakes. He might start correcting you in a couple of years.

Laura: I’m sure he will. A little blow to the ego, right? (laughs)

Sarah: Exactly. (laughs) Keeps you humble.

Laura: What about your kids too, are they all at the same level? For their age?

Sarah: Well, we’ve found that as they got older, more and more English is sneaking in.

Laura: I’ve heard that from a lot of people, that it’s hard, because of school.

Sarah: We’re homeschooling too, so I don’t know if that’s helping in some ways, but in other ways, it’s a hindrance. I have to talk to them in English when I’m talking about math, or our curriculum is in English so … I’m actually working to try and find ways that we can start to do more formal German because we’re really lacking in that area right now. We haven’t talked about grammar or spelling or anything like that.

Laura: So you haven’t found a good book for that? For their age group?

Sarah: Um, there are lots of good books, I just haven’t really started using them. I like to just really read real books. Look for whatever we’re interested in, we’re really into nature right now, so we’ve got lots of bug books, bird books, stuff like that. We try to read those kinds of things and pick up that kind of vocabulary.

Laura: And then you hope the grammar follows.

Sarah: Right, exactly. And I think we will probably do formal stuff, maybe starting next year. My eight-year-old will be nine by then.

Laura: That’s probably a good year to start.

Sarah: We’re just trying to formalize it a little bit more. Right now, it’s a little bit less structured than I think I want. Actually we have some new things we’re working on with Alphabet Garten to have more lessons, but with a theme, so kids can learn more. Our next topic is going to be a trip to Germany, so we’re going to have lots of things surrounding that – you know, what would you do if you took a trip to Germany, and looking at maps, and talking about the culture and the customs.

Laura: Oh, that’s really good. That’s also a nice on-going project, too.

Sarah: Right.

Laura: Yeah, that is exciting. I love how you’re doing outdoor stuff because spring is in the air, right?

Sarah: We’re outside all the time, it’s so fun. So, you know, there’s always room for improvement, right?

Laura: True.

Sarah: They do understand quite a bit, and they speak to the two-year-old in German, which is nice. They know that’s what he understands better. So if they really want him to respond, then they’ll say, “Nein, mach das nicht!” I’ve also heard some people, they’ll tell their older kid, when the baby is born, “The baby does not understand English, so you have to speak German to this baby.”

Laura: Oh, I like that!

Sarah: Yeah, then they grow up speaking only German, especially if they have a really strong base, they grow up only speaking German amongst each other. So that’s a useful trick to do.

Laura: I can imagine. There is a little girl in our class who only speaks German. And she hasn’t even really heard much English yet. So she’s really lucky in that way. Because you hear that once they start school or they join activities, then the English comes naturally.

Sarah: Right. Well, you want it to come eventually but you want to postpone it as long as possible

Laura: Yeah, definitely.

Sarah: To get the German a chance to take hold, really.

Laura: I have to say, those books have been so useful. Hugo loves books so I only buy books in German. He gets gifts that are in English, but when I buy them, I only buy in German. And so he relates to characters and he repeats what was read to him, so it helps him, and it actually helps me, too. I mean, it’s improved my vocabulary. For words that I would never even think about using before.

Sarah: Which are his favorite books? What kinds of books do you read?

Laura: Oh, his favorites. He has so many favorites. Recently, I just bought Eins, zwei, drei, Tier – do you remember that one? He loves it, he has it memorized, that’s how much he liked it. So in the car, we go through it, you know, so it’s kind of fun. You know the very first one, Erste Bilder, Erste Wörter book? Right from the beginning, and he still loves it. Because he likes to compare the pictures in the book to real life. And the Mini Lesemaus series – he loves those. Also the Max series, we have a few of those.

Sarah: Let’s see – Max und der Schnuller. Yeah, those are so cute.

Laura: Yeah, they’re very cute. Oh, what’s the one with Jakob?

Sarah: Schlaf gut, Jakob.

Laura: That’s also a favorite. There’s so many, but that’s definitely the top hits.

Sarah: Excellent. So you guys just read those over and over again? Pick up the words from there.

Laura: Yes, it’s just amazing how quick he picks it up. I don’t know, just how he relates to it in real life. But you know what, I haven’t tried the DVDs yet because he just recently pays attention to TV – he never had any interest in it at all. So that’s going to be next on my list, I think. Getting a few DVDs.

Sarah: Now do you have a multi-region DVD player?

Laura: No, but I saw that you did, so I’m thinking I might as well get that one.

Sarah: It’s nice because if they’re going to watch TV eventually anyways, then they might as well watch in German, right?

Laura: Yeah, exactly. Oh, and also, speaking of DVDs, we recently discovered Sesame Street. I got those little Sesame Pixi books that you have.

Sarah: Aren’t they great?

Laura: Yes, those are really good. And he loves them. So yeah, any more Sesame Street, that would be great.

Sarah: There’s like a new Big Bird movie which I’m going to get. There have been some other Sesame Street ones but they went out of print. But there is a full length Big Bird movie. So that one should be coming. [Note: the German Big Bird DVD is now available.] There are a lot of Sesame Street fans out there.

Laura: They’re completely clued in to the kids. The first time he saw it, he was into it.

Sarah: You said that when you were shopping, you love the website. Did you have any hesitations initially about ordering?

Laura: Oh, no, I didn’t at all. But then again, like I said, my mom ordered first. And she passed it on to me.

Laura: When I placed my first order, no, I didn’t. And like I said, it was really easy to find, I went right to the board books, and the age group. And it was easy to scroll through.

Sarah: Did you have a hard time deciding which ones to buy?

Laura: I guess, at first. But now I’m so familiar with it, but it was a little overwhelming at first. And also, what’s really good for a baby? But now that he’s older, it’s definitely easier. But sometimes I glance at the other categories to see what’s ahead.

Sarah: Right, lots of good stuff coming up. Let’s see, now, you said he’s going to German school too, right?

Laura: Yes, on Saturdays. He loves it; they sing, do little dances, and they do crafts. He has a great time. That is also good for me as well. All the other mothers or grandmothers, fathers that are there, most of them are native speakers, so that is great for me to learn too.

Sarah: So you’re getting to use your German there too.

Laura: I think we’re lucky that we have this German school so close.

Sarah: Here’s a good question - do you have any advice for someone starting out – maybe again not a native speaker, a little hesitant about whether or not they can do this with their child – do you have any words of advice?

Laura: I just feel that when they’re so young they’re so receptive, and I feel that even if you don’t have a huge vocabulary or your grammar is not so great that anything you do know you can teach them and they will pick it up. And even if you aren’t, I see with my husband, he reads the books, and he picks things up. So even if you aren’t a native speaker or you’re not that fluent, there are still things for kids to learn.

Sarah: Absolutely. Well, is there anything that we could offer – anything that would be useful to you in terms of helping to either learn more German?

Laura: One thing that’s been good already is the list you put of what to do when you’re disciplining them, that was really good. I picked up some things in there. Anything like that. And I also love the flashcards, just keep on adding to that.

Sarah: Okay, absolutely.

Laura: That was really helpful. Or anything you find that you say a lot during the day.

Sarah: Yes, I like the lists, I need to do more lists.

Laura: The lists are great. Oh, and I told you the Mini Lesemaus is the favorite around here. Have you gotten feedback from anyone else on that series?

Sarah: Yes, everybody loves that one. It’s a total hit. It’s probably one of the favorites, because it’s so sturdy, and you have the words isolated.

Laura: It’s just the right length for their attention span.

Sarah: I think the size of the books is pretty good too.

Laura: Yeah, that’s true. You know, the Sesame Street Pixis, they’re almost too small.

Sarah: Yeah, the Pixis are paperback, a little more destructible. So what about CDs? Have you guys listened to any CDs?

Laura: No, we haven’t actually. You know, I should look on your site and see what you have.

Sarah: Those are so fun, and so easy, because all you have to do is listen. And then you have it on in the car and you listen to it, you know, ten times, and it just sinks into your head.

Laura: That’s great. Well, I hope I gave you enough information.

Sarah: Absolutely. Like I said, I’m so glad you like the site!

Laura: Yes, it’s great.

Sarah: Thank you for your time.

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Bilingual Families Wanted!

We are always looking for new families to interview! Even if you are not a native speaker of German and don't consider yourself to be bilingual, we'd still love to chat. It's quick, painless, and lots of fun! Plus, we'll send you a free book for participating.

If you'd like to be interviewed on our blog, please e-mail me at smueller (at) alphabet-garten.com

Bilingual and glad

The other day we were at the library and my son asked another little boy a question (in English). The little boy stared back at him without responding. The boy's big sister came to his rescue - "He doesn't speak English yet. Just Spanish" But she obviously did. I asked her "But you speak English and Spanish?" She emphatically nodded with a great big smile on her face. She is obviously proud of her bilingualism.

Others may not feel so proud and willing to share their bilingualism.
In the past, many immigrants to this country tried to shed their foreign culture, accent and language and become "American." I have a friend who spoke 4 languages at home (2 Filipino dialects, English and French) up until starting kindergarten. When she was asked to speak to a teacher in Tagalog, she couldn't because that language wasn't spoken in her home. Her teacher took this as disobedience and her parents were called. The end result was that her family stopped speaking their native languages at home in an effort to improve her English and help her fit in. What a shame that they felt pressured to obscure their Filipino heritage.

Being bilingual (or multilingual) shouldn't be something to hide.

Being bilingual says something about who someone is - about where they come from and what they value.
If you try to hide this, you miss out on the whole person. The picture just isn't complete. The shame a child will feel due to hiding his family's heritage will surely turn him away from his roots and make him try to become someone he isn't.

Teach your kids that being bilingual is special.
Tell them about where the family comes from and how these languages came to be in your family. Make sure they understand why you've chosen to teach them two (or more) languages. Did you have relatives in another country? Did the family emigrate at one time? Did someone learn a language in school and decide to make it part of the home? These are fascinating topics for kids and help them see their place in the context of the larger world.

In conclusion
The good news is that my friend still speaks 3 of the 4 languages she grew up. She didn't lose out on that piece of her background. However, she was quite pained when discussing it with me. The little girl at the library shares none of this pain. Make sure your kids value knowing German just as much. The more they love it, the better they will do and the more likely they are to pass it on to the next generation.

How to involve a parent who doesn't speak German

You're having a dream: You're in a room with a bunch of people chattering away in a foreign tongue. They talk to you, make jokes, and are having a wonderful time. They smile and nod at you, and the volume in the room is growing ever louder. All the while, you are feeling more and more left out and baffled as to what they are saying.

Is this a scene from a Kafka novel? Nope - it's what some monolingual parents imagine when they think about their kids growing up speaking German with their bilingual spouses.

One of the most common reasons a family gives up on German as a second language is because one of the parent's doesn't speak it.
Reality usually isn't quite as harsh as our Kafka nightmare, but it can be an obstacle for families where one parent is bilingual and the other is not. The English-only parent (EOP) feels left out and excluded from family conversations, the bilingual parent (BP) is torn between wanting to provide as much German as possible without leaving her spouse out in the cold.

But bilingual family life doesn't have to be all confusion and exclusion for the parent who doesn't speak German. Take a look at these suggestions to help pave the way for linguistic harmony.

1. Create your family's language goals and objectives together.
Probably the most important step, when you discuss your goals regarding German together, it's much easier for the EOP to be supportive and feel involved.

2. Build family traditions together that transcend the language.
If you're consciously integrating German culture into your family activities, this is a great time for the EOP to be involved. You can all enjoy a Laternenzug on Martinstag or give Schultüten on the first day of school. These German traditions can be enjoyed by all and will create a sense of family unity which is not based on language ability.

3. Allow and encourage your children to do some mixing or "code-switching."
Some families like to be very strict about never mixing German and English in the same conversation or sentence. But most bilinguals are very comfortable switching back and forth depending on the context - perhaps your children wouldn't dream of calling a pretzel anything other than a "Bretze" and they do so even in an English sentence, or they throw in some German words when telling their EOP about the German DVD they watched. This is an easy way for the EOP to pick up a few German words and allow the kids to enjoy their ability to pick which language is right for a particular thought. This kind of linguistic play is lots of fun for bilinguals and you can encourage it in your family.

4. Offer the EOP some of our free Parenting auf Deutsch phrase guides.
He can then issue commands in German with confidence!

5. Make sure the EOP has quality time with the kids in his native English.
Encourage him to share songs with them in English, tell jokes, or read stories. They will be sure to treasure these times with him.

6. If you start when the children are small and you use a large amount of German at home, you may find that the EOP learns along with the kids.
Perhaps he gets to the point where he can understand most of a conversation and is able to then respond and participate in English. No more exclusion!

7. Suggest formal learning.
This takes the previous point one step further. If the EOP decides to study German himself, within a few years, he can be close to catching up with the kids. Podcasts like One Minute German and Rosetta Stone software make it possible to study German with a small investment of time daily. Formal study will also impress your children of the commitment the family has made to German - if Dad is taking the time to learn this, I guess it's pretty important!

Why is it important to speak German around an English-only parent (EOP)?
Of course you don't have to speak German even when the EOP is around - many families do just fine switching to English when necessary and back to German when everyone present can understand. However, sticking to German more often has it's advantages - the children will get more exposure which will ultimately lead to more advanced fluency. They may be more accepting of German as they hear more of it.

Be proactive - make sure there are no Kafka-esque scenes in your home.
A little preparation to involve your English-only spouse in the German aspects of your family will pay off - no metamorphosis required.

How to calm a child with Attention by Reading

I was trying to get something done this morning and my two year old was doing everything in his power to be disruptive. He was grabbing books, throwing toys, singing at the top of his lungs and interrupting me every two seconds. Frustration was mounting. I was heating up. I finally decided enough was enough. This situation called for serious Attention by Reading.

He had a big basket full of German boardbooks on the floor. I sat him in my lap and we read. Book after book. He handed them to me one after another, often before I had even finished the one I was reading. As soon as he had my attention, he melted. All the frustrations were gone, leaving just a sweet chubby boy nestled in my lap. The Attention by Reading had done it's job.

What is Attention by Reading?

Attention by Reading is when you give your child your full and undivided attention through sharing a story. You let him pick the book, you let him decide when to move on, you let him set the pace. Disruptive behavior is usually a cry for attention and it usually gets negative attention. When you practice Attention by Reading, you replace the negative with the positive and everyone emerges rested and refreshed.

Why is Attention by Reading so powerful?
You've heard the complaints before. Kids these days are spoiled. They have way too many toys. They don't appreciate all their parents do for them. Yet in our busy lives, the one things kids don't have often enough is our full and undivided attention. In the hectic pace of day to day life, there's always another room to pick up, the race out the door to a soccer practice to race, a bill to be paid. Kids may have lots of things but they often don't receive quiet uninterrupted time with a parent to just be together. In the grand scheme of things, which is more important?

When you drop everything to read with a child, he sees that he is valuable to you.
He knows mom is busy and often rushing around. But if mom stops to be with him, it shows him that he is important to her, at least as important as all the other things on her to-do list. When you let him be in control by picking books and setting the pace, he feels capable and strong. Do your kids know they are as important to you as is serving dinner on time? This is one way to show them.

When you cuddle him in your lap or sit close on the couch, he is immediately calmed. His breathing will relax and he will snuggle in closer. His mind focuses on the story, the pictures, the sound of your voice. All other distractions in the room fade away. As he focuses, he is calmed and his energy is restored to a positive place. The frustrations that were so important to him (and you) a few minutes before are no more. All is well in the universe for a kid who's snuggled up sharing a book with a parent.

Attention is love!
Your child knows it. If you show him you know it, too, you will be greatly rewarded.

Reading with a child is a direct path to build a bond and reconnect with him.
Don't neglect this opportunity! It's free, it's fun, and it's guaranteed to improve the behavior around your house!

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a two year old who needs some more attention. I'm off to find a book.

For job prospects, why not learn a more useful language, like Spanish?

Spanish is often considered the "practical" language for high school and college students. You can easily hear Spanish spoken in most public places these days. People think that since there aren't large visible pockets of German speakers in this country, that German is only good if you're going to travel to Europe.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Look at the numbers.
While there are significantly more Spanish speakers in the U.S. (28 million vs. 1.4 million) Source: Wikipedia, that means that it's that much harder to stand out if Spanish is your only foreign language. Someone learning Spanish will have to compete for jobs with exponentially more native Spanish speakers. In fact someone who's not fluent in Spanish probably has no chance of competing for a job requiring Spanish since there will, by sheer numbers, be so many more native Spanish speakers. You've lost before you've even started.

German speakers, being far fewer in number, have less competition and more opportunity to be noticed.
Think about it - do you want your child to be a small fish in a big (enormous, actually) pond or a bigger fish in a very small pond. Being bilingual in German and English will put your child into a very select group. While I'm not suggesting your children strive for mediocrity, an intermediate level of German may be worth more than advanced mastery of Spanish.

German helps you stand out
In today's tight job market, anything your child can do to stand out from the crowd will enhance his chances of landing a job. Being bilingual in German or even having a lower level of competency, will make him a bit more interesting to a hiring manager. So many people have some kind of connection to Europe and the German language - they spent some time in the military there, they have a German relative in the family, or they vacationed on the Rhein. It makes for a great ice-breaker and can help open doors for your job-hunting child.

Think that there are no opportunities to use German on the job?
Think again.

Let's look at some more numbers.
Germany has the third largest economy in the world and as of 2007 was the world's largest importer and exporter despite the strength of the Euro. German companies employ 700,000 people in the United States and American companies account for roughly the same number of jobs in Germany. German companies are spread throughout the world and being able to speak German will give your child a significant advantage with these companies.

World view not U.S. view
If you've spent time studying the language and German culture with your child, he will be able to better relate to colleagues who are not American. A common complaint in other countries is that Americans are insensitive to other cultures; hopefully growing up bilingual will help your child be aware of and avoid this American-centric attitude.

Studying German says that your child has put in extra effort and rejected the standard choice.
There is a common perception that learning German is harder (it's not necessarily) and therefore it may convey a higher level of status than Spanish. People may automatically think your child is smarter just because he's bilingual in German and English! Isn't it nice to get credit for things you're already doing?

German in the travel and hospitality industries
German companies generally give 6 or more weeks of vacation, plus holidays. It seems like my German friends are always on vacation! Germans put this vacation time to good use. The Goethe Institute reports that 3 out of 4 German vacations are taken abroad. You may already know this if you have been to a popular German tourist destination - Miami, New York, the Grand Canyon. German tourists are everywhere!

What this means is that all manner of businesses in the travel and hotel industries have a need for German speakers. Hotels, airlines, cruise ships, tourist destinations, und, und, und...

Science and Research
German is the second most commonly used scientific language and the third largest contributor to research and development. German will serve those in scientific fields very well.

Don't pick German just for the career opportunities.
When you choose German as your family's second language, there are so many other wonderful options that open up - travel, study of the culture, great literature. If you focus only on a future job prospect, you'll miss so much of the good stuff along the way. It's the study of the culture that makes the language truly come alive.

My personal path to study German was based exactly on this kind of objective analysis.
As I was preparing to enter college, my uncle pulled me aside and said a few words that would change the course of my life. "If you want to study business, you should study either German or Japanese as your foreign language." My uncle was a successful businessman and I took him very seriously. At the time I was too intimidated to attempt Japanese so German it was. And what a fateful choice! Nineteen years later I am making my living based on my knowledge of German. Who knew this one piece of advice would influence my life so greatly?

Where will German take your family?
Whether your children are small and just beginning to speak or you have teenagers preparing to leave the nest, it's never too soon or too late to carefully plan for the future. The choice of German for me was a pivotal one. Who knows where it will lead you and your children.