Raising a child in a multilingual environment is a journey full of challenges and rewards. As a Japanese resident in Korea, married to a Korean, the tapestry of language in our household is as rich and intricate as the cultural heritage we share. With our twin babies reaching the tender age of 10 months, the dance of languages has begun, and every day we take deliberate steps to ensure they grow up fluent in both Japanese and Korean.
The key to success in this linguistic endeavor lies in consistency and exposure. Each language serves as a bridge to a grandparent, a story, and a part of themselves. We adopt the ‘one parent, one language’ approach, where I speak exclusively in Japanese to the twins, while my wife envelopes them in the warm sounds of Korean. This strategy allows the babies to associate each language with a specific parent, providing a clear context for language use.
But it’s not just about speaking. It’s about immersing them in the subtleties of each culture. We fill their environment with books, music, and videos in both languages. Our bookshelves are a colorful display of Japanese folktales and Korean picture books, creating a visual and tactile experience of language learning.
Family time is also a linguistic adventure. Meal times are opportunities to taste the language, as we name the dishes in both languages, from ‘sushi’ to ‘kimchi’, making each bite a learning opportunity. We celebrate festivals of both cultures, from Japan’s ‘Tanabata’ to Korea’s ‘Chuseok’, each festivity a chance to weave in new words and expressions into their expanding vocabulary.
We also leverage technology, with educational apps and games in both languages. But nothing replaces the human touch, the coos, and laughter, the repetition of nursery rhymes, and the patience of explaining the world in two tongues.
The journey of raising bilingual babies is not without its hurdles. There are moments of linguistic jumble, mixed sentences, and the occasional preference for one language over the other. Yet, these are not setbacks but rather signs of a cognitive process bustling with growth and integration.
As we watch our babies babble in a melody of Japanese and Korean, we are filled with hope and anticipation. We are not just teaching them languages; we are giving them worlds, keys to unlock their heritage, and the freedom to express their future selves with the full richness of their dual identity.
The art of multilingual parenting is not simply a methodical process but a daily practice of love, patience, and vision. We are painting their minds with words, and with each word, we draw them closer to understanding their unique place in the world. It’s a masterpiece in progress, one that promises to tell a story of unity, diversity, and the boundless potential of the human spirit.
Atsushi's Life in Korea 