Why Your Bilingual Toddler Isn't Talking Back in Spanish (And Why That's Completely Normal)
By Palabra Garden
You’ve been at this for weeks. You say “agua” at every meal. You sing “Los Pollitos Dicen” at bedtime. You label every dog as “perro” on your walks. And your toddler just stares at you, says “water” in English, and moves on with their life.
It’s frustrating. It’s discouraging. And it’s the number one reason parents quit bilingual learning before it has a chance to work.
What this post covers
- What the Silent Period Actually Is
- Signs the Spanish Is Working (Even Without Speech)
- How Long Until They Actually Speak Spanish?
- What Actually Slows Bilingual Production Down
- What Not to Do During the Silent Period
- When to Actually Be Concerned
- The Breakthrough Is Coming
This post is being migrated from the previous site. The full version originally appeared on palabragarden.com.