*This is a work of non-fiction sourced from social media and verified experts/specialists.*
Multicultural children are usually exposed to more than one language at home since childhood, benefiting their career, character, and society. It can also improve their memory and brain functions. However, some parents might feel left out if their partner and children converse in a foreign language.
A Reddit user shares a similar problem she is facing on the social media platform. The author seeks advice regarding teaching her child her native language against her boyfriend's wishes.
"I'll feel left out"
The author, a 21-year-old woman, shares that she and her boyfriend dated for three years and have a 13-month-old son now. A few months ago, their son said his first words, and the author felt it was the right time to introduce him to Polish, her native language. But things didn't go as planned. She wrote:
"When my boyfriend saw me saying Polish words to him, he said that I should stop. I asked him why, and he said it would be unfair if we could communicate with each other in a language he couldn't understand. He even said Polish wasn't a useful language to learn, like Spanish or French."
The author continued talking to their son in Polish, and she feels guilty doing it, "But I do want to share my first language with my child. I also feel hurt that he (boyfriend) doesn't care about my language."
What do you think? Should the author stop talking to her son in Polish? Or should she speak to her boyfriend about her wish to share her first language with their son?