My brother and I lived this, to a degree... My dad’s native language is Arabic, my mom’s is English (all of us kids and her were born in the US). We moved to Li

My brother and I lived this, to a degree... My dad’s native language is Arabic, my mom’s is English (all of us kids and her were born in the US). We moved to Libya for a few years when I was almost two and my brother was about two months old. When we came back my brother pretty much only spoke Arabic and I would flip between English and Arabic depending on who I was speaking to and what I was trying to say. Certainly my more advanced language skills were in Arabic. Problem is, when we got back to the states all my family wanted us to speak in Arabic like a pet monkey doing tricks so we just flat refused to speak to anyone but my mom and dad in Arabic. The only time my dad ever spoke to us in Arabic was when he was super pissed and we were in trouble or grandma was on the phone from Libya, in which case it was past our bed time, the line sounded like static through a tin can, and we wanted nothing to do with the strained conversation. Have you tried putting your three year old on an audio only call? My kids don’t want to take part either. My Arabic is at about the level of a four year old now (I’m 35) and my brother has no Arabic at all. Sadly, I’m conversant in Spanish to a degree I never got to in my father’s native tongue. I don’t have the skills to teach my kids Arabic and use it around the house, but since I can for Spanish, my oldest that is entering Kindergarten in the fall has been enrolled in half-day Spanish immersion to go along with the other half in English. I think my multi-language origin helped me excel in Spanish in school, I’ve read it could’ve been a help when I was learning to read and play music– and even if it is all placebo, I cannot fathom a harm in learning other cultures and languages. It’s easily one of the bigger laments of my childhood that I lost the ability to converse in dad’s native language. Facebook and Google translate have helped me keep in touch, and a lot of my cousins know English better than I do Arabic- but still. My Spanish has even helped me be able to guess at Italian and Portuguese during travels, where I otherwise would’ve been somewhat lost. Obviously there’s massive differences, but the ability to pick out a word or two on a sign goes a LONG way when you’re otherwise unable to communicate with those around you. EDIT: I assume there might be a reply to the tune of “why not go try to learn it now”. I’d like to, but I’ve got higher priorities with three kids under 5 and things I’d rather do with my free time. I’ve almost enrolled in a class or two at the communality college and then bailed. I think its fair to say that I lament it more than I really want it back, else I would’ve done it, so I should quit whining about it.