[samokan]

I don't have a child on my own, but I witness the growth of my friends daughter, she is about 5 now and she was 2 when I first met her.

She can understand 3 languages and 1 dialect. Fluent on 2 language; English and Japanese, can understand our local dialect Bisaya and speak a little, and now starting to understand our national language which is Filipino.

At home since both parents can't speak Japanese, they speak to her in Bisaya and English. Since her mother is a teacher in a international kindergaten school, she started going to school at age 1, so she learned both Japanese and English in School.

At home, they live as a normal Filipino family, but since she goes to a Japanese School her mom would still follow some japanese style, specially with the bento preparation and other children stuff, so that she would not be left out. And it works well.

Before she could not switch between languages, so the first language she heard in the morning that would be her language for the whole day. So if she heard Japanese first, she speaks Japanese . If she heard English she speaks English. As she grows older she sometimes mix all languages when she speaks.

I totally agree with you all. Culture should not be forced on the kid, they will bound to hate/dislike it especially if its totally different with what they saw in there sorroundings. What we can do is let them slowly learn , and discover it. If they ask why then explain it properly.