Have you and your spouse decided to raise your kids to speak Chinese and English? Being bilingual is an asset in today’s ever-enclosing world. While English is as alive as ever, it is easier to communicate with people from other cultures than ever before. Thus, knowing another language other than English will be beneficial. Chinese is also projected as the international business language, and having your kids know how to interact in Chinese when they become working adults will truly be an.

One half of this educational endeavor lies on the children. The kids will be the ones to learn Chinese in an English-speaking environment. The other half for the success of this goal lies on you, dear parent. You are the language coach that also holds the crucial role of the success. You may or may not decide to learn Chinese along with your children, but you will be the one arranging for all the Chinese English materials and lessons. You will also be monitoring if this is continuously sustained.

Some parents are thinking twice about having their kids learn Chinese when they themselves do not understand a word of it. In many language researches, it has been seen that parents who do not speak the language can still encourage their children to learn it. Eventually, the children are still able to learn a second language. Other parents then decide to study it as well, in "defense". But other parents do not, and that is fine as well.

What commitments are expected from the parents who decide to have the children learn both Chinese and English? What should parents do?

Naomi Steiner, author of "7 Steps to Raising a Bilingual Child" offers the following points for parents who decide to commit to their children to speak Chinese and English:

Taking Charge towards Chinese and English

As you lead your kids toward speaking Chinese and English, your task is to both be the planner and coach. It may sound scary, but then again, I am pretty sure you are doing this in the other aspects of your child’s life already.

You will plan and implement the Chinese English program for your child. As the leader in this endeavor you will have to pledge your commitment for your child to learn both languages. You will also have to clarify to your child that this is an important continuous learning process. You will then take charge to acquire the necessary Chinese English learning materials suited for your child. You will have to monitor that these materials are being used suitably.

You will also have to arrange for lessons, and other occasions for your child to be exposed to Chinese. If you or your partner speak Chinese, it is a good time to agree on who will speak Chinese to the child, and who will speak English. The One-parent-one-language strategy (or each parent will always, as in 100% of the time, speak only one language to the child) has been proven as an excellent strategy for kids to become bilingual because there are set boundaries on when or with whom to use the language.

Furthermore as you monitor your child is progressing in learning Chinese and English, it is also your duty to arrange for the next level of Chinese English materials and instruction for your child.

There will also be a lot to learn for parents. It is nice to learn more about bilingualism, about Chinese culture, about learning tools, about motivating children, how children learn and other useful information, so parents can plan better and encourage the kids better. Maybe this extra set of information will help make learning Chinese a little more enjoyable, a little easier, so learning for parents is also a good thing.

I guess a big challenge is also in the implementation. What does one do when the child is feeling unmotivated to learn Chinese or to do that one lesson? It is a big part of a parent’s life, to be "creative" in coaxing our kids to do things that will benefit them in the long run, all according to the family’s set of values, of course.

Yes, it may seem like too much, but taking a day at a time, and some planning may help your child to become a fluent Chinese English speaker in the future. By then, you will think that all your patience will pay off, as another language opens more opportunities for your child that other single-language kids do not have.