Raising Bilingual Kids in France

Interview with Caitlin Dawes, Neuropsychologist

At the Paris Psychology Centre, we often see parents wondering how to help their children thrive in more than one language. We asked neuropsychologist Caitlin Dawes, who works extensively with bilingual and multilingual families, what parents should know.

What’s the best way to support both languages?

The most important thing is consistency and connection. Speak to your child in the language you’re most comfortable in – that’s how emotional nuance and vocabulary grow. If both parents speak different languages, the “one person, one language” approach often works well. And make sure both languages are present in the child’s environment – books, playdates and everyday life.

A lot of parents worry that learning two languages at once will confuse their child. Is that true?

Not at all. Children’s brains are incredibly flexible. While bilingual kids might mix words at first, they quickly learn to separate languages depending on the context. In fact, research shows that growing up bilingual can strengthen executive functioning – skills like attention, flexibility and problem solving.

What about kids who seem slower to speak when they’re bilingual?

Some bilingual kids may take a little longer to reach certain milestones, but this usually balances out by school age. What matters is steady progress in either language, not comparing them to monolingual norms.

"Remember that bilingualism is a gift – it connects your child to their culture and family. "

My child refuses to speak one of their languages — should I insist? This happens often, especially when one language feels less “useful” in their environment. Instead of pushing, create reasons for that language to matter – like visiting relatives, watching shows, or having a weekly “French night” at home. Pressure can backfire, while curiosity and connection work better.

We mix languages at home — is that a problem? No. Code-switching is natural and even beneficial. Over time, children learn which words belong where. If you’d like to encourage clearer boundaries, you can gently restate their sentence in one language: “Yes, the chien is very cute — it's a very cute dog.”

My child is starting school in a new language — how can I make that easier?

Expect a short “silent period” where they listen more than they speak. That’s completely normal. Support them with stories and songs in the school language at home, and reassure them that understanding comes before speaking. Confidence always leads language development. Will bilingual kids learn to read more slowly? Sometimes reading develops a little differently – not necessarily slower, but in a more complex way. A bilingual child is learning two sets of sound–symbol rules, so they might take a bit longer to become fully fluent readers in both languages. But that’s not a sign of difficulty; it’s just more input to process. Once they’ve cracked the code in one language, it often transfers across. Parents can help by reading daily in both languages – even short stories – and talking about what’s happening in the book. It’s that conversation around reading, not just the words on the page, that strengthens comprehension and vocabulary.

Any advice for parents feeling pressure to choose one language over another?

Remember that bilingualism is a gift – it connects your child to their culture and family. Even if one language dominates for a while, it’s never too late to reinforce the other. The goal isn’t to achieve perfection in both languages, but to feel comfortable in your skin in both worlds.

We’re worried about learning difficulties – how do we know what’s normal in bilingual kids?

A genuine language delay will show up in both languages, not just one. If you're unsure, speak about it with your paediatrician. They may suggest an assessment with a speech pathologist or psychologist to determine if extra support for language development is needed.