Hola Hola,
Dove nests. Invisible learning. Bilingual babies.
Let’s talk 💛
Omg, I have to share the sweetest story. I know, I know, you probably thought it was something bad, I would've too.
A dove built a nest in one of our shrubs. I wasn't sure if she had eggs until I accidentally scared her and saw two tiny nestlings (yes, I learned the term too 😂)
Then I noticed another dove hanging around the steps nearby the shrub. The guarded and skeptical Latina in me immediately thought… predator, se los quiere comer. Porque let's be real, a veces pensamos lo peor, right?
Before I scared him away I decided to look it up after mija rolled her eyes 🙄 and said, "Ma, I bet that's the husband."
It turns out, she was right!
Apparently, both parents share responsibilities (muy modernos btw, lol). The male brings nesting materials and both take turns caring for the eggs and babies.
And I stood there thinking…
You can't always see what's happening from the outside.
From a distance it looked like nothing. Like he was just hanging around. But he was showing up consistently, doing his part, even when it wasn't obvious.
💛 Sound familiar?
This is exactly what's happening with your bilingual child right now.
When your little one understands Spanish but answers you in English…
When you speak consistently but don't hear it back…
When you wonder, is any of this even working?
It is.
Just like that dove, your child is doing invisible work behind the scenes:
- Connecting meaning to words
- Recognizing sounds and patterns
- Understanding routines and phrases
- Building confidence before speaking
Just because it's quiet doesn't mean it's empty.
Sometimes the biggest growth happens where we can't easily see it yet.
That's exactly what I talk about in this week's podcast episode.
I share a moment that stopped me in my tracks, when my then 4 year old mijita, said "Señor, ¿puedo pasar?" to a construction worker because she knew he only spoke Spanish.
I had no idea how much she had been absorbing.
LISTEN NOW
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One mindset shift for this week:
Instead of asking: "Why aren't they speaking yet?"
Try asking: "What might they already be learning that I can't see yet?"
That question changes everything.
Quick question for you:
Have you ever had a moment where you realized your child was absorbing more than you thought or are you questioning their progress right now? Why?
Hit reply and tell me, I read every response 💛 Sin pena!
Before you go, if you want to feel clear on what actually matters during this stage, grab my free Bilingual Baby Quickstart Guide. It walks you through what to focus on and what to stop stressing about.
And if you want to go even deeper, I'm hosting a LIVE workshop on May 14th:
SAVE MY SPOT!
I would love to see you there amiga...err or amigo.
Muchas bendiciones.
Con cariño,
Janny Perez
Founder at Mi Legasi
