Read: Raising Bilingual Children

There are many reasons to raise a child to be bilingual or multilingual. Some parents do so because their native language, or that of their family, is not the mainstream language spoken where they live. Other parents want their children to be connected to their culture. Others still simply want their child to have more opportunities or to reap the benefits that come with speaking more than one language.

Whatever the reason may be, there are many misconceptions about raising children to be bilingual or multilingual. Among others, these misconceptions include worries about delaying development or not introducing a second language soon enough. The research says differently, though—and after all, 43% of the world’s population is bilingual.

This article from Psychology Today addresses some of the biggest myths to ease the minds of parents raising bilingual children. It also highlights the benefits of bilingualism or multilingualism, as well as the best way to expose your child to another language.