I Love You? By Alejandra Schmidt

Like I do on most afternoons, I was playing with my daughter. I don’t remember if we were putting a puzzle together or if I was tickling her until she couldn’t stand it any longer. We were having a really great time. And then it happened — this daughter of Chileans, born in this country, came over to me, gave me an unforgettable hug and said, “I love you.” But we only speak Spanish at home, I thought to myself. How is it that this sentence, the most basic yet most profound, was said in English? Have I not been telling her “te quiero” even before she was born?

I discovered soon after that “I love You” came from a Barney song she sang over and over again at school, hugs included. At that moment I understood how permeable yet firm my “we only speak Spanish at home” rule had to be.

Our children have been placed in an English-speaking world, some more than others. At the same time they belong to families who express their feelings and thoughts in Spanish. It is important to speak Spanish at home to ensure our children speak our language, know where they come from, and have pride in their heritage. But we should not close the doors on the outside world; we need to help integrate, understand, and blend the two worlds. Our children are so fortunate to have the opportunity to speak, think, and function in two worlds. What a bright future lays ahead for our bilingual children!

After hugging my daughter back, I looked deep into her eyes, and with my heart ready burst, I told her I loved her, too…in English!