You know those days when you’re doing everything at once? You’re cutting grapes in half, stepping over toy cars, reheating the same cup of coffee for the third time, and suddenly your brain hits you with a completely random thought: “Should my kid be learning another language?” And then immediately after comes, “But how? I don’t even speak it.”

It’s the kind of thought that shows up out of nowhere, right in the middle of everyday chaos. The kind that makes you pause for a second and wonder if you’re missing something, or if you’re supposed to magically become bilingual overnight just to be a good parent. And if you’ve ever felt that pressure, you’re not alone.

A parent recently asked me, “Can I teach my child Spanish even if I don’t speak a word of it?” I knew exactly what I wanted to say. Because yes, kids can learn a language their parents don’t speak. And it doesn’t require a degree, fluency, or a stack of textbooks. It just requires you. Your presence. Your effort. Your willingness to let language become part of your home, even if you’re learning right alongside your child.

Alright. Enough talking. Let’s dive right in.

Meet Adriana Zoder, And Why Her Story Changed Everything for Me

Before we go any further, I want to introduce you to the woman who inspired this entire blog post.

Her name is Adriana Zoder. She is a TEDx speaker, a homeschool mom, a polyglot, and the creator of Homeschool Ways, a blog filled with practical ideas, helpful resources, and honest stories from her years of raising and teaching her children at home. I recently had the chance to be interviewed by her. What started as a simple conversation about my first bilingual style children’s book turned into something much deeper. As we talked, she opened my eyes to something that many parents forget.

👉🏽You do not need to grow up bilingual to become multilingual.
👉🏽And you do not need to be bilingual to raise a bilingual child.

From everything Adriana shares publicly, she did not grow up in a home where multiple languages were spoken. She learned her languages through curiosity, consistency, and the environments she placed herself in. Today, she is fluent in Romanian, English, French, and Swedish. She also has a strong working grasp of Italian, Spanish, German, and Latin. All learned through school, immersion, and everyday exposure rather than a bilingual childhood.

And when she said in her TEDx talk, “The more languages you know, the farther you will go,” something in me paused. Her story reminded me of my own life too. My parents do not speak English. I learned English by being immersed in it here in the United States, by being surrounded by it at school, at work and in everyday life. I taught myself through the environment I was in, through stories, movies, subtitles and the simple necessity of needing to communicate. But that is a story for another day.

The important part is this. Both of us learned languages our parents did not speak. And if adults can do that through exposure and everyday life, then children can absolutely do the same, even when the parent does not speak the language yet.

Her story is living proof that you do not need to speak the language first, you do not need a bilingual home, and you definitely do not need a perfect method. Children can learn a second language even if the parent is learning right alongside them.

If you want to explore Adriana’s work, she has many helpful articles on multilingual learning, homeschooling and raising bilingual children, including:

• • Homeschooling and Multilingualism
  • 7 Ways Modern Technology Helps Me Raise Multilingual Children
    
  • Foreign Language Learning Archive
    
  • How Adriana learned multiple languages despite limited resources (TEDx Talk)
    

And if you want to watch the conversation she and I had about my own bilingual book journey, you can find it here:

How to Teach a Foreign Language in Your Homeschool with Bilingual Books

Now that you have met her, let’s break down the question that brought us here in the first place.

How can you teach your child a language you do not speak?

Let’s get into it.

What Adriana’s Story Teaches Parents (Even If You Don’t Speak the Language)

Listening to Adriana talk about how she learned her languages made something in me relax. She didn’t grow up with parents who could guide her through new vocabulary or correct her pronunciation. She learned by living inside the language, not by being taught it perfectly. And that is exactly what our kids need too.

Here are the biggest lessons her story gives to parents who don’t speak the language yet.

1. Kids Don’t Need a Perfect Teacher. They Need Exposure.

Adriana didn’t learn new languages because someone drilled flashcards or explained grammar every day. She learned by:

• listening
  
• watching
• repeating
  
• guessing
  
• immersing herself
  
• and being brave enough to try
  

And children are even better at this than adults. A parent who does not speak the language can still create exposure through:

1. videos
   
2. songs
   
3. bilingual books
   
4. audiobooks
   
5. online tutors
   
6. and native speakers in their community
   

You do not have to teach the language.
You just have to bring it into your child’s world.

2. You Can Borrow Someone Else’s Voice

This is one of the biggest takeaways. You do not need to know Spanish, French, Mandarin or any other language to introduce it to your child. You can use:

• YouTube tutorials
• cartoons in that language
• bilingual or multilingual read-alouds
• music playlists
• children’s audio stories
• language apps made for kids

Your home can become bilingual even if you aren’t.

3. Children Learn in Moments, Not Lessons

Kids do not become bilingual because someone gives them a twenty minute lecture. They learn because:

• they hear the same song each morning
• they watch one cartoon in a different language
• they listen to stories with mixed vocabulary
• they repeat simple phrases
• they hear “agua” or “bonjour” during regular routines

4. Kids Don’t Get Confused. They Get Curious.

One of the sweetest parts of Adriana’s talk is how her kids naturally mixed Romanian, French and English in funny little ways.

Children pull pieces from different languages, create their own connections, play with words, and build meaning through repetition.

✅This is not confusion.
✅This is how the brain grows a new language.

So when your child says something like, “Mommy, is it agua time?” or “Is this leche for my cereal?” that is not a mistake. That is bilingual development in action.

5. You Do Not Need to Be Fluent. You Just Need to Be Consistent.

Adriana explains that languages are a ten thousand hour skill. Meaning your child does not need an expert level parent.

They simply need regular exposure, even if it is only ten or fifteen minutes a day. You can learn a little. Your child can learn a lot. And you both grow together.

My Story: Proof That Kids Can Learn a Language Even If Their Parents Don’t Speak It

I want to pause for a moment and tell you something personal. Something that might give you a little peace.

Because while Adriana’s story shows what adults can accomplish, my story shows what kids are capable of too.

I grew up in a Spanish-speaking home. None of my parents spoke English. Not a single word. When I came to the United States, I didn’t come knowing the language either. I arrived with my dad and my siblings, and all of us stepped into a world where we couldn’t understand anything around us.

School didn’t teach me English. ESL classes existed, but they weren’t enough for me to actually learn how to speak. So I had to teach myself in any way I could. I learned through the environment, through survival, through curiosity, and through every little moment where I was forced to pay attention.

I learned because I watched movies in English and turned on English subtitles. I listened, repeated, guessed, and tried again. I used the little I knew in real conversations, even when I didn’t feel confident. I paid attention to how people spoke. I practiced without even realizing I was practicing.

I never sat down with grammar books or dictionaries. I didn’t study conjugations. I simply lived inside the language until one day it finally belonged to me.

And that is what I want every parent reading this to understand.

Kids don’t need you to be fluent. They don’t need perfect explanations. They don’t need translations for every word. Children don’t learn languages the way adults do. They learn through sound, repetition, emotion, connection, everyday moments, and pure curiosity.

If I was able to learn English this way, imagine what your child can absorb now, with all the resources available today: videos, songs, bilingual books, audiobooks, mixed-language stories, kid-friendly apps, and tools created just for them.

How to Teach a Language You Don’t Speak

(Yes, This Actually Works)**

This is the part every parent wants to know. How do you teach your child Spanish, French, Italian, Mandarin or any other language when you don’t even know how to say “hello” in it?

These are the most effective ways to introduce a new language even if you do not speak it.

1. Start With Bilingual or Mixed Language Books

This is the easiest and most natural starting point. Look for books that:

1. mix both languages in the same sentence
   
2. use short and simple vocabulary
   
3. repeat words naturally
   
4. feel like a story, not a lesson
   

Stories like this help children learn new words through context, which is exactly how kids learn. This is the same method I use in my Coco-Nuts books, where small sprinkles of Spanish are woven into English so parents can read confidently even as beginners.

2. Use Cartoons and Shows in the Target Language

Kids absorb languages quickly when they are having fun. Choose shows that:

1. are fully in the language
   
2. have simple storylines
   
3. repeat common words
   

You do not need to understand the show. Your child will naturally catch on through tone, repetition and visuals. A few minutes a day makes a big difference.

3. Add Music. Kids Remember Words Through Songs.

Songs build rhythm, pronunciation, memory and vocabulary. Play music during breakfast, car rides or bedtime. Even if you do not know what they are saying, your child is learning.

4. Borrow Native Voices

This is one of the strongest strategies for parents who do not speak the language. You can use:

1. YouTube tutors
   
2. bilingual read aloud
   
3. audiobooks
   
4. children’s story time videos
   

Search for phrases like “Spanish for kids,” “French story time,” or “Mandarin children’s songs.” These creators become the teacher. You simply press play.

5. Label Your Home With Simple Words

This is an easy and powerful tool. Label everyday items such as:

door → puerta
milk → leche
water → agua
bed → cama
book → libro

Each time you see the label, say the word out loud. You will learn alongside your child without even noticing.

6. Use Daily Routines to Introduce Words

Make language part of ordinary moments like eating, bathing, bedtime, play and getting dressed. One word at a time is enough.

Examples:

“Let’s get your zapatos, your shoes.”
“Do you want more agua?”
“Time for la cama, bedtime.”

7. Use Apps Like Duolingo Kids

You do not need to become fluent, but learning alongside your child helps you feel more confident. Use apps to learn basic words, pronunciation and short phrases, then sprinkle those words into your day.

8. Do Not Stress About Mixing Languages

Kids will switch back and forth:

“Mommy, can I have agua?”
“This is my leche.”
“I want mas.”

This is not confusion. This is bilingual development. As Adriana says, kids learn languages the same way they learn life: through immersion, curiosity and repetition.

9. Keep It Light, Fun and Familiar

Language grows faster when kids are relaxed, interested and enjoying themselves. Do not make it “school.” Make it part of your home.

One song.
One word.
One story.
One small moment at a time.

That is all it takes.

Why My Books Use Spanglish Sprinkles (And Why This Helps Parents Who Don’t Speak the Language)

I want to pause for a moment and explain something important. It is something that can make bilingual learning feel so much easier, especially if you do not speak the language yourself.

When I first started writing children’s books, I knew I did not want them to feel like textbooks. I did not want kids to see Spanish on one side and English on the other and feel like they were sitting in a classroom. Kids learn through stories, rhythm and connection.

So instead of separating the languages, I mixed them.

A little English.
A sprinkle of Spanish.
A natural flow that feels like everyday conversation.

Children understand new words through context. They pick them up almost instantly when the language is woven into sentences they already know. That is why Spanglish style storytelling works so well, especially for beginners.

And here is the best part for parents. You do not need to speak Spanish to read a story that includes Spanish words. You do not need to translate. You do not need to pause. You do not need to be fluent. You simply read the story, and the story does the teaching.

This is exactly why I designed the Coco-Nuts Holiday Collection the way I did. The stories are mostly English with simple beginner friendly Spanish words mixed in gently. The rhythm is kid friendly. The vocabulary repeats naturally. Nothing feels overwhelming.

My goal was simple. Make the language feel familiar, not foreign. Fun, not stressful.

If you are reading this blog later, I might have already published more bilingual or Spanglish style children’s books using the same method. You can always check my newest releases in my store.

But the heart behind them stays the same. Language learning should feel natural and gentle so that any parent can do it, even the ones who do not speak a single word yet.

A Real-Life Example: How a Parent Can Teach a Language They Don’t Speak

Let me paint a picture for you, because sometimes it helps to see what this actually looks like in real life.

Imagine a parent who only speaks English. No Spanish background. No bilingual childhood. No lessons. Just a parent who wants to give their child more opportunities.

Here is what that parent can do, and what so many parents are already doing.

1. They pick up a bilingual or Spanglish style book.

They sit down at bedtime, open the book and read every word as written. The child hears English, which feels familiar, and Spanish woven in naturally. The parent is not teaching the language. The story is.

2. They start saying one or two Spanish words a day.

Just one word is enough to begin.

agua
hola
gracias
leche
zapatos

That tiny moment becomes a seed.

3. They turn on a Spanish song during breakfast.

The parent may not understand the lyrics, but the child is learning rhythm, sound and pronunciation.

4. They let their child watch one cartoon fully in Spanish.

The parent does not need to understand anything. Kids absorb languages unbelievably fast through visuals, repetition and tone. What matters is consistent exposure.

5. They learn right alongside their child.

Maybe they look up one new word each week. Maybe they repeat the words from the book. Maybe they try the pronunciation even if it is not perfect. Kids never care about accents. 

Soon, something beautiful happens. The parent learns a little. The child learns even faster.
And the home becomes just a bit more bilingual each day.

6. They create a home where the language lives, even if they do not speak it.

Learning becomes part of life. And suddenly, a parent who never spoke the language at all has a child who understands it.

A Message for the Parent Reading This (You’re Doing Better Than You Think)

Before we wrap up, I want to speak directly to you, the parent reading this.

Because if you have made it this far, this is not just about teaching your child a new language. It is about wanting to give them more.

👏🏽More connection
👏🏽More opportunities.
👏🏽More doors to walk through as they grow.

And I want you to hear this clearly. You do not need to be fluent to raise a child who is. You do not need perfect pronunciation. You do not need to roll your R’s. You do not need to feel embarrassed because you are learning alongside your child.

Kids do not care how you sound. Kids care that you show up.

Adriana told me something I will never forget.
“The days are long, but the years are short.”

And she is right. These tiny, ordinary moments are the ones that shape our children the most. These are the moments your child will remember. Not how well you spoke the language, but how you made it part of their world.

So please let go of the pressure. Let go of the fear. Let go of the idea that you need to know it all first. You are guiding your child into something beautiful, something that will stay with them for the rest of their life. And that makes you a great parent.

Helpful Links, Resources and What to Explore Next

If you are ready to bring a new language into your home in a gentle, natural way, here are some resources to explore at your own pace. These are not meant to overwhelm you. They are simply tools you can reach for whenever you need help or inspiration.

Adriana Zoder’s Resources

For deeper insight into language learning and homeschooling

• Homeschooling and Multilingualism
• 7 Ways Modern Technology Helps Me Raise Multilingual Children
  
• Foreign Language Learning Archive
  
• How Adriana learned multiple languages despite limited resources (TEDx Talk)

These links help you understand the why behind bilingual learning and the possibilities it opens for your child.

If you want to hear how my first bilingual style book came to life, you can watch my interview with Adriana here:

How to Teach a Foreign Language in Your Homeschool with Bilingual Books

It is a beautiful conversation about culture, creativity, parenting and why giving kids access to two languages matters so much.

Bilingual and Spanglish Resources for Parents

Perfect for parents who are beginners themselves.

• Bilingual children’s books, including my Coco-Nuts collection
• YouTube channels with Spanish lessons for kids
  
• Spotify playlists with Spanish songs for toddlers
  
• Apps like Duolingo Kids
  
• Beginner-friendly Spanish story read-alouds
  

Mix and match whatever feels natural for your home.

With consistency and your presence, you can absolutely raise a bilingual child, even if you do not speak the language at all. You got this!