Raising a multilingual child in Australia - top 8 parenting tips for bilingual families

I’m from Bulgaria, my partner is from Spain, and we have been living in Australia for the past 15 years. Our daughter is growing up surrounded by three cultures and three languages, all at once.

When she was born, I kept asking myself the same questions over and over again. What would be in her mind? What would live in her heart? Would she feel connected to where we come from? Would she understand our traditions, our food, our values, and the emotional connection we still carry?

Questions stayed with me. Would she be able to speak to her grandparents? Would she later in life have an identity crisis? 

There was a lot of fear in the beginning. If you are part of a multilingual family, you probably understand that feeling. It is not just about language, it is about identity, belonging, and connection.

At first, it felt overwhelming, like we were trying to hold onto something fragile. But over time, I realised something important. It is not just about teaching a language. It is about the experiences we create around it.

Children remember what they live, the fun and joyful moment, not just what we tell them. The places they visit, the people they meet, the food they taste, and the traditions they experience shape what stays in their hearts.

Yes, it was hard. Every time I spoke to her, English would naturally come first. It would have been easier to switch. But I stayed focused and kept reminding myself of what I value from my own childhood and how it shaped me. That helped me stay consistent.

Now, almost five years later, what once felt uncertain feels possible. It feels like a marathon we are still running, but we are doing it.

These are the things that made the biggest difference for us:

1. One parent, one language
I have always spoken to my daughter in Bulgarian, and my partner has always spoken to her in Spanish. We stay consistent and do not switch, even when it would be easier.

2. Books only in our native languages
We almost never read books to her in English. I always bring Bulgarian books from home, and my partner does the same with Spanish books. Even when we borrow English books, we translate and read them in our own languages at the moment.

3. Time in our home countries
Every year, we travel back to Bulgaria and Spain and stay for at least three weeks in each place. Yes, it takes all of our annual leave, but it gives our daughter real experiences, real connections, and lasting memories.

Ideally, we try to plan our trips around cultural events, a Birthday or traditional celebrations.

We’ve noticed that after just one week, she completely switches to Bulgarian/Spanish and even begins picking up new vocabulary.

4. Food 
We regularly cook meals from our home countries. Our daughter loves jamón and eats yoghurt with almost every meal, like a true mix of Spanish and Bulgarian culture. Food carries identity, memory, and belonging. Sometimes we also buy typical products from our home country from local shops.

5. Community 
About once a month, we meet with friends from our home countries who may or may not have children. We organise movie nights, gatherings, and celebrate together. Yes, sometimes the kids switch to English, but we gently guide them back. It is normal to find it easier because they speak English every day with their friends in the kindergarten. 

6. Traditions
We celebrate traditions from both cultures. For example, for Easter, we bake traditional Bulgarian sweet bread together with Bulgarian friends and we colour chicken eggs. It is messy to do that with a few kids, sometimes chaotic, but meaningful. At the same time, Spanish weekend paellas at our home turn into long, shared lunches with many friends gathered together. And we adding more tables outside in the garden so we can all fit.

7. Music
Some days our home sounds like Spain, other days like Bulgaria…Our daughter moves between both so naturally, singing, dancing, feeling it all. And in those moments, you can really feel it - the music isn’t just sound, it shapes the atmosphere of our home and keeps both cultures alive in the most joyful way

8. Dance
We have traditional Bulgarian clothing, and our daughter has a flamenco dress. Now that she is almost five, we sometimes watch flamenco performances and she practices dancing. The same happens with Bulgarian traditional dances. Through movement, culture becomes alive in such a fun way.

Looking back, this journey started with fear and uncertainty. It felt like a heavy question with no clear answer. But now I can say it is possible.