Kids

Raising Bilingual Kids: How To Balance Filipino and English at Home

by Kevyn Gohu
August 20, 2025

Here are some bilingual parenting tips to make sure kids learn both English and Filipino

Let’s face it: teaching both English and Filipino is hard. The grammar rules are different, verb conjugations are confusing, and with Artificial Intelligence, it’s truly just so tempting to shortcut everything! But parenting in the Philippines insists that kids grow up at least bilingual.

However, how can we get anything done if we don’t speak the language? Sure, English is how we write AI prompts or speak to other people on social media. But in the Philippines, the language spoken is Filipino. Whether Tagalog, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, or many others, people rarely use English unless they’re in the city.

And if we’re planning a trip in the Philippines, we might as well learn how to speak both Filipino and English. Here are ways parents can balance teaching English and Filipino to the kids:

Here are some bilingual parenting tips to make sure kids learn both English and Filipino

1. Encourage the household help to speak to the kids in Filipino

While most household help will try to speak English, encourage them also to speak in Filipino, especially when the kids ask something from them. Simple requests like “Paki akyat yung tray” and many others are some of the ways kids pick up the language.

2. Bringing them to places where Filipino is the dominant language

Places like wet markets, car mechanic shops, and even street bazaars are where most kids learn Filipino. They don’t just learn the language; they also learn how to talk to people. We’re always worried that our kids aren’t street smart; exposing our kids to those places is where to start.

3. Correct them by parroting the sentence back with the correct syntax

Naturally, like anyone learning the language, they will mess up grammar and verb tenses. But instead of calling them out for it, slowly repeat the sentence back to them. Start the statement with, “Do you mean…?” and then phrase it properly back. Once they say it, show why that sentence is the proper way to say it.

4. Create language zones

When the kids are in school, usually, they’re already practicing English. Plus, with all the YouTube they watch, it’s no surprise. So, it’s up to us parents to ensure they know a word or two in Filipino.

But it doesn’t have to be something like “for the next 24 hours, speak only Filipino.” We can start small like during meal times, grocery runs, or even bedtime stories.

5. Celebrate Cultural Occasions

The Philippines is a fiesta-loving culture, so it’s not hard to find something worth celebrating. Go beyond the typical festivals in the Araling Panlipunan textbooks; attend a palabuniyan (an orchestra composed of local instruments) concert, watch Arnis fighters practice their moves (or join them if they’re willing), or maybe attend a bazaar that showcases Filipino artistry.

Filipinos are always willing to be busy for celebrations!

No language is more important than any other

Many will argue that English is more widely used, and that’s fair. We see it in social media, the cartoons they watch, and even the books they read. Filipino, as far as many of us are concerned, functionally only works in the Philippines.

However, it’s as the saying goes, “When in Rome, do as the Romeos do.” When we travel to other countries, we teach ourselves just enough of the local language to survive. And since we live in the Philippines, maybe we can learn more than just enough to survive.

Because once we learn the language, maybe we’ll understand why we feel so disconnected from our fellow Filipino families. It’s a new lens; a different story for each family who have their way of communicating and interacting with the world.