Raising Children Across Cultures

The Kita day you don't see with a Language Development Teacher

In this episode, I’m joined by Luisa, a kindergarten and language development teacher working in a bilingual Kita in Berlin. We talk about the questions many parents carry but rarely get answered. Luisa opens a window into everyday Kita life: what children experience there, how language develops naturally throughout the day, and why a group setting can feel so different from home. We talk about: – what a Kita day really looks like from the inside – how language development shows up at different ages – what’s normal variation and what might be a red flag – how teachers support children who want to speak but don’t have the words yet – why routines, repetition, and emotional safety matter so much – how bilingual children experience Kita differently This episode is for parents who feel unsure, overwhelmed, or simply curious about what’s happening behind the Kita door and how to support their child without pressure. A calm, honest conversation for parents who want clarity, not fear.

Early Signs of Speech & Language Challenges (Q&A with Simge)

After our last episode on bilingualism myths, we received many parent questions — so we’re answering them in two big themes: What we cover * How to help your child keep the minority language to stay connected with grandparents and family abroad * The “magic formula” for minority language: purpose, culture/people, emotion * What to do when a child refuses to speak the minority language (passive bilingualism) * How to create language habits without pressure (bedtime routines, songs, role play, interests-led play) * Common speech & language topics seen in children (e.g., developmental language disorder, speech sound disorders, stuttering, childhood apraxia of speech) * Late talker vs. red flags: what parents can watch for * Milestones parents often ask about

Language, Home, and the Feeling of Being Seen

In this episode of Parents Like Us, I talk with Beatriz Pastallé — educator, workshop facilitator, and community builder supporting multilingual families in Berlin and beyond. We speak about home language and why it is not something children need to “outgrow,” but something that shapes their identity, emotional safety, and confidence. Beatriz shares deep insights from her work with families, teachers, and schools, including why children from multilingual homes don’t feel “half-half” — they feel German — and how educators become powerful role models of belonging. This conversation is for parents and educators navigating multilingual childhood, and for anyone who believes language is more than words — it’s home.

Raising Children Across Cultures

n this episode, we talk with Iuliia, a researcher, anthropologist, and parent living in Berlin, about raising children between languages, cultures, and identities. From growing up in a small village in a Buddhist republic in Russia to building a life in Berlin, Iuliia shares reflections on multilingual parenting, cultural heritage, and how language carries values, memory, and belonging. We explore confidence, empathy, and listening as essential skills for children growing up in multicultural families — and why this journey is shared, complex, and deeply human.

Finding Home: A Conversation About Languages and Belonging

Mara, Chief Product Officer in Berlin and a mom, shares her deeply personal journey from her family’s history of migration to feeling at home in Berlin. We talk about: • the complex relationship between immigration, identity and languages• why “home” can be a place, but also a feeling• what it means to raise children between cultures• the quiet wish to “wear the German suit” and feel grounded This episode is a gentle, honest reflection on belonging — the kind that so many immigrant parents carry quietly in their hearts.