Hello. At first, excuse me for my very poor English. I am Bilingual – Russian and Serbian. For last 10 years I live in Serbia and my stronger language is Serbian, before it was Russian. Of cource, I speak fluently bought of them, using them every day (I am a Russian teacher). I have got a son (3 years) and a daughter (8 months). With my son I have been speaking in Serbian (my wife is Serbian, we live in Serbia, it was much easier). I was teaching to him Russian every day for an hour, for example, listening to songs, watching cartoons etc. He understands when I am speaking Russian, but speaks only few words (come, go, ok, yes, big, boy etc.) I regret that I didn’t teach him Russian as a bilingual, and I have started to speak to my daughter only in Russian (she is 8 month), and now my son is trying to imitate my and to improve his Russian. My question is, should I switch with my son from Serbian to Russian (he will speak in Serbian at first to me, because he knows that I understand, but I hope he will switch in some moment to Russian too), or at first to speak to him in Russian just at home, outside in Serbian, or to speak to bought of my children in Russian all the time, or just at home. I am not sure what the best way is. One parent – one language, I understand, but I have started to my son in Serbian, should it be a problem, knowing (bought of my children) that I am speaking Serbian (with all friends, parents, wife…). Do you have any experience in switching a language in some point?
And at last, I am planning to find English nanny for them in few month from now.
Thank you.