My Child Is Losing Yoruba! What Am I Doing Wrong? | Raising Bilingual Children

Your child understands Yoruba when you speak—but struggles to answer in Yoruba. Sound familiar? Many African parents raising children outside Nigeria experience this. English dominates school, friendships and entertainment, so children may understand Yoruba but struggle to speak it confidently. In this Ọ̀rọ̀ Pẹ̀lú Temmy episode, we discuss practical ways to keep Yoruba alive at home without embarrassing or pressuring children: everyday Yoruba conversations, encouragement when they make mistakes, and connecting them with grandparents and family. 💬 Parents: Does your child understand your native language but answer in English? What are you doing to encourage them? Èrò tèmi rèé. Kí ni èrò tiyín? This is my perspective. What’s yours? Hashtags #OroPeluTemmy #YorubaLanguage #YorubaParents