Bilingual toys and cartoons  

Why should your husband object? Exposing your child to other languages early increases the chances that they will be able to pick up languages easier later in life, and being bilingual can only help, so where is the problem? My four year old can count to 10, say hello, and many other things in three languages (english spanish and french).

It can be annoying because where I live we have a large spanish community so the stores carry a TON of bilingual toys. I wanted to get my daughter a few specific toys but the only ones I could find had english and spanish and I would prefer that she only learn english right now as both me and her daddy only speak english and she is having trouble speaking ANYTHING. I dont want her to be confused between the two languages. Also, I am not a fan of Dora the explorer and she is EVERYWHERE. I wanted to get my daughter a tricycle and the only ones they had were dora. At every store I looked at dora is taking over the shelves. I wish we had more diversity in toy characters.

I think the toys and shows are great, personally. I love Dora and Diego, and remember when Diego was first introduced to the show. We've been learning about Spanish for as long as I can remember, for they teach it on Sesame Street, too. Maria has always been on there, at least as long as I've been watching it, and I'm 28. I personally want my kids to have the opportunity to learn something new, and have the chance that many didn't when I was younger. I know how to speak German, English, and Spanish, and some American Sign Language. My kids have more opportunities for learning thins than I did, and I'm going to take every advantage of that.

I like bilingual toys and my son likes them, too. He's fond of Diego. I also have my son watch Spanish shows on TV. He's 15 months and at a stage where he copies various sounds and say a few words. I think it's good to expose him to different languages now cause he picks up quickly. My husband and I are both trilingual, so I don't think it would be difficult for my son to learn a few languages. Knowing different languages may come in handy for him in the future.

I don't mind, but that's probably because we are a bilingual family. I don't see any harm in 'teaching' or at least exposing them to another language. I think all it i'll do is help them in the future - if that's what you, and your dh choose to do.

My little one LOVES Diego. He likes Dora, too. And there's a Disney show (Handy Manny, I think?) that he watches occasionally where the main characters are bilingual.

I really don't see any problem at all with him learning Spanish, too. My husband doesn't know Spanish at all. I just know a little. I would love for my son to learn it, though.

When he was little, he had one of those play gyms that counted to ten and said hello and good bye in 5 different languages I think. Of course he was too little to talk then.

Now he's talking pretty well. He repeats a few Spanish words, but mostly just English. It is sometimes confusing when he says something in Spanish, though. Especially if we aren't watching the show right when he says it.