Teaching your child mother tongue is not a taboo 

Sitting across each other, two adults had a conversation in Luganda. They laughed and talked for a while. Then the mother turned to the baby in the small seat next to her chair and gave them something to eat, while speaking to the baby in English. 

Intentionally looking away, I quickly reminded myself that it was none of my business, but it disturbed me that the parents of the child did not think it worthwhile to speak to their child in the vernacular.  A couple of days later, watching from my balcony, I could see another father having a conversation with his toddler son. He spoke to him in Luo the whole time and the boy appeared to understand everything. I was jealous. I almost wished I could reverse time and be as intentional about this seemingly small but crucial detail of raising children.

It is said that children have the ability to learn multiple languages at a very young age. In fact, when we were growing up, we could speak different languages with our neighbours. Back then everyone almost spoke their mother tongue with ease and we ended up learning each other’s languages. We spoke Luganda, Rutooro, Acholi and Itesot. 
Today, many parents across the board in Uganda have this unwritten rule that children can only be spoken to in English. Even the market woman, whose English is as profound as that of the Chinese speaking Greek, speaks to their baby in English. 
It appears speaking to children in a local language is a taboo. Some argue that English is the standard language of choice in school and, therefore, parents need to help children learn it.

It is important to note that our local languages are rich, authentic and satisfying.  It is so heart-warming to have an ongoing conversation with a child, who is fluent in their local language even as they excel in English, French and or Spanish.
The ability to understand, think and reason across multiple languages, allows for a richer and deeper development of the child. A child who is denied the opportunity to learn, think, reason and communicate in their mother and father tongue, has been denied the multiplier effect of appreciating life from many angles. 

Our language is our primary place of communication. May God help us to expose our children to different learning opportunities. May we speak our languages with sincere appreciation and pass on these same skills to our offspring. May they be allowed to walk in spaces bigger and greater than our own because we have deliberately and consistently guided them to seek more and do better with every resource available.