I Didn't Realize Raising a Bilingual Kid Meant Re-Learning My Own Language.

Somewhere along the way, I assumed that because Mandarin was my mother tongue, it would just... stay. That I'd always have it, the way I have my height or my birthday.

Then I had a kid, and I found out that's not how it works. Raising a bilingual child in a predominantly English-speaking world didn't just mean teaching him Mandarin. It meant showing up for my own.

Here are five ways I keep doing that.

• Listen: Bailingguo 百靈果 Podcast

  One of Taiwan's most popular podcasts, hosted by two comedians who make every episode feel like coffee with old friends.

  My favorite is their 婴儿限定 parenting series, where they talk about everything from the cost of raising kids to same-sex parenting.

• Watch: The Dodo Men 嘟嘟人 on YouTube

  Hosted by two Taiwanese Americans who left their corporate jobs to become full-time creators, the channel is all about stepping outside your comfort zone.

  I especially love their 隨機帶外國人回台灣 series, where they approach strangers overseas and invite them to Taiwan on the spot to experience its culture, food, and hospitality.

• Read: Graphic Novels in Mandarin

  Every time I visit Singapore, I ship a stack of Mandarin graphic novels from Taobao to my sister's place so I can bring them back to New York. Reading a full novel in Mandarin still takes real effort for me — but graphic novels are so much more approachable.

  Bonus: read the title in both English and Mandarin, and see how each language tells the same story a little differently.

• Speak: Weekly Conversation Classes

  Mandarin may be my mother tongue, but living in the US means I don't get many chances to actually converse with other native speakers.

  I love that my iTalki lessons are online, one-on-one, and completely tailored to my goals. There are plenty of tutors to choose from at very affordable rates, and after just a few classes, I already noticed a real boost in both my confidence and fluency.

• Create: 小脑袋，大问题 Children's Podcast

  I started this podcast for kids like my son — children growing up in a predominantly English-speaking environment who still belong, just as fully, in Mandarin. What I didn't expect was how much the process would end up doing for me.

  Researching, scripting, recording, and editing every episode has sharpened my own Mandarin in ways I didn't anticipate. Turns out the fastest way to regain fluency is simply to use it.
  

I want to raise my son in a language-rich home. And I want to model something for him, too: that learning doesn't come with an expiration date. Not for him, and not for me.

This is part of an ongoing series on bilingual parenting. Read more on Instagram: @xiaonaodaipodcast.