Kofi & Marijke
From: 🇬🇭 Ghana + 🇳🇱 Netherlands
Ages: 33 & 35
Languages Spoken: Twi, Dutch, English
Current Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Child: Nia, age 4
Story: Trilingual household. Nia speaks Dutch at daycare, Twi with Dad, and English with Grandma. Singing is their bonding language.
Can you describe your family’s language background?
Kofi grew up in Ghana speaking Twi at home and English at school. Marijke is Dutch and speaks only Dutch natively but learned English while studying abroad. Our family now juggles all three languages daily.
Which languages are you using, how and where, and how did you decide on that mix?
Twi is spoken with Kofi and his family, Dutch is used in daycare and with Marijke’s side of the family, and English is our common language at home and the one Nia uses with her grandma (Kofi’s mum, who lives with us). We didn’t plan it rigidly—it just evolved with who speaks what.
Why is teaching those languages important for you?
Language is identity. We don’t want Nia to grow up knowing just one part of her heritage. Each language connects her to a different world—school, family, culture, and future.
When did you first decide to raise your child bilingually?
As soon as we found out we were expecting. We knew we’d be a multilingual household, and we wanted to be intentional about making it feel normal from the start.
Did you follow a specific strategy (e.g. OPOL, ML@H), or did it evolve naturally?
It’s closest to OPOL. Kofi always speaks Twi with Nia, Marijke speaks Dutch, and English slips in naturally as the language we all use together. It’s a bit of a rotating model more than strict strategy.
What were your biggest concerns at the beginning — and how did those play out over time?
We worried about language confusion or delayed speech. But that was based on myths. She’s actually super verbal. Sometimes she mixes words, but she understands context well.
What helped you stay consistent in using both languages? What’s your routine?
Singing has been our anchor. Each language has its own songs. We sing Twi lullabies, Dutch nursery rhymes, and English songs together. It makes language joyful and routine.
Has your approach changed as your child got older?
A bit—we’ve introduced more reading in each language. Twi books are harder to find, so we sometimes translate on the fly. She’s starting to ask more questions about where words come from.
How do you handle resistance or when your child favours one language?
She went through a Dutch-only phase after starting daycare. We didn’t force her to switch—just kept exposing her to the other languages through play and songs. It passed quickly.
Have you experienced any moments of breakthrough or pride in their language development?
Yes—she once translated a Twi proverb into Dutch for her nursery teacher. It blew us away. She got the meaning, not just the words.
What role has extended family, or your community played in supporting (or challenging) your goals?
Our families have been great. Kofi’s mum speaks Twi and English, and Marijke’s parents try to learn a few Twi words just to show interest. That encouragement matters.
Got a funny or unexpected story from your bilingual journey? We’d love to hear it.
Nia once made up her own “language” combining words from all three. She told us she speaks “Twenchutch” and insists it’s only for talking to her toys. We let her run with it.
Have you ever felt pressure (internal or external) about your bilingual goals?
Yes—mostly from Dutch people who think speaking Dutch “should be enough.” But we remind ourselves that our home life is bigger than just one culture.
Do you feel like your child connects emotionally or culturally to both languages?
Absolutely. When we video call family in Ghana, she lights up and uses Twi naturally. But she’s also very attached to Dutch food, songs, and books. She belongs to both worlds.
What’s been the most unexpected challenge?
Finding books and media in Twi for her age group. English and Dutch are easy to access, but Twi resources often need to be homemade or adapted.
What has surprised you most in a positive way?
How naturally she code-switches. She’ll use one language with one person, then switch mid-sentence when someone else enters the room. It’s seamless and impressive.
What technology or other resources do you use to support language learning?
YouTube has been helpful for Twi and Dutch kids’ songs. We use subtitles in English and Dutch on TV. Also, language flashcard apps help us reinforce vocabulary.
Have schooling or childcare settings helped or hindered the process?
Mostly helped—her daycare teachers are supportive and aware of her multilingual background. They even added her favourite Twi song to circle time once!
If you could do one thing differently, what would it be?
Start recording family stories in Twi sooner. Kofi’s mum has so many traditional tales, and we’re just now realising how valuable it is to capture those for Nia.
What advice would you give to other parents just starting out?
Don’t panic if it feels messy. Trilingual life isn’t always tidy, but it’s worth it. Let your child see the joy in each language. Celebrate the small wins, like saying “thank you” in all three.