Aside from the obvious economic benefits of knowing more than one language, bilingualism is cognitively advantageous. Apparently, being truly bilingual, having "full command" of two languages, can set off dementia in elderly persons by four to five years, and bilinguals perform better than monolinguals at certain tasks that require mindful engagement.
I am already aware that bilingualism has tremendous perks, as I have taken a few classes that covered research in bilingualism and second language acquisition. However, news like this is important to emphasize, as there are still many people, even educators and such, who mistakenly think that raising children as bilingual will result in their having confusion and linguistic deficits. Janet Werker, a psychologist who studies LA at the University of British Columbia, dispels this myth: "'Growing up bilingual is just as natural as growing up monolingual,' said Werker, whose own research indicates babies of bilingual mothers can distinguish between languages even hours after birth. 'There is absolutely no evidence that bilingual acquisition leads to confusion, and there is no evidence that bilingual acquisition leads to delay,' she said."
Parents who have the advantage of being bilingual should not hesitate to adopt language planning that will ensure that their children too will be bilingual.
