I have a confession.
My son left home for college about two months ago, and my daughter went off to college last year. I didn’t know what to expect after they were both gone, how I would feel about everything once I was sitting in an “empty nest.” I mean, I was really happy that my bilingual journey with them was so successful, that even though they only attended Japanese schools, I was able to nurture their English ability to the point where they could study in English when they became university students.
Finally, they’re getting the kind of academic experience in the minority language that can stretch their ability—and especially, their literacy—to the highest levels.
That’s all good, of course. But it’s also true that I devoted so much of myself to my kids over the past 20 years that when my time with them at home came to an end, it was very disorienting for me. I felt kind of depressed, to be honest. I had no direction for my work anymore, and I had no motivation to continue doing it.
It seemed like the end of my personal journey with my kids would also mean the end of my professional work in this field.
So I started to think that it was time to “retire,” and do something different. Everything has a season, you know. Nothing lasts forever, anyway. And I’m okay with that.
But something happened recently that convinced me to keep going, for at least a while longer.
You see, about 18 months ago I was invited to take part in a conference on bilingualism in Spain. Then, 18 months later, after my kids had both left home, I traveled to San Sebastián for this three-day colloquium, which was organized by a group called HaBilNet (the Harmonious Bilingualism Network).
Now, before I made this trip, I was thinking that the conference would basically be my farewell from the field; that after I returned to Japan, I would move in some sort of new direction for the next chapter of my life. I wouldn’t just close my websites and social media, or stop accepting new coaching clients or responding to requests for advice, but I wouldn’t be very proactive anymore.
But what happened at the conference was really surprising and moving for me. The people at this gathering—there were about 80 people or so—were mainly academics and researchers in the field of bilingualism, from all parts of the world, including some of the very top people in the field, like the organizers Annick De Houwer and Lourdes Ortega. (And if you don’t know them, I highly recommend their work!)
Now I’m not really an academic or a researcher—I’m a longtime teacher of bilingual children, a parent to two bilingual kids of own, and a source of support for other parents around the world through a range of grassroots activities over the years. So I come to this from a very practical, very hands-on perspective. But at the same time, I’ve read a lot of research about child bilingualism and language development, and I try to base my own efforts on solid research studies, like those pursued by the participants at this conference.
I was thrilled, then, when people came up to me, saying that they had read my books and sharing their positive reactions.
Annick and Lourdes also praised my books to the whole group, pointing to them as examples of how research in this field can be shared with parents in a way that has a practical impact out in the world.
They even brought two copies of Maximize Your Child’s Bilingual Ability and staged a little giveaway.
As a result, I realized that my work is actually appreciated more widely than I had imagined. And that if I continue, for at least a while longer, I can still help parents experience greater success and greater joy on their bilingual or multilingual journey with their children.
To me, and to parents everywhere, this aim is a profoundly important part of our lives, and I feel honored that I can help them realize one of their most consequential dreams for their children. The opportunity to have such a meaningful impact on families in this way, worldwide, is deeply gratifying.
So I’m happy to report that I’m feeling some fresh energy for this work again! I can’t promise that I’ll now return to being as active as I once was (I’m getting older, you know!), but I do have a new direction, a new goal: I want to write one more book. I want to bring together the best of everything I’ve gained over the past nearly 30 years, culminating in the most practical and most powerful book for parents that I can create.
Please wish me luck! (I expect I’ll need it!) 
