So my son literally texted me from school asking if I could help him with his Spanish homework. His actual words were “Dad can you help me tonight with my Spanish stuff?” My son. The same kid who like eight months ago literally said “Spanish is stupid and I’m never using it.” And now he’s texting me from class asking for homework help. I had to read it three times. I showed my wife and she didn’t even look up from her phone. She was just like, “Yeah that’s what happens when the teaching is actually good.” She’d been saying this whole time that online Spanish classes for kids would work and I kept telling her she was being unrealistic about it.
My wife’s sister moved to Mexico City like five years ago and she’s always sending videos of my nephew speaking Spanish like it’s nothing. Every family call my sister-in-law would like put him on camera speaking Spanish and my wife would get this weird look on her face like she was missing something. One day my wife was like, “The kids should learn Spanish.” I literally laughed. I was like, “We live in Ohio. Why would they need Spanish?” She didn’t find that funny. She brought it up like every week after that. She’d be like, “Have you thought about online Spanish classes for kids?” And I’d be like, “No because it’s not happening.”
Then one day I came home and she was like, “I signed them up for online Spanish classes for kids at Berliner’s Institute.” Just like casually dropped that bomb. I was pissed honestly. I was like, “You did what without asking me?” She was like, “You kept saying no so I just did it.” We had like a whole argument about the money. When she told me the cost I was genuinely mad. But she’d already paid so I couldn’t really do anything about it.
My oldest was furious when he found out. He was like, “I’m not doing Spanish.” He said it with like actual anger. My middle kid didn’t really care one way or the other. She was like, “Okay I guess.” My youngest asked if they’d play games and when my wife said maybe he seemed okay with it.
The First Lesson Was Painful
My oldest literally would not participate. He sat there with his arms crossed just like staring at the wall. The instructor Sofia was trying to talk to him and he was just like looking away. She’d ask him a question and he’d just shrug or like barely mumble something. I could hear the whole thing from the other room and I was like thinking, “I told her this wouldn’t work. He hates this.”
My middle child seemed confused about what was even happening. She didn’t understand why she had to talk. She kept asking Sofia if she could just listen instead. Sofia was trying to explain but my kid was clearly annoyed about the whole setup.
My youngest got bored pretty fast. He wanted to know when they’d do like actual games. Sofia said they’d do fun stuff but first they had to learn some basics. He looked disappointed.
After they were all done I told my wife, “I told you this wouldn’t work. He’s going to refuse to do it next week.” My wife was like, “Just give it three weeks.” I was like, “Three weeks isn’t going to change anything.” But she was insistent and I wasn’t going to start another argument about it.
Week Three and Everything Changed
My oldest came down and mentioned that Sofia had like asked him about his soccer team. He didn’t make a big deal about it but he seemed less annoyed than before. He didn’t complain when I reminded him about his next lesson which honestly shocked me.
My middle child started like actually talking about what happened in her lesson. She said Sofia had made it like a guessing game where they were describing things in Spanish and then trying to figure out what people were saying. She seemed more engaged. She was like asking me when her next lesson was.
My youngest wanted to know if Sofia was going to teach him that Spanish song she’d mentioned. He actually remembered from the first lesson and was looking forward to it. He went to his lesson without complaining.
I realized that Sofia was like actually paying attention to who each of my kids was. She wasn’t just like robotically teaching Spanish. She seemed to know their personalities and was like adjusting what she was doing based on that. That’s actually pretty rare with teachers.
Around Month Two They Were Legitimately Speaking Spanish
My oldest was like having actual conversations with Sofia. Not perfect or anything but he was understanding what she said and responding with real sentences. He wasn’t just like memorizing phrases. He was actually trying to communicate.
My middle child could understand basic stuff Sofia said and like ask questions back. She was genuinely proud of herself for understanding things. That was nice to see because she’s usually pretty hard on herself.
My youngest knew like tons of Spanish words at that point. He could count. He could name colors. He could describe things. He sang that Spanish song Sofia taught him constantly. Like nonstop. We were all kind of sick of hearing it but he was obsessed with it.
My wife wasn’t making them study at home or anything. Sofia had told her straight up not to turn it into homework at home. Just let it happen naturally. So like my oldest started watching Spanish soccer games because he actually wanted to understand them. My middle child was watching Spanish kids shows sometimes. My youngest would just sing the song and ask me how to say things in Spanish.
Why Sofia Is Completely Different
Sofia doesn’t like read from a script. She seems to actually like my kids as people. She talks to them like they’re humans not like she’s teaching a classroom full of students.
My oldest doesn’t like sitting still and listening to lectures. Sofia figured that out and would like just have conversations with him about soccer or stuff he cares about. He was learning Spanish through actual talking not through like worksheets.
My middle child needed to be doing something creative. So Sofia had her like drawing things and describing them in Spanish. She was way more interested when she was actually making something instead of just sitting there.
My youngest needed like constant positive feedback. Sofia would be like, “That’s perfect!” and “You’re doing so good!” and he actually believed her. He felt safe trying new things even when he wasn’t confident about them.
The lessons were like thirty five to forty minutes. That’s literally the only timeframe where kids can focus. Any shorter and nothing sticks. Any longer and they completely zone out.
What Actually Changed With My Kids
My oldest actually cares about Spanish now. Like genuinely. He wants to learn more. He’s watching Spanish stuff because he wants to understand it. He’s asking how to say things. That’s not something he does with school stuff normally.
My middle child got like way more confident overall. Not just with Spanish but like everything. She seems more willing to try stuff. It’s like she proved to herself she can do hard things so other hard things don’t seem impossible.
My youngest is like noticeably less anxious. He’s always been nervous about trying new stuff. But after a couple months with Sofia he’s like actually willing to try things even when he’s not sure about them. He’s braver.
And honestly I was completely wrong about this entire thing. I was the one saying it wouldn’t work. I was negative about it. I thought we were wasting money. I was wrong.
Why Online Actually Works Better Than I Thought
I was convinced it would be boring and impersonal and my kids would just be staring at a screen hating their lives. But Sofia is completely focused on each kid. She’s not managing like thirty kids. She’s just with my kid for that time.
My kids can’t just like disappear or fade into the background. Sofia knows exactly where they’re at and what they need. They get actual individual attention instead of being like one kid that the teacher barely notices in a big classroom.
We don’t have to drive anywhere which sounds small but it’s huge. They just do it from home at the scheduled time. That saves like so much time and energy when you’re already dealing with everything else.
The Money Thing I Hated Spending
Online Spanish classes for kids is expensive. Like actually pretty expensive. When my wife first told me how much I was mad. I was like, “Are you serious right now?” When the first invoice came I complained about it for like a week.
But honestly after a couple months it was like obvious it was working. My kids were learning actual Spanish. They cared about it. They wanted to keep going. They weren’t miserable.
Compared to the other stuff we’ve done like soccer that he quit or music lessons he hated, this actually stuck. My kids are using this. That’s different.
My wife brought up that she was right about this and I was wrong about it. Multiple times.
Things That Actually Shocked Me
My oldest caring about learning something academic. That just like doesn’t happen. He’s totally disconnected from school. He doesn’t do homework without fighting. The fact that he went from saying Spanish was pointless to actually wanting to learn it was genuinely shocking.
My middle child asking if she could do more lessons. She asked if she could do two lessons a week instead of one. She doesn’t ask for more school stuff. Ever. She asks for less stuff.
My youngest being like way less anxious in general. He’s always nervous about everything. But something about Sofia and the lessons made him like actually braver. He’d try things even when they scared him.
And that I was so completely wrong. I was skeptical. I was negative. I said it wouldn’t work. I was wrong about everything.
Stuff People Keep Asking Me
Q: Do they actually remember the Spanish?
Yeah they remember it. My youngest is still singing that song from like five months ago. My middle child can like actually talk in Spanish now. My oldest remembers stuff because he actually cares about it. Kids remember things when they care and it’s taught well.
Q: Are you making them study Spanish at home every day?
No like not at all. Sofia specifically said not to turn it into homework. My oldest watches Spanish soccer games sometimes because he wants to. My middle child watches Spanish shows. But we’re not like forcing them to study or use flashcards or any of that. It just happens naturally because they’re interested.
Q: What if a kid just hates it and refuses?
I don’t know. My kids weren’t thrilled at first but they ended up liking it. If they’d hated it maybe I would’ve let them stop. But my wife said to give it time and she was right.
Q: Is Berliner’s Institute an actual real company?
Yeah it’s legit. Sofia is a real person who knows how to teach kids. You can check them out at https://berliners-institute.com/online-spanish-classes-for-kids/. They seem like actual professionals.
Just Being Real About What Happened
I didn’t think online Spanish classes for kids would work. I was wrong. My kids can speak Spanish. Actually speak it. Not perfect but they can actually communicate in Spanish.
My oldest went from saying Spanish was pointless to like actively wanting to understand Spanish soccer commentary. My middle child asked for more lessons. My youngest is constantly singing in Spanish.
If you’re thinking about this for your kids just try it. Don’t be like me being skeptical about everything. Your kids might surprise you. Sofia knows what she’s doing. Online Spanish classes for kids actually works.
I’m still getting used to the fact that my son asked me to help with his Spanish homework without being forced to do it. That’s not something that happens. But it did happen. So yeah.