⏰ 4 minute read

We’re originally from Brazil, and preserving our language and culture has always mattered deeply to me.

But if I’m being honest, it hasn’t always been easy.

At home, we try to speak Portuguese as much as possible so my daughter can stay fluent. I even switched the language on our streaming services to Portuguese — because if she’s going to watch cartoons, they might as well be educational-ish, right? 😄

Listening comes easily. Speaking too.

The part that kept worrying me was reading and writing.

When I worked as a K–12 educator, I saw this pattern over and over again in bilingual families. Kids could speak their home language beautifully… but when it came time to read or write it? That confidence vanished.

That was a big red flag for me.

I realized how easy it is to stop at spoken fluency and unintentionally leave literacy behind. And I promised myself then that I would do everything I reasonably could (without burning myself out) to help my own child not only speak Portuguese, but also read and write it with confidence.

So I started asking myself: How do I make this work?

I searched for Portuguese workbooks. Comic books. Children’s Bibles. Anything that could help her feel comfortable reading and writing in our native language. Sometimes I found great resources. Many times… not so much. And often, I just didn’t have the time or energy to create everything from scratch (and believe me, I am ALWAYS trying to do things from scratch…)

Still, I felt this quiet responsibility tugging at my heart.

I’ve seen families regret not passing on their language. Kids grow up unable to talk with grandparents, cousins, and relatives who live abroad. Language is a connection. It keeps relationships open.

I’ve also seen adults turn back to their parents later in life and ask, “Why didn’t you teach me our language?” That question carries so much weight.

Language opens doors too — opportunities, careers, and a more profound sense of identity. But more than anything, it shapes how we understand where we come from and where we belong.

One small tradition we have at home is memorizing a Bible verse each week. One day, I had a little lightbulb moment 💡

What if she wrote the verse in both languages?

That’s when AI gently stepped in.

Not to replace teaching. Not to replace creativity. Just to support me.

I started using AI to help me come up with simple bilingual activities and create easy printable materials that fit naturally into our routines. Instead of juggling multiple tools, I could translate, adapt, and personalize everything in one place. Sometimes I’d start typing in English and switch to Portuguese halfway through (because mom brain 😅), and AI would just… keep up.

That alone saved me time and mental energy.

Now we use AI to generate worksheets, tracing activities, and reading practice that help my daughter strengthen her Portuguese little by little. Nothing intense. Nothing overwhelming. Just consistent exposure, woven into everyday life.

One of my favorite moments came during “International Day” when she was in kindergarten.

She had to choose a country and share its culture. I wanted her to be involved — not just watch me do all the work. So I asked AI to help me find age-appropriate, interesting facts about Brazil.

Together, we created coloring pages with rainforest animals, landmarks, traditional foods, and sports. Each page included a simple sentence she could trace. We added photos from our trips to Brazil. She colored, traced, practiced, and then stood proudly in front of her class to present her project.

That project is still saved today.

A keepsake.

A memory.

A reminder.

AI didn’t take over. It stepped in when time was short. It supported me in preserving language, culture, and identity in a way that felt doable and even joyful.

And honestly? That’s exactly how I believe AI is meant to be used.

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Faith & Encouragement

Deuteronomy 6:6–7 (NIV)

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

One thing this passage always reminds me is that teaching isn’t meant to be loud, formal, or picture-perfect. It happens in the everyday moments — at the kitchen table, during bedtime routines, in the small practices we return to again and again.

Passing on language, faith, and identity doesn’t require doing everything at once or doing it “the right way.” It looks like speaking our native language over dinner, writing a verse together, tracing letters, sharing stories, and letting learning unfold naturally within daily life.

For me, using AI has supported that rhythm. It’s helped me stay present instead of overwhelmed, consistent. The goal was never perfection or pressure. It was a connection.

And that’s where real teaching takes root — in love, in patience, and in the quiet faithfulness of showing up, one small moment at a time.

Ellie 💜
Empowering mamas to use AI responsibly to build sustainable businesses and create more time for what matters most.