As VietCan Books turns 4, I'm reflecting on the journey that has been the driving force behind the bookstore — the journey of raising my bilingual child. Over these past six years, there has been so much learning, changing, adjusting… and a whole lot of fun.
For a bit of background, my dad was a boat person who fled Vietnam in the 80s. After five years in a Manila refugee camp, our family finally reunited in Canada in 1994. I was 12 then, and even at that age, I had a deep curiosity and appreciation for the Vietnamese language. So when I became a mom, teaching my daughter Vietnamese naturally became a priority. Her dad isn’t Vietnamese, but he has always been supportive — something I’m endlessly grateful for.
For the first 3.5 years of her life, we followed OPOL (One Parent One Language). I spoke exclusively Vietnamese and my husband spoke English. Everywhere we went, I normalized speaking Vietnamese with her — at home, outside, with friends and strangers. Even though she attended English daycare, her Vietnamese vocabulary far exceeded her English.
But as her English began to rapidly develop around 3.5, I made a conscious shift. Including my husband in our conversations mattered more than sticking rigidly to OPOL. English inevitably became more dominant, and I often find myself switching back intentionally, repeating things in both languages, and reminding myself daily to maintain that balance. Some days, it is honestly exhausting.
My commitment to her bilingual environment extends far beyond the way we speak at home. It’s why I founded VietCan Books. What started as sharing online resources during COVID slowly grew into a fully stocked bilingual online bookstore with 500+ titles for all ages — from babies to adults.
And with other like-minded parents, I co-founded VKids Connect: a place for children to dance, sing, read, craft, play folk games, and immerse themselves in Vietnamese. We built a community for kids of Vietnamese heritage — including my daughter — where none existed before.
Around 8 months ago, I enrolled my daughter in online Vietnamese classes twice a week so she could formally learn to read and write. I wasn’t able to teach these consistently at home, and after some trial and error, dedicated class time has been incredibly helpful.
Now that she’s in Grade 1 French immersion, I can clearly see the shift toward structure and academics as opposed to learn through play. With extracurriculars, schoolwork, and everyday life, maintaining Vietnamese is a challenge. Some days, I feel discouraged hearing her speak less Vietnamese… wondering whether my efforts are enough. So I remind myself regularly to reset my expectations.
We still read together almost every night — mostly in Vietnamese — and her comprehension remains strong. Even when she replies in English, she understands everything I say. And when she talks to others, she proudly announces: “I speak Vietnamese!” These are the wins I hold onto.
Whether you’re just beginning your bilingual journey, deep in it, or returning after falling off track — I see you, I applaud you, and I’m grateful you’re here. This community gives me a sense of belonging I didn’t always have.
As VietCan Books turns four, I’m filled with gratitude for all of you — for every shared struggle, every small victory, and every moment we support one another.
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