I thought of this during the discussion in "Preconceived idea of Esperanto as conceited?" but I didn't want to trail the conversation off-topic too much.

tonymec:

Moosader:[…] I mainly just got that idea from this interview with a native speaker. […]

I had often noticed that (and wondered why) “native Esperantists” often stop using Esperanto once grown-up. This article gives me a lot of insight into the “why”. In this case the author's parents were too enthusiastic, and their very enthusiasm was a cause of failure. After being “force-fed” Esperanto the way he was, there was a high risk that an adolescence crisis would throw it all away. I know other families where Esperanto is the house language, because that's the language Mom and Dad are most easy with for talking to each other; but in some such families one parent talks Esperanto with the children and the other the language of the surrounding country; in at least one such family (Danish-Belgian living in Belgium) everyone in the family talks Esperanto before lunch and Dutch afterwards (or is it the other way round?): that's maybe a little weird but it works.

I'm just wondering if you (random person reading this, not specifically tonymec) intend to teach your children Esperanto, as well as any other languages you know? Why or why not? Also, what approach would you take?

Well, I didn't actually think about it. As I'm a realist, when I'm old enough to have children, I'll take them to English courses. Although we all wish Esperanto finally brought linguistic neutrality to the world, the truth is that English is going over the world and esperanto doesn't. But yes, I think I will tell them about Esperanto and give them a try. Why not? It is universally acknowledged that Esperanto makes it easier to learn foreign languages in the future (a TEDx-talk about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gSAkUOElsg).

I speak to our son exclusively in Esperanto, but I can't discuss the reasons and details in English, it would be nice if you opened an Esperanto thread on this, as this is not a peculiar "English" topic.

Moosader:I'm just wondering if you (random person reading this, not specifically tonymec) intend to teach your children Esperanto, as well as any other languages you know?

I have a recently born son and I don't intend forcing Esperanto on him, although if he ever expresses an interest I would gladly teach him it. He's going to grow up bilingual anyway (his mother is Russian) and we don't speak Esperanto in the home, so I see no real reason to make him learn Esperanto. And I have no desire to foist my own personal enthusiasm for the language on him, like some sort of vanity project. He can make his own decision, when he's old enough to do so.

If I were to have children, I'd teach them every crazy thing I know that I could get them to sit still for, like some kind of vanity project, Esperanto included!

And now we need a new thread, because I want to hear what Kirilo81 has to say.

tommjames:

Moosader:I'm just wondering if you (random person reading this, not specifically tonymec) intend to teach your children Esperanto, as well as any other languages you know?

I have recently born son and I don't intend forcing Esperanto on him, although if he ever expresses an interest I would gladly teach him it. He's going to grow up bilingual anyway (his mother is Russian) and we don't speak Esperanto in the home, so I see no real reason to make him learn Esperanto. And I have no desire to foist my own personal enthusiasm for the language on him, like some sort of vanity project. He can make his own decision, when he's old enough to do so.

There are a lot of things I think I would pass on to my children; though I'm not sure if it's necessarily vain. My Significant Other and myself are both programmers, so you can be sure they'd be taught some programming, as well as art, piano, etc. I would probably also share Esperanto, but not in a "You must learn this!" way, but to expose them to it.

"Kirilo81":I speak to our son exclusively in Esperanto, but I can't discuss the reasons and details in English, it would be nice if you opened an Esperanto thread on this, as this is not a peculiar "English" topic.

Yes, I simply opened this in the English forum simply because I would understand the responses better. D|

I do intend to teach my (eventual) children Esperanto. I think it's important to grow up speaking a foreign language, so unless I marry a foreigner who can teach their language to the kid, Esperanto is my best bet with that. I don't intend to do much with the ideology, however. It's also something I intend to keep on with, so if I wanted to travel with these eventual children to Esperanto events, it would be better if they could communicate with people and know what was going on.

Kirilo81:I speak to our son exclusively in Esperanto, but I can't discuss the reasons and details in English, it would be nice if you opened an Esperanto thread on this, as this is not a peculiar "English" topic.

why dont you open that thread?

No, I have three kids and neither will be taught esperanto unless they express the desire! Besides the older two already understand both French and English.

However if they take an interest in Studying other languages I may reccommend Esperanto first.