About me and my family -- How to make the most of this book -- Part one: perspectives. The spirit of the bilingual journey -- The best thing about raising a bilingual child -- Your actions matter profoundly -- Your child wants to be bilingual -- Put the odds of success in your favor -- Take full advantage of the early years -- Stay conscious of your quest -- Seize the day, day after day -- Persistent efforts add up over time -- Sustain good habits and routines -- Fill the "cracks" of your days -- Stay patient with the process -- Practice "preventive medicine” -- Passion fuels the progress -- Be very serious, be very playful -- Don't teach, give joy -- The "magical ingredient" for motivation -- Engage with every interruption -- Creative thinking is key -- It's about how hard you try -- Maintain firm expectations -- This journey is a very long trip -- Always be evolving -- There is no failure -- You are not alone -- Keep a journal on your kids -- The value of an archive -- Write letters to the future -- Appreciate all this keenly -- Bilingual kids can change the world

Part two: principles. Make this a priority -- Inform yourself on the subject -- Satisfy the core conditions -- Satisfy the core conditions: exposure -- Satisfy the core conditions: need -- Choose an effective language strategy -- Match your action to your aim -- Reshape the basic conditions first -- Seek out suitable resources -- Ignite your child's interests -- Hunt for "home run books" -- Make productive choices -- Strengthen the support around you -- Talk, talk, talk to your child -- Read aloud every day -- Build a large home library -- Create a print-rich environment -- Commit to "captive reading” -- Engage in storytelling -- Make frequent use of music -- Play games together -- Prompt interaction with images -- "Passive media" is supplemental exposure -- Sustain a regular homework routine -- Recognize the reality of schooling -- Promote ties with grandparents and loved ones -- Instill value in the minority language – Take advantage of bad behavior, too -- Even failure can contribute to success -- Persevere for the payoff -- Final thoughts.