This is the second edition of the best-selling book that has provided practical advice to thousands of parents who want their children to grow up bilingual. This second edition still gives parents the information and advice they need to make informed decisions about what language 'policy' to adopt with their children. It also looks at cases of single-parent families with bilingual children, as well as schooling and bi-literacy issues. The authors who are professional applied linguists, draw on their own experience as parents of successfully bilingual children and on interviews with other bilingual families.

The book continues to be divided into three main parts. In the first, the authors help parents identify the factors that will influence their decision to bring up their children as bilinguals. The second part consists of case studies of bilingual families, which illustrate a wide range of different 'solutions.' The third part is an alphabetical reference guide providing answers to the most frequently asked questions about bilingualism.