I took my kids on vacation to practice their Spanish. Our no-English rule didn't last long.

Courtesy of Sandra Lee. The author wanted her family to speak only Spanish while on vacation in Puerto Rico.

As my family of four began our descent to Puerto Rico , I made the announcement. There would be no more English for the duration of our trip.

My kids, 9 and 11, who had been learning Spanish in immersion school since preschool, would get an opportunity to put it to good use. I thought this trip would be the perfect crash course for them before school started back up in the fall.

When we landed in Puerto Rico and headed to our hotel, I realized I was going to have my work cut out. The driver spoke English, as did the workers at the front desk , restaurant waiters, and other staff. Turns out, they were just as bilingual as I was.

Our no-English rule didn't last long

At first, the kids were happy to skip the intense Spanish practice I had envisioned, but I still wanted us to try.…