Hilaria Baldwin: How is Being Bilingual a Bad Thing?

Summary of Hilaria Baldwin: How is Being Bilingual a Bad Thing?

by Dear Media, Amanda Hirsch

1h 16m•October 7, 2025
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Summary — "Hilaria Baldwin: How is Being Bilingual a Bad Thing?"

Author/Host: Dear Media, Amanda Hirsch
Episode: Not Skinny But Not Fat (guest: Hilaria Baldwin)

Overview

Amanda Hirsch interviews Hilaria Baldwin about her public life, motherhood, bilingual upbringing, and current stint on Dancing with the Stars. The conversation revisits the 2020 accent controversy, explores Hilaria’s identity as a multilingual yoga teacher and mom, and covers how she handles media scrutiny, parenting seven (technically eight) children in a blended family, homeschooling/immersion education, and the realities of competing on a televised dance show.

Key Points & Main Takeaways

  • 2020 accent controversy: Hilaria acknowledges the scandal surfaced during COVID boredom and misinformation; she treats it with more humor and perspective now and discusses it further in her book.
  • Bilingualism is a gift: Hilaria is proud of raising bilingual children and stresses that speaking multiple languages shouldn’t be stigmatized — it naturally affects speech patterns.
  • Neurodiversity and speech: She shares that she has ADHD and dyslexia, which affect processing and how she learns and speaks; she took speech/enunciation classes to help for TV.
  • Parenting approach: Emphasizes connection, honesty about hard things, protecting children while allowing them to engage with the world, and fostering independence. She co-hosts a family-focused podcast called Growing Up Together.
  • Education choices: Uses immersion schooling and homeschooling while traveling; prioritizes bilingual immersion when possible.
  • Dancing with the Stars: Hilaria describes her partnership with pro Gleb Savchenko, their training focus on technique, and the social-media component (TikTok/Instagram) required for votes and visibility.
  • Public perception & family: She values community and family support (including a close relationship with stepdaughter Ireland Baldwin) to counter criticism and misrepresentation.
  • Professional background: Former yoga teacher; fitness and body transformation interest informed her public presence and postpartum content.

Notable Quotes / Insights

  • "To speak a language is such a beautiful thing. It should never be a bad thing."
  • "Tune out the noise and lean into your community."
  • "I'm a work in progress. I'm growing up along with my kids." (on parenting and personal growth)
  • On neurodiversity: She explains ADHD/dyslexia play a role in processing and communication, which some people mistake for affectation.

Topics Discussed

  • 2020 accent/spoken-language controversy and aftermath
  • Bilingual upbringing and language specifics (Spanish, some Russian; understands Catalan/Mallorcan)
  • ADHD and dyslexia — impact on learning and speech
  • Postpartum body image and fitness background
  • Raising and schooling multiple children (immersion schools, homeschooling)
  • Blended family dynamics and relationship with stepdaughter Ireland
  • Dancing with the Stars: training, partner dynamics (Gleb), choreography, voting/social media strategy
  • Social media challenges (TikTok expectations for contestants)
  • Parenting podcast: Growing Up Together
  • Travel, family roots (Mallorca), and daily life logistics with many children
  • Sponsors/ads briefly: ASPCA Pet Insurance and BILT (rent rewards)

Action Items / Recommendations (from content)

  • For listeners interested in more context: read Hilaria Baldwin’s book (she discusses the scandal and her perspective more fully).
  • Follow Hilaria on social platforms (Instagram, TikTok) if you want updates on Dancing with the Stars and family projects.
  • If you’re a parent navigating media/criticism: lean into your community, be honest with your kids, and protect their emotional wellbeing while allowing conversation about difficult topics.
  • For parents considering language education: immersion schools and consistent bilingual home use are effective ways to raise multilingual children.
  • If you want to support her on Dancing with the Stars: watch the show and participate in voting (combined judges + fan votes), and engaging with her social posts helps visibility.

Who This Episode Is For

  • Listeners interested in celebrity/motherhood stories, bilingual upbringing, public-facing life and reputational controversies, and behind-the-scenes of reality dance competitions.
  • Parents weighing bilingual education or homeschooling choices.
  • Fans of Dancing with the Stars who want contestant perspectives on training and social-media demands.

If you want, I can:

  • Pull out 8–10 short, sharable quotes from Hilaria for social posts.
  • Create a 90-second "episode highlight" summary for sharing.