On code-switching and why it isn't evil

Taken from wikipedia:
In linguistics, Code-switching is the concurrent use of more than one language, or language variety, in conversation. Multilinguals - people who speak more than one language - sometimes use elements of multiple languages in conversing with each other. Thus, code-switching is the syntactically and phonologically appropriate use of more than one linguistic variety.

Dictionary.com:
the alternate use of two or more languages or varieties of language, esp. within the same discourse.

Over the years I have had to change my opinion of code-switching. When learning to use a new language in every day life (especially as a teen) it's often considered 'cool' to mix it with your own. I used to hate it, because it 'sounds horrible'. For years I honestly could not stand anyone using English words in Dutch (or worse - vice-versa!) So a time of keeping my main languages completely separated began.
Skip forward a few more years and guess what happened? On incorporating English more and more with my daily life... code-switching became the new norm.

If you have more than one language in common with someone, why tie yourself down to using just one in conversation?

For language learning purposes? That's a reason that seems valid enough, so let's not code-switch during language classes. To show respect to people who don't understand one (or more) of the languages you use? Fine, in some situations that can certainly be important. But what about at home or with your best friends?

Code-switching is not butchering your languages. In doing more research I've learnt that in multi-lingual families code-switching is often the norm and not the exception. (Unless parents are terrified of 'ruining' their children's language abilities and thus cling to any one language at one time.) Just take a few moments to think about it, if you are fluent in more than one language - and your conversation partner understands at least two of your languages - why not use the richness available to you to express yourself better?

That's all for now.