What are you planning for this special day? A sumptuous dinner with Gramps and Grans, or treat them in a nice spa treatment that they deserve?
Give back the love to the people who loves you so much this Sunday! And strengthen the bond between Grandparents and your kids.

http://tinyurl.com/krls8f

Or you might find nice coloring stuff your kid would love to do for her/his grandparents at our free coloring pages

And to hear different Chinese terms for Grandma and Grandpa, listen to some Chinese words.

Labels: parenting, Parents

U.S. Births Hint at Bias for Boys in Some Asians - NY Times.

Surprising...

Especially with how I have seen some only kids treat their parents (ethnic Chinese) in the US. The parents sacrifice so much for their kids and sometimes, when the kids grow up, they don't treat their parents well.

Labels: parenting

Summer break is around the corner and small and big kids alike are looking forward to fun days ahead. We parents would like them to have fun but wouldn’t it be nice if we could sneak in some learning time for them as well?

You might or might not be met with rolling eyes when you suggest further Chinese practice, but I'm quite sure by this time you know how to get around having them gain extra learning without their noticing (or at least we like to believe they don't notice).

• For kids who thrive on textbook learning – even in summer – there are plenty of excellent textbooks written for teens beginning Chinese as a second language. Kuaile Hanyu has a textbook/reader and follows teen students as they visit China and try to converse in basic Chinese. Lessons used in the book are more about teens and keeps in mind the more advanced language skills of adolescents.

• For those who are to take the Chinese SAT II in a year or two (or three), it doesn’t hurt to start preparing now with Chinese SAT II practice books and tests .
  

• Videos. No talking baby pandas please for these young adults. There are interesting documentary videos hosted by young people that will have them pick up Chinese words and see more about Chinese culture as well. Favorites are: “New Year in Ping Wei”, “Land of the Dragon,” “Families from China” and "Chinese Cooking for Kids DVD".
  

• If you can’t get your teen off the computer to do Chinese lessons, why not bring the Chinese lesson to the computer instead? Kuaile Hanyu also has a 3-level software that features videos of exchange students visiting China , some practice tests and games. (Maybe you can haggle for your teen to look through the Kuaile Hanyu textbook reader as well? No? Just try?)

• A lot of Chinese words and grammar can be picked up from songs it will be a waste to not to try this medium. Thankfully, songs from other countries are not as hard to look for these days. Why not try to sit down together in front of the internet and look through Chinese singers that teens like? Maybe you can help download Chinese songs your child likes, and do it as the parents of smaller kids learning Chinese do. Play it while in the car or while having some down time at home. (Ear plugs can be of help here.)

• Books are an excellent antidote to whines of boredom after the computer is shut down. Kids who are used to reading Chinese can read Chinese Harry Potter in Simplified or Traditional characters. For those who want to REALLY keep their kids unplugged for a longer time, Chinese Harry Potter bundle set is also available. Yes, all books number 1-7 are included so your teen can read in Chinese that first day Harry received his invitation to study at Hogwarts, to the time Harry has a family with… never mind. Just read so I don’t spill. Chinese translations of the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit, plus also Eragon, can keep your teen busy reading for days and speeding up those Chinese reading skills as well.

Are you up to it? Think you can sneak in speeding up your child's Chinese this summer?

Labels: ChildBook products, Chinese Harry Potter, Chinese SAT II, Kuaile Hanyu, Learn Chinese for Teens, parenting, Spend Time with kids learning Chinese

I've been reading "The Bilingual Edge" (by Kendall King and Alison Mackey )and I must say I find the book very helpful. The text is easy to read, as though the authors are having a conversation with you.

Interesting to me are the reasons they cited about the advantages your child will get by being bi-lingual (English-Chinese, for example.)

It has been found that bi-lingual kids are:

• Smarter. More creative, intellectually flexible
• Socially open.

It turns out bi-lingual children are subjected to more brain activity as they learn two different sets of language. And since their brains are more active, it is but natural for bilingual kids to be more creative and flexible. It was found that bilingual kids can come up with more different answers to problem-solving questions. Not surprisingly, even in test scores and academic performance, it has been seen that bilinguals tend to outperform monolinguals. Note that this is more true for children who have an advanced knowledge of another language, rather than those who know how only how to greet and count in a second language. (However, the latter still tend to be "smarter" than monolinguals. )

As for the social benefits, bilinguals are more understanding of people of the secondary language, and people of other cultures as well. Knowing another language opens their eyes and their hearts that people are different and people should take time to listen to each other. For kids, it is easier to learn about one's heritage if songs, rhymes and stories are understood in the native language. Later on, these children will be the same ones who will reach out to people of different groups. They will also be the link to the next generation's appreciation of one's culture.

Either way, the intellectual and social boost being bilingual brings are characteristics we aspire for our children. Teaching your kids to be bilingual is a win-win experience for the child, for your family, community and even the global community.

Bilingual Edge shares more about why, when and how to teach your child a second language.

Or see more parenting-bilinguals books.

Labels: bilingual education, parenting, Why Learn Chinese

Chinese Parents's Influence on Academic Performance - From a Journal on Bilingual Education. Summary - Chinese Parents have a great influence on their kids Academic Performance.

From personal experience, Chinese parents in the Rowland Height area here is a list of what I have seen.

Please add to it as needed.

1. Huge expectations for the kids academically.
2. Massive guilt trips if their kids don't do well. Do you know how much I sacrificed, or when I was your age I was #1 in my class, or ...
   
3. They have a pass/fail expectation. A is pass, everything else is Fail.
4. Will have their kids go to after school tutoring for Math and English.
5. Will have their kids attend SAT prep. schools that are not cheap.
6. Usually less emphasis on sports, cheer, and sports related areas. Tennis and Badminton are exceptions.
7. Will move to a better school district for their kids.
8. Will go into debt so their kids can go to a great school.
9. Will pay advisors to help their kid get into a great school.
10. Will go on trips to visit top schools on the East Coast.
11. Target is often Ivy League.
12. Will push their kids with a specific career goal. Hmm, your sister will be a Dr., you will be an Engineer.
13. Will often go out to Starbucks if their child is studying late.
14. Will always go to back to school and such.
15. Will push their kids to join Orchestra and will then get top talent to tutor them with after school lessons (as long as the main grades don't go down).
16. Will have their kids Learn Piano. In the local Piano Association, 90% of the students are either Chinese or Korean.
17. Will tutor their kids in Math through Geometry, often higher.
18. Give gifts to teachers at Christmas (even if their child dislikes the Teacher).
    

Labels: college admissions, parenting

WSJ has another great article about Fashion Bullies in Middle School. Middle School is a very intense peer orientated time with a lot of conformity (even non-conformity if done by the majority becomes a form of conformity) required and one oneupmanship done. The challenge is how to make it so your child blends in with everyone else while they focus on what they should be focusing on. To keep their self esteem in good shape during this period where children go through so many changes. Especially with advertising which is focused on getting children to buy fashion lines that have been especially made for them. Not to mention the problem that kids grow so fast!

When I was in College I worked on the Cal Poly Rose Parade Float, and I remember one child who was wearing designer tennis shoes and got glue over them. The result was a very unhappy child.

What I see is key is having great communication with your child and having them focus on a goal (such as getting good grades), and as a parent to be aware of what is going on. A great source of information if you can is picking up your child after school. Children will tell you all about their day right after school, and then later that day clam up.

Labels: dressing children, parenting

Scary Editorial about how some Doctors in MA kids about mom and dad’s “bad” behavior.

One of the things that terrifies me as a parent is what happens if you are accused of Child Endangerment. This goes even into how you discipline your children and what is legal.

A friend of a friend had some type of argument with her older daughter and spanked the younger child. The person then went to the store. When she came back, her kids were gone. The older daughter, 16 I think, had called 911 and the polioce had taken them away. The older daugter regretted what she had done but it was to late. So then the younger daughter had to get placed with other relatives.

It's also scary if you are a male teacher and you need to be paranoid - Great book to read Guilty- Until Proven Innocent: Teachers and Accusations of Abuse. Amazon has 7 reviewers and all 5 starts. One accusation and your career is dead.

How Men Cope With Being Cast as Predators from the Wall Street Journal. One man commented now days he would have nothing to do with the Boy Scouts because of the potential issues and his quote: "Today, I wouldn't do that job for anything," he says. "All it takes is for one kid to get ticked off at you for something and tell his parents you were acting weird on the campout."

My view - there needs to be a balance. There are some crazy people out there that your kid needs to be protected from. But making it so your are automatically guilty if you are male is a bit to far.

Labels: parenting