中文，中文 - Challenges in Learning Chinese

Kid's Chinese reading material / 笔记 this week

Unlike in Hong Kong, it's not as easy to create a Chinese learning environment in Singapore (of course, already much better than where we were previously). For one thing, there are not enough Chinese signs in Singapore. I hardly hear parents speak to their children in Mandarin on the streets anymore, unlike 15-20 years ago.

So, without the environment, parents like us have to, well, 自救. Also, unfortunately, both my kids will be too big to benefit from the 50 million dollar Singapore government fund for preschoolers to improve their mother tongue abilities.

Luckily, there are no lack resources. The ones that we are using include:

• Excellent children's Chinese books from the libraries
• Chinese papers, catering to primary school children like 大拇指
• Personal, one-to-one "tutors" - including grandpa, me, and sometimes daddy. 

These are the books we have been going through this week, for about half hour to 45 minutes each day, each kid. I wish we could do more, but that's really their limit (and mine as well - in terms of patience).

In the picture:
(left): 四五快读, book 4  (set of 7 catering to, literally, 四五岁儿童  (children ages 4 and 5)
(middle): 笑猫日记 - 能闻出孩子味儿的乌龟 (second 笑猫日记 book for Kaiser). He has to read it aloud to me, word for word. When he's stuck, I'll explain the new words to him, and copy the associated phrase (with further example of uses that I have to come up myself), and review it with him after reading. This 笑猫 series are the only Chinese books I could find currently, for Kaiser to willing read through - the age-appropriate humor in the books definitely helped.
(right): 凑合的笔记 with new words and phrases, and attempts at 造句 (of course, Kaiser will never initiate one himself, so it's a "join-effort")

I was surprised that even with my level of Chinese that granted me the status of 前联合早报学生通迅员, sometimes I still feel "stuck" trying to coming up with 造句 examples for Kaiser. I guess that's why so many need tutors.

I hope with my more intense effort for the little girl, she'd be able to explore Chinese books herself i.e. less effort from us parents later, when she is Gor Gor's age.