Evy has a Holidays recital coming up, she is practicing her piano. Her hair is getting long too, more feminine and look nicer to me. She is currently top at her class, rated at 1.9 whereas the kindergarten started at 0 level. We are thinking whether to jump her to Grade 2 next year or not. A lot to think about, for those who has his/her child skip a grade, what's your thought on this, to skip or not to skip a grade? Currently she is going to the Kindergarten Enrichment session once a week for some extra academic opportunities. Since we speak 90% of Mandarin at home, I really wanted her to learn English or to improve her vocabulary. She reads perfectly but she is unable to understand the meaning behind it (given the fact we speak Mandarin at home), so how to increase her understanding of what she read? The more I think about it, the more I want her to remain in her grade, at least she can learn more English and still remain the top in her class. Also she gets to go to the enrichment session and if she is still the top in her class at Grade 3, she will get to go to the Talented and Gifted class. It is the understanding of the meaning and comprehension of the things she read that is worrying me. If we put her in Grade 2, she might be having a little hard time and feel challenging at school. Yet I know for a fact that if we put her in Grade 1, it will be no challenge for her as she knows most of the stuff already (she already rated 1.9 at this mid-term assessment).
Want to challenge her academically or not? Or let her cruise through?
My little one hair is getting long but she loves her long hair. I managed to potty train her before she turned three. I thought she would be the difficult one as she never potty in her potty before but guess all the mental preparedness worked. She is starting to speak in English too. Sometimes her sister will speak to her in English and both of them will be role playing in English. I had a hypothesis and I tested it out on both of my girls and it proved true. We speak 90-95% of Mandarin with them, their first language was Mandarin but at three years old, they started to speak a second language English naturally. We teach them Mandarin, the television teach them English. LOL! If you are interested in learning my hypothesis, read through my older posts on my girls.
Don't you just want to pinch that cheeks of hers? I do!
Here wishing you all a very Happy Holidays!!
Oh, they are so cute and talented. I want to pinch her cheeks too! I agree with your hypothesis. Remember to continue speaking mandarin with them or have them watch some mandarin movies. I know now a days kids just want to speak English and forget about their native language.
ReplyDeleteI really want to pinch Eda's cheek!!!!
ReplyDeleteboth your gals look so cute!! well I can't help you wt the answer..as for understand English faster,I realised cartoon in TV is really a powerful tool.I speak chapalang Mandarin to Mishu and her daddy speak English to her but when she answer she will answer back in English.Mishu suprised us everyday with her new words where she pick up from her favourite channel Ngoggin.Nowdays she even correct the words I told her!! imagine a 4 years old told her mom to speak Chinese coz something I forget ,just said "sorry" but she told me have to said 对不起!! ouch!
ReplyDeleteThey are adorable! And smart too! I feel very lousy for not trying hard enough to speak Mandarin to my kids.
ReplyDeletehi! just wanted to drop a line here. i found your blog while websurfing (i think through tastespotting.com...) and was so excited to see kuih bangkit recipe from an old post! i'm a malaysian student studying in the us too atm, and was looking for cookie recipes for xmas baking hehehe... now maybe i'll try the kuih bangkit. test run before cny ;) thanks for the recipes! so excited that i can try to make stuff from home here. take care, and seasons greetings!
ReplyDeletep.s. your girls are sooo cute! nak cuuubit...hehehe
我很想念你的女儿
ReplyDelete尤其是edda
They are growing up so fast. Evy's not a baby anymore, looking like a young lady now. :) And Edda's cute! So chubby cheeks.
ReplyDeleteyour 2 princesses are adorable....will give them big hugs and cuddle...
ReplyDeletekids these days have very steep learning curve and pressure at tender age unlike our era...
bilingual will be advantage... east meets west....
when we were young, my late Dad will speak to us in English, my Mom uses Mandarin, tadah, problem solved.
Season's greetings! Both your princesses are soooo pretty. And glad to hear that your elder child is doing well in school as well :)
ReplyDeleteYes, those cheeks i'll love to pinch!
ReplyDeleteboth your gals are growing up to become little princesses (esp with the long hair) and they do look good with it.
wish you and yr family happy holidays!
That's always a tough question. I decided to send Lil' C to K a year earlier than she is supposed to. Even though she is the youngest, so far she is doing great. My biggest worry of sending her early is the social factor and she is doing good. I think to skip or not is not just dependent on academic factor. Social and leadership factor is also very impt. If you decide to not to skip her, then have to make sure that she gets academically challenged outside of school. If you skip her, then have to make sure that she is doing well socially & not be intimidated by the older ones in class. As for me, I am sure that I made the right decision this time since se is so ready academically but I am also monitoring Lil' C closely so that I can make any changes if necessary. Phew, sorry for the long post. :) This is an issue on my mind a lot nowadays. :P
ReplyDeleteHey! They are adorable! I wanted to pinch your little one cheek too! You make the right choice by speaking Mandarin as home, I believed they will eventually catch up English easier than Mandarin later! Evy is great! 1.9 rating is simply remarkable at her age! Keep up the good job Mommy! Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteBlurmommy,
ReplyDeleteI'm not worry about her social skill at all since she is a very sociable little girl and well-manner. Right now the school will conduct further testing on her after the holidays and let her attend a psychology section to see whether she is mentally ready or not. They asked us what would she feels if her classmates are driving at 15/16 while she can't because she will be only 14. Would it affect her then? Seriously I have no clue for now. Sigh, lots to consider ya.
Yes, I would love to pinch Edda's chubby cheek.
ReplyDeleteSo good that Evy is so bright and talented!!! I guess you have a good problem on hand... I have to constantly think how to motivate my boy to do his bits in academics :-(