\'Bilingual\' Boy

James was born in Australia and has been to Childcare since 20-month-old. With daddy and mummy speaking Madarin and Guiyang word at home, big sister and little mates speaking English, James had talked in an interesting "bilingual" way before converting to almost full English recently. For example, When he was two, James once pointed to a plate of fish, declaring "魚魚， 我要eat 你嘎( meat in Guiyang word)!"

With his English vercabuary increasing quickly by making friends with a couple of cheeky boys, it is becoming harder and harder for parents to require him speak Chinese. Instinctively, kids are unwilling to trouble themselves to communicate in a less comfortable language.

Although compared with his sister, the development of his language skill is slower, James did surprised us now and then. Last night, his sister was reading a book named Poems for Young Australians to him.  It was unlikely he fully understood the contents. However, he enjoyed the rhymes and the rhythm very much. In no time, he made his own "poem" ,

When I am old can I wear

the shool uniform to childcare?

This morning, still in bed, with a very friendly smile, James checked if he could watch IPad for a while. Unexpectedly, he got a No. He asked why. This time the reply was even firmer " 媽媽說不行就不行！” Irratated a bit, James retorted " 寶寶說不行就不行！” A very astute reaction only he really meant "寶寶說行就行！”

Cherishing those lovely memories, our concern is still there. How to help James and his sister be truly bilingual remains an ambitious family project.