Top 10 Learning Chinese Problems & Solutions
- “We are native speakers, but our kids refuse to speak Chinese or learn the culture”
Unfortunately, some children who have native speaking Chinese parents refuse to learn Chinese. This is often done in the teenager years as a method of defiance to establish their power as they become adults. With defiance issues at that age, consider sending them to a full immersion environment. Our daughter was starting to speak Chinese with English Grammar, which frustrated my wife. The more frustrated my wife became, the less my daughter spoke Chinese. My daughter got to spend a summer with cousins in Taiwan, and nobody would speak English to her. Within a day, she was even speaking some Taiwanese, not to mention the Mandarin Chinese.
- “I am worried about my kids learning Chinese; won’t it hurt their English speaking skills?“
- The truth is scientific studies have shown that children have an amazing ability to learn more than one language, such as Chinese. If you are a native born speaker, have one parent speak only English and the other Chinese. This way the kids are forced to learn and speak both. My wife speaks Mandarin Chinese to our daughter and I English, and it’s worked out great. We have not had the issue of having her mix up the English and Chinese. Their is so much English in the US, especially when they start school, that not getting enough English is not an issue. I have seen students who only speak Chinese at home, start public school and become the best in their class at English and want to become a writer. They are also taking Chinese as their foreign language in High School. Kids have an amazing ability to Learn a foreign language, as long as they are given the opportunity.
- “It’s easier to just speak English to my kids, I’m not going to teach them another language”
- Kids have an ability to quickly learn a second language without an accent that adults don’t. There are so many adults I have met who are learning Chinese in College where it’s much more difficult as you get older. It would have been in great favor if their parents had them learn Chinese when they were younger.
- “Learning Chinese is a waste of time, it’s too hard!”
- Some US born Children and even their native parents believe this. There are many reasons why one should learn to speak Chinese. Studies have shown that being truly bilingual can help a child develop their brain in new ways and make it easier to learn other languages as well as understanding the Chinese cultures better (like why the number 8 is a lucky number in Mandarin, and 4 is not).
- “It’s not fun like other studies in the US!”
- Usually kids have this belief and it takes time away from their other studies and video games. Usually parents think their children have better things to do, and everybody knows English anyway around the world! However, there are many products and tools out there that make learning Chinese fun and easy!
- “Learning Chinese Characters is too hard.”
- There are great books and even computer software and some great books that make learning Chinese characters easier. I won’t be surprised when they finally release more apps for this to make it even easier!
- “Neither my wife or I speak Chinese. There is no native speaker at home.”
- Many parents are finding online tutors to help them. Finding local tutors at a center or have someone you trust come to you are classic ways of selecting a good teacher. Some parents are even learning Chinese with their kids. Many curriculum and other Learning Chinese tools are specifically designed for non-native language learners of Chinese.
- “I’m so afraid my kids will HATE me for forcing them to learn Chinese.”
- It’s important to work with your kids so they are not being forced to Learn Chinese, but actually enjoy learning it. Picking the right curriculum that matches their learning style is also very important.
- “I don’t have Time! We have Piano, Soccer, and other things to do!”
- Time management is always a challenge with young kids. Prioritization and asking your self “am I doing the right work?” are key. Creating a weekly schedule and a dedicated time for Learning Chinese can help you a lot. Keeping record of a time sheet for a few weeks to see where your time goes can also help. By starting a foreign language early, you will actually be helping your child in high school to give them more time, instead of learning a foreign language from scratch. Learning a language is just as important as other extracurricular activities.
- “I have no idea where to buy fun, entertaining and affordable Learning Chinese Materials!”
- I can help you with that. ChildBook.com has a full range of Learning Chinese materials. We have best-selling books, CDs and DVD to suit your childs needs. I also offer lots of free advice and tips that are available as well!
Conclusion: Chinese Will Make You Better
- Being bilingual gives you more opportunities! And by knowing a second culture, you can also relate better to other people.
- By planting these seeds today, you are more likely to become even more productive and well-rounded.
- With your support, now is the best time for your children to learn Mandarin Chinese.
- Your commitment now will truly give them an advantage later on.