Two or More Languages in Early Childhood

I was once wondering whether I should teach Debo bilingual or just simply one language… and what I found from books and websites are convincing me that absolutely no problem !! Well, I am a Malaysian, a multiracial country with multi languages and cultural, and looking back our childhood, my mother tongue is Cantonese, but I know how to read and speak Mandarin, English and Malay when I was a child…

So, what are the most important languages in the world? Search in google, you can find lots of websites rating for it, and what I have concluded the top languages in majority as below (listed in random order):

• English
• Mandarin
• Spanish
• French
• Russian
• Arabic
• Japanese
• Portuguese
• German
• Hindi

We can teach our baby for up to four languages, or even more depending on the child, parents and environment. According to Glenn Doman, baby are linguistic genius as their brain are ready to absorbs as much knowledge as they get to receive. As Doman’s theory, golden age for kids to learn are from 0 to 3 years old, second period from 3 to 6 years old and after 6 years old the learning speed will gradually slowing down. This is why usually difficult for adult to learn a new foreign language than a kid. Doman’s Flash card is a very good way in teaching children words and knowledge. By flashing cards, child can memorize words in just few times of flashing.

I started using Doman’s Flash card when Debo age about 6 months, and she did able to point out the correct cards when I asked her…. been stopped for sometimes currently… yeah.. a bit lazy …Ooppps… is a bit busy in preparing others study materials. However, I do find that Debo can learn words quickly. Now she is about 22 months old and able to recognize all alphabets and read out alphabets from A to Q… while R to Z still in progress ~~  for Chinese words, recently I show her a sentence card with word “爸爸” (daddy), and surprise me that Debo called out “Ba Ba” (how she call her daddy) !!

For Debo, currently my hubby and I speak 3 languages with her: English, Mandarin and Cantonese. These three are the major language in our house, but there are still some languages can be find at our environment where Debo can learn by listening: sometimes parent-in-law speak in Hokkien, I play kids songs including: France, Germany, Japanese and of course Chinese(Mandarin) and English kids songs randomly. For others languages, I am not going to emphasize in teaching but just to create an environment for Debo to “familiar” by listening, so she will be able to master it rapidly. Maybe will teach foreign languages after Debo able to handle well basic level of English and Chinese language.

Howsoever, words of God are the most important “language” to learn for kids since they are born, thus we must not forget to include Bible study in their learning schedule… ^_^

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.(Proverbs 9:10)
敬畏耶和華是智慧的開端, 認識至聖者便是聰明 (箴言9:10)



Resources:
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/earlychild.html
http://linguistlist.org/ask-ling/biling.cfm#twolangs
http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/reprints/weber/rep-weber.htm
http://www2.ignatius.edu/FACULTY/TURNER/languages.htm
http://www.altalang.com/beyond-words/2008/10/27/the-10-most-useful-languages-to-learn/
http://blog.dinolingo.com/2011/05/15/doman-glenn-children-are-linguistic-geniuses/
http://parenting.stackexchange.com/questions/67/what-are-some-strategies-for-raising-a-bilingual-child

My Favourite Bookstores in KL & Miri

Baby Debo is almost age of two now, and most of the books she have are pictures books and activities exercise books. I like to go bookstores looking for some new books for Debo and stationeries or little things that can be used for her sensory bin. Few bookstores are my favourite, listed as below:

KUALA LUMPUR/ SELANGOR

1. Popular Bookstore in IKANO Power Centre

Bookstore Structure: A big bookstore with variety of books, books are divided into section and label clearly.

Books: Have variety of books, can find many pictures books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and others activities exercises books, both in Chinese and English. Also have many sorts of extracurricular books there too for older kids.

Customers Service: Nice and helpful staff. A cheerful customer service lady help me to find books I had looking for, with polite and warm smile.

Offers/ Price: Always have offers and with members cards can get more discount. Sometimes during promotion, books are priced at very attractive price !! ^_^ ….

Surrounding: Located in Ikano, there are many others shops that are nice to shop, like IKEA and Pet shop, so no problems to stay there for whole day, including Daddy … ^_^ ..he prefer to shop at IKEA ~~ There are many nice restaurants, including our favourite Nando, so we can shop and eat, shop and eat and shop and eat for whole day ~~

Popular Bookstore
Ikano Power Centre Lot S2 2nd Floor 2,
Jalan PJU 7/2 Mutiara Damansara 47800 Petaling Jaya Selangor
Tel:  03-7725 9188 / 03-7725 5823 / 03-7725 5708
Fax: 03-7727 8321
Business Hours:
Mon-Sun:10:00am to 10:00pm

I bought these from Popular @ Ikano, PJ:

    2.    Kinokuniya Book Stores

Bookstore Structure: A quite and comfortable place, where we can enjoy reading quietly… if without baby …ha.. !! Books are classify clearly according to languages.

Books: I can find many wonderful and popular English pictures books there. There are some Chinese pictures books too in the other side at Chinese books section

Customers Service: Of course, located at KLCC which is a high level shopping place, staff are polite and dress professional.

Offers/ Price: Sometimes has offers, but not as much and big like Popular Bookstore. Price is higher than other bookstore.

Surrounding: It is located inside the KLCC, a well known landmark in KL. Is very convenience to reach there, either by driving, taxi or LRT. Many shops including ELC toy shop and Toys’ R Us, restaurant and a cinema in KLCC, so parents can spend time there after rooming at the bookshop.

Conclusion: Well, you can find many well known popular books at Kinokuniya, if you don’t mind to spend more for a book, then here is a convenience place to get your books. However if you are not in hurry to have the book, I would recommend to buy at other bookstore or online through Book Depository... price is the major consideration issue for me $_$

Kinokuniya Book Stores
Lot 406- 408 & 429-430 Level 4, Suria KLCC
Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2164 8133
Fax: 03 2162 8599
Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday 10am to 10pm

I got these books from this bookstore:

  3.     Book Xcess

Been there once, a bit far from my house and it is located at a busy zone, which always having traffic jam. However, it do attract my interest to go visiting the bookshop, because of it price… haha

The bookstore located in a shopping mall, at the top level three, is large with many sorts of books. They put price stickers on the books showing “Recommended Regular Price” and their offer/ selling price. Seems discounting a lot, example My First World Atlas by Collins, Book Xcess selling RM 14.90 while other bookstore like MPH or Kinokuniya selling at RM 19.90

Whether it is really worth, I am not sure but you can browse its website to see the book lists with its selling price before decide to visit the bookshop.

Book Xcess
L3 – 60, Amcorp Mall,
No 18 Jalan PSN Barat, 46050 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7956 0455
http://www.bookxcess.com/contact.html
Opening Hours:
Monday to Sunday 10:30am to 9:30pm

I got these from this bookstore:

  4.     Borders Tropicana City Mall

Just went there once, but had bought many books from this bookshop. There was offer for kids’ pictures books and some are recommended by many parents online. So… well… of course i had bought many pictures books for Debo, both in English and Chinese

Mostly are English books, but there are still many choices for Chinese pictures books and price not high …mean … CHEAP… found many RM10 books… haha.. ya… cheap but good quality books

Will go there again when visiting KL again… hope there is still having promotion !!

Borders @ Tropicana City Mall
Lot L1-39,46,47 1st Floor
Tropicana City Mall
No 3 Jalan SS 20/27, 47100 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7727 9203

Books I bought from Borders bookshop:

5.       MPH Bookstore @ One Utama

Bookstore Structure: The bookstore is large and has two levels,. There is small section in Children books unit that can allow children to sit and read books. Inside the bookstore, environment is soft and quiet, good for reading

Books: Mostly are English Books with all sorts of books. For kids, choices are a lot: pictures books, award wining children books, revision and exercise books, mini books for baby, etc. Not much choices for Chinese children books.

Customers Service: Not much contact with the staff there, but they do look professional and helpful

Offers/ Price: Sometimes do having offers, but for books without discount, the price seems a bit higher than some bookstores. You can check its online bookstore, as there is offers for some items and free shipping with some condition (West Malaysia with orders more than RM50)

Surrounding: located in one of the large shopping mall in KL – One Utama Shopping Centre, having lots of parking place and can spend whole day in the shopping centre.

Remarks: There are some special stationeries can be found in MPH Bookstore.

MPH MEGASTORE, 1 UTAMA
F319 & S319, 1st & 2nd Floor, 1 Utama Shopping Centre, No 1, Lebuh Bandar Utama, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya
Tel: (603) 7726 9003
Fax: (603) 7725 9003
Business hour: 10.00 am - 10.00 pm

I bought these books from MPH Bookstore

   

MIRI
1 .      Belle’s Bookshop

Bookstore Structure: Located above toy shop (Toys World), which I believe is same owner with the bookshop. We usually spend some times at the toys shop before go up stair. There is a small Lego toys section beside the cashier counter where kids can play around while parents doing some shopping. Is kind of good, because is just nearby the cashier counter so at least the cashiers will have a look on the kids… but of course parents need to take an eye on their children by themselves while they finding books, staff don’t have the responsibility to look after your kids.

Books: Have different sorts of books, especially Christianity books and some accessories at a special corner. There are mostly English books in the bookshop. I can find some popular pictures books there, and some special stationeries, like Crayola Finger Paint and alphabets stamps… which I think are a bit difficult to find it elsewhere in Miri (Please let me know if there is any other shop that sell Crayola products in Miri)

Customers Service: Nice and helpful.

Offers/ Price: Well, as what I remember there is not much promotion or offers in this bookshop… really not much, even its toys shop at the lower floor also not having much offers except 10% discount for those with member card…. that’s all… hmm….

Surrounding: It is in a shop lot located at a commercial centre. Some restaurants nearby and Servey Supermarket nearby. Usually wont spend much time around the area.

Belle’s Bookshop ,
Toys World, Lot 605-610, 1st Floor,
Pelita Commercial Center, 98000 Miri, Sarawak
Telephone : 6 085-416133
Fax : 6 085-416623

I bought these here:

2.       Popular Bookstore in Bintang Mall

Bookstore Structure: Hmm… a normal bookstore, sometimes with many boxes or goods at the side of the way, making it difficult to pass through. Books are divided according to language.

Books: Mostly are primary and secondary school workbooks, also some for toddlers but choices are not much. Only few English pictures books can be found here. Different branch do have difference ya…. ( I prefer the Popular Bookstore in IKANO).

Customers Service:  Not much contact with them… seems having many staff.

Offers/ Price: There are always offers and promotion, but there has been long long time (I guess few months) the offers section not having much changes… still highlighting the same few series of books… I am waiting for new offers actually…waiting for few months… YES, few months….  !!!

Surrounding: It located inside the Bintang shopping mall, which to me is the most wonderful shopping mall in Miri… haha… Inside the mall has Parkson, Toys R US, a level with many computers shops (at least my hubby wont “urge” me to go home early)…and some nice restaurants like Pizza Hut, KFC, Marry Brown, Kenny Roger, and my favourite Sushi King !!!

Conclusion: I do like Popular Bookstore, just maybe Miri branch is not as big as KL, so choices are not much as in KL, but is still convenience and nice to shop…sometimes do have surprise ..when there is promotion ~~

Books I bought from here:

 

Exercise for Children

I do not active in sports, rarely do any exercise in a year~ …Haa…so it seems hard for a mum like me to teach kids sports and exercise, not talent in this field. After making some “research” online, I had make a short summary as below as a “reminder” for myself to get “more active”in exercise… I do hope this help.. ~

To keep healthy, everyone should do more exercise, especially children. According to the professionals, toddlers need at least one hour of exercise everyday. Kids have lots of energy and they are doing exercise all the time by themselves without thinking of it… running around the living room, kicking ball, walking up and down the staircase, cycling, etc. However, as parent we should not just encouraging the children to do more exercise, but also have to involve with them, provide and assist them in more energetic physical activities. 

Let us see what are the benefits for children to do exercise:

• Exercise make our Heart Happy

Our heart is muscle and when we are doing exercise in a regular basis, it will help this muscle to get stronger and perform better in pumping blood and deliver oxygen to all parts of our body.

• Exercise Strengthen our Muscle

It will help our muscles to grow stronger and bigger too

• Exercise Make us Flexible

Most children able to move their body in flexible, bending and stretching their body without any trouble or feeling any tightness or pain. Will you able to bend your body and touch your nose with your knee? I remember I can do it years ago and was really fun after stretched my back… well, yeah… admitted… it was many years ago, when I was still a kid and it will be suffering to ask me to do it again now.. I should have do more exercise ~_~

• Exercise Keeps the Balance

Do exercise to keep our body fit and keep balance for our calories level. Eating too much (more calories than our body needed) without enough exercise, may have the calories stored as excess fat in our body, which means --- FAT.

• Exercise Make us Feel Good

Exercise will help us in building a strong and flexible body which will enable us to carry out all sort of activities and enjoying our daily life. Furthermore, by doing exercise our brain will release a chemical which called endorphins that will make us feel good and happy

We will have a better sleep if we are physically fit and by then will be able to handle physical and emotional challenges. Since everything going well, we will then be able to enjoy our daily life in a healthy and relaxing mood, so great, isn’t it?

So, how much exercise do a child need for a day?
Children under five that able to walk without assistance
at least 180 minutes (three hours) per day, composing light activity and more energetic physical activity.
Children and young people aged 5 and 18
at least 60 minutes (one hour) per day, composing activities of Moderate Intensity Aerobic Activity and Vigorous Intensive Aerobic Activity. On three days a week, should involve activities of Muscle Strengthening, and Bone Strengthening

What’s mean for these activities?
Light Activity
Such as standing up, moving around, rolling and walking at slow pace

Energetic Physical Activity
Walk in fast pace, riding bike, swimming, dancing, climbing, skipping rope, gymnastics, and active play like hide and seek.

Moderate Intensity Aerobic Activity
These activities are able to raise our heart rate and break a sweat, examples are playing in the playground, skateboarding, rollerblading, riding a bike on level ground or ground with few hills. How we know we are doing at moderate intensity? If you still able to talk but can’t sing words of a song then means you are doing it.

Vigorous Intensive Aerobic Activity
If we are doing at this level, we won’t be able to talk more than a few words without pausing for a breath as we need to breath hard and fast with heart rate going up a bit. Examples of these activities are chasing around, energetic dancing, aerobics, running, gymnastics, playing football, martial arts, riding bike at fast pace or on hilly ground.

Muscle-Strengthening Activity
Activities that will lift our body weight or to work against a resistance. Example activities that suit for a child are swinging on playground equipment bars, gymnastics, climbing tree or rope, sit-ups, sports games like basketball and tennis. For young people, they may involve in other activities such as push-ups, sit-ups, rock climbing, sport games, and resistance exercises like exercise bands, weight machines, or hand-held weights.

Bone-Strengthening Activity
These activities will produce an impact or tension force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength. Example of activities that suit a child are walking, running, skipping rope, martial arts, jumping, climbing, sport and games like hop scotch. For young people, they can involve in activities such as dance, aerobics, weight training, water based activities and sport games that put force on bones.

We as parent should responsible in building up more structure and balance activities for our children, encourage them to do exercise as habits since they are young… So, I’ll try to put more efforts in doing sports games and exercises with Baby Debo, although it may be challenging….. to me.. hah..

Resources :
NHS Choice, UK’s largest health website
Babble
Kids Health – Kids and exercise
Kids Health – Why exercise is cool

FREE SHIPPING @ Book Depository

 

Wow.. so excited to find a place to buy book with FREE SHIPPING… !!!

I had been looking around for some good books for my little princess, and hopefully that is some offers or discounts. I went to some bookstores,  big bookstores with many choices and offers but still can’t find the books I had looking for. Time and petrol wasted, even there had the books but priced high. So I search online and from a mama forum I found a online book store --- Book Depository.

 

This is a great way to buy book for people like me, staying far from big city. The Book Depository provide many choices mostly English books, with discounted rate plus FREE SHIPPING. After converting into Malaysia Ringgit, it was even CHEAPER than purchasing in local bookstores!!!!! I don’t need to drive long way to the big book stores, using half of the day searching the books I want and hopping it having some discounts ~~ Wow… Just sit nicely at home, drinking tea while browsing the website, click click click… that’s all… books will be send directly to my house. Simple and easy.

 

But one point to mention here: You will need to wait for weeks & above to receive your orders. I had purchased a Kumon Colouring book.. just one…for try ^_^ … will share here once I go my order ~