I am a fan of your Encyclopedic Knowledge files. Thanks for the great effort!

Intensive information about fish available from this website. Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for your contributions! Well done!

Check out the prices of those GD kits from Singapore. They are quite expensive probably due to the freight cost.

[Compulsory EducationIntroduction]

Dear Violin,

We have compulsory education in Singapore, for all Singapore citizen. Here is some information for your perusal.

Compulsory Education
Introduction

Compulsory Education (CE) was implemented in Singapore from the new school year commencing 1st January 2003. The first cohort of pupils coming under CE are Singapore Citizen children born between 2nd January 1996 and 1st January 1997 who are residing in Singapore.
Background

Singapore has achieved almost universal education at the primary and the secondary levels through years of effort. Today, children who are not enrolled in national schools form only a small percentage of the cohort. The Government is however concerned that they are not being equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to be productive citizens in a knowledge-based economy. Hence, the Committee on Compulsory Education in Singapore (CCES) was formed in December 1999 to review whether compulsory education should be introduced in Singapore, and if so, the form and duration it should take.

CCES completed its work and presented its report (352kb .pdf) to the Minister for Education. Key recommendations included:

    * Compulsory education should be introduced.
    * Responsibility for sending children to school and ensuring that they attend school should still remain with the parents.
    * Compulsory education should be up to Primary 6 as this is considered the minimum period of education for all Singapore children.
    * Certain categories of children, e.g. those with special needs will be exempted from compulsory education.

Statute

The Compulsory Education Act (Cap 51) was passed by Parliament on 9th October 2000 and assented to by the President on 16th October 2000. It provides for compulsory primary education in Singapore and related matters.
Compulsory School Age

According to the Compulsory Education Act, a child of ‘compulsory school age’ is one who is above the age of 6 years and who has not yet attained the age of 15 years.

A child of compulsory school age born after 1st January 1996, and who is citizen of Singapore residing in Singapore, has to attend a national primary school1 as a pupil regularly, unless he/she has been exempted from compulsory education, e.g. a child with special needs, a child attending a designated school, a child receiving home-schooling, (information on exemptions).
Penalty

According to the Compulsory Education Act (Cap 51), where a child fails to attend regularly as a pupil at a national primary school or a designated school/be home-schooled (where exemption is granted), the parent/guardian of the child may be guilty of an offence. The penalties provided in the Act for a person convicted for the offence are a fine not exceeding $5,000, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or to both.

Compulsory Education: Exemptions

The following categories of children may be exempted from compulsory education (CE):

    *

      Designated Schools

      Children attending designated schools, namely the 6 madrasahs currently offering full-time religious education for children of primary school-going age and San Yu Adventist School. These designated schools have to meet a certain PSLE benchmark for the “designated school” status, which allows them to continue admitting children exempted from CE at Primary 1. Parents will have to apply to MOE for a certificate confirming that their child has been exempted from CE. Applications for a certificate of exemption from CE are to be made through the respective designated school.
    *

      Home-schooling

      Where the parents are able to satisfy MOE that the two key objectives of CE can be achieved for their children. Parents will have to apply to MOE for a certificate confirming that the child has been exempted from CE. They are required to furnish information on the curriculum and educational outcomes of the home-schooling programme and make declarations that their child will sit the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) in 4 subjects (English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics, Science) when the child is above the age of 11 years and before attaining the age of 15 years. A home-schooled child has to meet the same PSLE benchmark as children attending the San Yu Adventist School, and sit the National Education Quiz before PSLE.

      The PSLE benchmark for San Yu Adventist School is pegged at the 33rd percentile aggregate score of all EM1 and EM2 pupils. For the 1999 PSLE, the benchmark for San Yu corresponded to a PSLE aggregate score of 191.
    *

      Special needs children

      Children who are not able to go to national schools because of physical/intellectual disabilities are exempted from CE in national schools. Parents of children with special needs do not have to obtain certificates confirming exemption from CE.

 

[Translation of these to English is tough]

GloriaD,

If you are referring to the Thousand Chinese Characters Classics Series, read the following threads:

http://forum.brillkids.com/little-reader-library-downloads-(foreign)/thousand-chinese-character-classic-part25/?topicseen

http://forum.brillkids.com/little-reader-library-downloads-(foreign)/thousand-character-classic-()/?topicseen

In these threads, I highlighted many times, the whole purpose of putting these Chinese characters up is to allow kids to recognise and know the pronuniciation of these difficult charcters. Meaning of these characters are put up in these threads and should be taught much later when they are older. Even Chinese parents will have to make some efforts in understanding these meanings.

Translation of these to English is tough. I would like to do it if I can but I do not want to misinterpret and provide any single error in translation to anyone. Online translation tool is not capable because these characters putting together are "idioms". 

And if you have any more problems, PM me, I will try my best to help you further. Cheers!

Here is the extract:

The following is the list of meanings for these characters for part 1 to part 25:

Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part1 and Part2 Meanings in Chinese:

天地玄黄　宇宙洪荒： 玄,天也;黄,地之色也；洪,大也;荒,远也;宇宙广大无边。

日月盈昃　辰宿列张： 太阳有正有斜，月亮有缺有圆；星辰布满在无边的太空中。

寒来暑往　秋收冬藏： 寒暑循环变换，来了又去，去了又来；秋季里忙着收割，冬天里忙着储藏。
　　
闰余成岁　律吕调阳： 积累数年的闰余并成一个月，放在闰年里；古人用六律六吕来调节阴阳。

云腾致雨　露结为霜： 云气升到天空，遇冷就形成雨；露水碰上寒夜，很快凝结为霜。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part3 and Part4 Meanings in Chinese:

金生丽水　玉出昆冈： 金子生于金沙江底，玉石出自昆仑山岗。

剑号巨阙　珠称夜光： 最有名的宝剑叫“巨阙”，最贵重的明珠叫“夜光”。

果珍李柰　菜重芥姜： 果子中最珍贵的是李和柰，蔬菜中最看重的是芥和姜。

海咸河淡　鳞潜羽翔： 海水咸，河水淡；鱼儿在水中潜游，鸟儿在空中飞翔。

龙师火帝　鸟官人皇： 龙师、火帝、鸟官、人皇：这都是上古时代的帝皇官员。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part5 and Part6 Meanings in Chinese:

始制文字　乃服衣裳： 有了仓颉，开始创造了文字，有了嫘祖，人们才穿起了遮身盖体的衣裳。

推位让国　有虞陶唐： 唐尧、虞舜英明无私，主动把君位禅让给功臣贤人。

吊民伐罪　周发殷汤： 安抚百姓，讨伐暴君，有周武王姬发和商君成汤。

坐朝问道　垂拱平章： 贤君身坐朝廷，探讨治国之道，垂衣拱手，和大臣共商国事。

爱育黎首　臣伏戎羌： 他们爱抚、体恤老百姓，四方各族人都归附向往。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part7 and Part8 Meanings in Chinese:

遐迩一体　率宾归王： 远远近近都统一在一起，全都心甘情愿归服贤君。

鸣凤在竹　白驹食场： 凤凰在竹林中欢鸣，白马在草场上觅食，国泰民安，处处吉祥。

化被草木　赖及万方： 贤君的教化覆盖大自然的一草一木，恩泽遍及天下百姓。

盖此身发　四大五常： 人的身体发肤分属于“四大”，一言一动都要符合“五常”。
　
恭惟鞠养　岂敢毁伤： 恭蒙父母亲生养爱护，不可有一丝一毫的毁坏损伤。



Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part9 and Part10 Meanings in Chinese:

女慕贞洁　男效才良： 女子要思慕学习那些为人称道的贞妇洁女，男子要效法有德有才的贤人。

知过必改　得能莫忘： 知道自己有过错，一定要改正；适合自己干的事，不要放弃。

罔谈彼短　靡恃己长： 不要去谈论别人的短处，也不要依仗自己有长处就不思进取。

信使可复　器欲难量： 诚实的话要能经受时间的考验；器度要大，让人难以估量。

墨悲丝染　诗赞羔羊： 墨子为白丝染色不褪而悲泣，「诗经」中因此有「羔羊」篇传扬。



Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part11 and Part12 Meanings in Chinese:

景行维贤　克念作圣： 高尚的德行只能在贤人那里看到；要克制私欲，努力仿效圣人。

德建名立　形端表正： 养成了好的道德，就会有好的名声；就像形体端庄，仪表也随之肃穆一样。

空谷传声　虚堂习听： 空旷的山谷中呼喊声传得很远，宽敞的厅堂里说话声非常清晰。

祸因恶积　福缘善庆： 祸害是因为多次作恶积累而成，幸福是由于常年行善得到的奖赏。

尺璧非宝　寸阴是竞： 一尺长的璧玉算不上宝贵，一寸短的光阴却值得去争取。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part13 and Part14 Meanings in Chinese:

资父事君　曰严与敬： 供养父亲，待奉国君，要做到认真、谨慎、恭敬。

孝当竭力　忠则尽命： 对父母孝，要尽心竭力；对国君忠，要不惜献出生命。

临深履薄　夙兴温凊： 要“如临深渊，如履薄冰”那样小心谨慎；要早起晚睡，让父母冬暖夏凉。

似兰斯馨　如松之盛： 能这样去做，德行就同兰花一样馨香，同青松一样茂盛。

川流不息　渊澄取映： 还能延及子孙，像大河川流不息；影响世人，像碧潭清澄照人。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part15 and Part16 Meanings in Chinese:

容止若思　言辞安定： 仪态举止要庄重，看上去若有所思；言语措辞要稳重，显得从容沉静。

笃初诚美　慎终宜令： 无论修身、求学、重视开头固然不错，认真去做，有好的结果更为重要。

荣业所基　籍甚无竟： 有德能孝是事业显耀的基础，这样的人声誉盛大，传扬不已。

学优登仕　摄职从政： 学习出色并有余力，就可走上仕道〈做官〉，担任一定的职务，参与国家的政事。

存以甘棠　去而益咏： 召公活着时曾在甘棠树下理政，他过世后老百姓对他更加怀念歌咏。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part17 and Part18 Meanings in Chinese:

乐殊贵贱　礼别尊卑： 选择乐曲要根据人的身份贵贱有所不同；采用礼节要按照人的地位高低有所区别。

上和下睦　夫唱妇随： 长辈和小辈要和睦相处，夫妇要一唱一随，协调和谐。　

外受傅训　入奉母仪： 在外面要听从师长的教诲，在家里要遵守母亲的规范。

诸姑伯叔　犹子比儿： 对待姑姑、伯伯、叔叔等长辈，要像是他们的亲生子女一样。

孔怀兄弟　同气连枝： 兄弟之间要非常相爱，因为同受父母血气，犹如树枝相连。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part19 and Part20 Meanings in Chinese:

交友投分　切磨箴规： 结交朋友要意相投，学习上切磋琢磨，品行上互相告勉。
　　
仁慈隐恻　造次弗离： 仁义、慈爱，对人的恻隐之心，在最仓促、危急的情况下也不能抛离。

节义廉退　颠沛匪亏： 气节、正义、廉洁、谦让的美德，在最穷困潦倒的时候也不可亏缺。

性静情逸　心动神疲： 品性沉静淡泊，情绪就安逸自在；内心浮躁好动，精神就疲惫困倦。

守真志满　逐物意移： 保持纯洁的天性，就会感到满足；追求物欲享受，天性就会转移改变。



Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part21 and Part22 Meanings in Chinese:

坚持雅操　好爵自縻： 坚持高尚铁情操，好的职位自然会为你所有。

都邑华夏　东西二京： 古代的都城华美壮观，有东京洛阳和西京长安。

背邙面洛　浮渭据泾： 东京洛阳背靠北邙山，南临洛水；西京长安左跨渭河，右依泾水。

宫殿盘郁　楼观飞惊： 宫殿盘旋曲折，重重迭迭；楼阁高耸如飞，触目惊心。

图写禽兽　画彩仙灵： 宫殿上绘着各种飞禽走兽，描画出五彩的天仙神灵。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part23 and Part24 Meanings in Chinese:

丙舍傍启　甲帐对楹： 正殿两边的配殿从侧面开启，豪华的账幕对着高高的楹柱。

肆筵设席　鼓瑟吹笙： 宫殿中大摆宴席，乐人吹笙鼓瑟，一片歌舞升平的景象。

升阶纳陛　弁转疑星： 登上台阶进入殿堂的文武百官，帽子团团转，像满天的星星。

右通广内　左达承明： 右面通向用以藏书的广内殿，左面到达朝臣休息的承明殿。

既集坟典　亦聚群英： 这里收藏了很多的典籍名著，也集着成群的文武英才。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part25 Meanings in Chinese:

杜稿钟隶　漆书壁经： 书殿中有杜度的草书、钟繇的隶书，还有漆写的古籍和孔壁中的经典。

府罗将相　路侠槐卿： 宫廷内将想依次排成两列，宫廷外大夫公卿夹道站立。

户封八县　家给千兵： 他们每户有八县之广的封地，配备成千以上的士兵。

I am very impressed with these kids, whenever I see these commercials.

I have both the GD Math Kit and LM.

In my opinion, dot cards should be started with babies and LM is more attractive with toddlers because after some time they are bored with dot cards.

When I do not have the time to prepare and flash those dots cards, LM is definitely my choice of use and importantly, with LM, I do not have to compromise my program routine.

LM is definitely a plus point when comes to flashing equations and toddlers will like different icons.

However, I would like to suggest that LM to include more math operators like (), <>, etc.

Cheers!

To Lappy and BrillKids Team,

THANK YOU!

I find this article interesting! Check it out from this web link.

10 Steps to Toilet Teaching Your Toddler
http://parenting.ivillage.com/tp/tppotty/0,,9mx1,00.html


Whether you call it potty training, toilet training or toilet teaching, it can be an intimidating task for parents, especially with all of the conflicting advice out there. Here are 10 easy steps to get your child out of diapers and into underpants in no time!

5 Steps to Prepare for Potty Training

• Take this quiz to see if your little one is ready to ditch the diapers

• 10 signs your child is bound for potty training success

• Follow 10 ways to prepare your child for toilet training

• Read about bladder and bowel control

• Toilet teaching alert: 11 physical and emotional complications moms might encounter

5 Ways to Tackle the Toilet

• See which potty training device you should use

• Teach your toddler bowel control

• Teach your toddler bladder control

• For boys only: 10 toilet training tips

• Potty training twins

10 real-mom ways to toilet train

• Beat the bedwetting blues

• Talk to other moms about their successes and failures on the Potty Training message board

[Separation anxiety]

Separation anxiety


Wasn't it delicious when your infant preferred you to anyone else on the planet? Now that your child is bigger, though, and he falls apart whenever you head to the bathroom without him, his attachment seems downright obsessive. Hang in there. He's experiencing separation anxiety, a developmental phase that nearly all children go through (sometimes more than once) during their early years. And, thankfully, it isn't permanent.



Why separation anxiety happens
At around 6 months, your baby begins to realize that you and he are separate, which means that you could leave him. He's also capable of "representational thinking" now, which means that he can picture objects (like you) in his mind after they're no longer visible. In other words, out of sight no longer means out of mind. (This is one reason why he suddenly gets such a kick out of "peekaboo.") As your child grows into toddlerhood, he's developing a strong drive for independence, but he still needs your undying support. All this can lead to a fear that you've abandoned him whenever you're not there.

It's unclear why some kids pass through this phase with barely a whimper while other children become consumed by it. Whatever the reason or intensity, you'll be happy to know that your toddler will outgrow this phase. When? Well, that's a tricky one. Separation anxiety tends to wax and wane throughout the toddler years. But most experts agree that the period of extreme neediness usually passes between 18 months and 2 1/2 years. By age 3 he should be fully out of it. In the meantime, here are some tips and tricks for making departures go a little smoother.

What to do
Wave bye-bye when you leave.
It's a simple tactic but one that many parents ignore. Instead, fearing the wrath of their toddler, they try to sneak out of the house while he's otherwise engaged. Big mistake. This approach may save you the pain of watching your child cry, but it can actually make his separation anxiety more severe. If your child thinks you might disappear at any given moment without notice, he's not going to let you out of his sight. This also goes for nighttime departures. Some parents try to avoid the whole ordeal by putting their child down for the night before the babysitter arrives. That's all well and good — if he doesn't wake up. But suppose he does. You don't want him surprised — and possibly terrified — to wake up and find you gone.

Help your child look ahead.
Although your child's ability to communicate is still hindered by his limited vocabulary, he understands much more than he can say. So prepare him for your departure by talking about the event ahead of time. Make sure your child knows where you are going and when you'll be back. You may also want to give him details, such as who will be watching him and what sort of activities he can look forward to doing. To that end, it's also important to talk about your child's sitter with great enthusiasm. Your child looks to you for reassurance, and if you say things like "I think Bella is so much fun, don't you?" he'll be inclined to agree. To gauge how much of your conversation he's absorbing, follow up with simple questions like "Where are Mommy and Daddy going?" or "Who's going to watch Kenny while Mommy and Daddy go to dinner?"

Look on the sunny side.
Separation anxiety isn't merely a toddler thing — you may not be thrilled by the prospect of leaving either. But if you let your apprehension show, your child's almost certain to pick up on it. Besides, a dramatic farewell will just validate your child's feelings of insecurity. So try to stay calm and positive — even if he's hysterical. Talk to him evenly and reassure him that you'll be back soon. To keep the situation light, try adopting a silly parting phrase such as "See you later, alligator" or your own made-up alternative. Getting your child in the habit of responding with "After a while, crocodile" will also help serve as a distraction.

Try a transitional object.
Having a reminder of Mom or Dad may help your toddler cope in your absence, so when you go out, leave him with a personal memento. It can be just about anything — a photograph, an old sweater of yours, or a special pin for him to wear. It's possible that the token might have the opposite effect, though, by serving as a constant reminder. So check with the babysitter to see if your child seemed agitated by it. A security object — a blanket, a stuffed animal, or even his very own thumb — can also be a source of solace.

Play "name that feeling."
A true understanding of emotions is still years away for your toddler, but he can learn to put simple labels on his feelings. When your child starts to panic, tell him: "I know that you're sad that Mommy's leaving. What you're feeling is called 'missing.' When Mommy leaves she has those 'missing' feelings too." "Sometimes all a child needs is a way to express his fears," says child psychologist Donald Freidheim, director of the Schubert Center for Early Childhood Development in Cleveland, Ohio. "Teaching him a name for what he's feeling helps defuse the anxiety."

Set up gradual transitions.
If you're leaving your child for an evening out, ask the babysitter to arrive a half hour ahead of time. This gives the two of them time to get acquainted while you act as a calming presence. If you're starting with a new long-term childcare provider, you may want take a day or two off work — or see whether the sitter can come on the weekend — and do a few activities as a threesome. Whenever your child seems happily engaged with his babysitter, recede into the background. If your child brings you a book to read, for example, redirect him with "Why don't you see if Mary wants to read that book with you?" Or, if he wants to be picked up, suggest that he let the new caregiver do the honors. Some kids are so clingy, though, that they won't give a new sitter a chance, as long as Mom (or Dad, whoever is the primary caretaker) is an option. So if possible let the secondary caretaker be the go-between. "It happens at daycare facilities all the time," says Freidheim. "When Dad drops his toddler off, the child jumps right into the action, but when Mom tries to leave, the same kid dissolves into tears." For these kids, the transition may go more smoothly if the less-available parent acts as the middleman.

Head out at the same time.
Good-byes are always easier when it's your child who does the exiting. Instead of you leaving him behind, have the babysitter take him for a quick trip to the park or out for a stroll as you head out the door. Make sure your child understands that you're going out as well. Otherwise he'll be doubly upset when he returns to find the house empty.

Involve him in an activity.
Allow your toddler and his caregiver to get engrossed in an activity before you leave. When the time comes for you to go, give your child a quick kiss good-bye and make a beeline for the door. He may still cry, but the activity can serve as a distraction soon after your departure.

Let him learn to cope.
No parent wants her child to feel any unnecessary sadness, but coping with separation is one of the many stresses your child will have to learn to manage in life. Sometimes doing nothing — especially if you've already tried everything — is the best advice. "Learning to cope is an important developmental task," says Freidheim. "Your child has to learn that there are times when he's going to be unhappy." If your child's clinging is so severe that you can't even cross the room without a protest, for example, you may be making the situation worse by constantly caving to his demands. If you know that he's safe, it's okay to let him cry a bit. In a matter-of-fact voice, reassure him that's everything's okay, then go ahead and do whatever it is you need to do — without feeling guilty.


http://www.babycenter.com/0_separation-anxiety_12652.bc

[Bringing up a bilingual baby]

One good article for your reference:

Bringing up a bilingual baby

From the very beginning …
Your baby has been exposed to language even before you ever thought about helping her language skills after birth. In the womb, your baby has listened to your voice and learnt to recognise it. After birth, the process becomes even more developed, as he learns how to distinguish different sounds and patterns of speech. Children are eager and more than able to process language. Just think - from crying to constructing grammatical sentences in the space of five years … even before they can tie their shoelaces!

Coo blimey!
You may feel a bit of an idiot as you babble in a high-pitched voice to your baby but it is through your words and language that your baby acquires her own. Obviously at first it's pretty basic - but even crying is a way of communicating and, in time, you will be able to distinguish how different cries mean different things. You are both already well on the way to effective communication.

The next stage is the welcome cooing phase, when softer and quite pleasant sounds occur, such as 'aaaaaah' and 'oooooh'. Cooing itself, however, doesn't reproduce language-specific sounds.

Babbling is the third phase, when your baby is focusing on the sounds she hears around her and which, consequently, sounds increasingly like the language you use. Babbling is characterised by syllabic sounds, e.g. the much-anticipated 'mamama'. This leads later to bizarre mixtures of syllables such as 'giliguk'! You may have noticed too that language milestones tend to occur around times of physical development.

Talking toddlers
At one year of age is typically when first words might be heard, although this varies a great deal. Some children don't start saying definite words until after their second birthday. However, if you are at all worried about your child's development, speak to a health professional. When first words come, they won't sound the same as when you say them! As Lorraine Rice, from Bilingual Babies, explains: 'Some phonemes are universally tricky (r, l, s, sh, zh, th) … [and toddlers] also have difficulty with consonant clusters.' This is why you might hear your clever boy saying 'poon' instead of 'spoon'. Where there's a will …

The first expressions your child makes will be 'holophrastic' - i.e. they'll be one-word phrases. It's quite amazing how a toddler can put one sentence-worth of meaning into one word, with hand gestures, facial expressions and tone adding meaning and emphasis! As your child acquires more vocabulary, she will start saying combinations of words. Typically this will be in the form of an adjective and noun, e.g. 'big cat!' or a noun and a verb 'boy jump!'.

Good Golly, Miss Poly(glot)
If your child is doing so well with one language why would you want to introduce a second to confuse him? Without a doubt, today's world is becoming increasingly global and, while English is the universal language, the ability to speak other languages is not only desirable but also helpful.

You might have other reasons why you want your child to be multilingual. Perhaps the language you speak at home is different to the one spoken in the community. This will provide natural settings to introduce more than one language to your child.

How easy is it for a child to be multilingual?
According to Deborah Ruuskanen, professor of English Linguistics at the University of Vaasa, Finland, and mother to three bilingual children: 'It is entirely possible to teach an infant two, or even three, languages, and four is not unheard of. In Europe, a great many toddlers learn four languages with little or no difficulty.'

Obviously, the earlier your baby hears the different languages you want him to be exposed to, the better and easier it will be for him. For example if a child is exposed to a new language before six years of age, they will acquire it as a native speaker very quickly. For this to happen, they will have to be in an environment where they are exposed to it constantly, e.g. in a school or nursery. As children get older, the likelihood of them attaining a native-speaker command of a language decreases. In adulthood the chances are very slim indeed, as any of you who have tried learning a language later in life will know!

Are there any special requirements?
There must be a motivation for your child to learn the language, either through constant reinforcement at home or in the community. One or both of the parents must also have a good command of a second language. This doesn't mean you have to be a native speaker of another language though. Some parents have acquired a good deal of fluency in another language through living abroad or studying and want to pass that language on to their child. However, some worry that their imperfect accent and grammar will be more detrimental than beneficial to their child. What you decide to do ultimately depends on your preference, but surely it's better for your child to grow up speaking a second language reasonably fluently, with some flaws, than just one language?

Raising a bilingual baby
Parents who want to raise a bilingual baby must face several more decisions than parents of monolingual babies encounter. They include:

- How you'll get all of those languages into your child!

-Who, out of you and your partner, should speak which languages?

- Can any of the languages wait until your child is at school?

- How will your child communicate with other members of their family?

You will also need a 'language plan'. Contrary to popular belief, children don't just pick up a language incidentally. You'll need to agree on a method that suits your family situation and stick to it. A couple of ways introduce two languages more quickly than others. These are:

One parent - one language
This approach probably brings about the quickest results and increases the chances of your child being able to distinguish the two different languages. If each parent sticks to their 'allotted' language, your child has an immediate way of recognising who speaks which language.

Family language vs community language
With this method, you use one language in the home while letting your child acquire the community language outside. This works well because your child gets maximum exposure to the 'minority' (i.e. family) language at home, particularly in her early years, which will provide an excellent foundation for language acquisition. As your child gets older she will gradually be given more exposure to the majority (i.e. community) language, through nursery groups, friends, school, etc.

Whatever approach you choose to adopt, the key is to be consistent.

The pros and cons of bilingualism …
A 1997 study carried out at York University discovered that bilingual children understand written language faster than their monolingual counterparts. It also goes without saying that a language is a skill, and the more you have at your command can only be of benefit in the future.

And the cons? Even though bilingual children understand written language at an earlier age that monolingual children, it should be pointed out that, if you introduce two languages to your child as a baby, their speech may be delayed. This is completely normal - after all, they are trying to recognise and produce the sounds and words of two languages! However, he will soon catch up with his monolingual peers - but will be talking in two instead of one language. How cool is that?!

Your baby might, at some stage, show signs of confusion with the two languages, as they realise they are dealing with two language systems. Sometimes this can take a few months to overcome. At first your baby hears all the sounds around her and assimilates them into one loose language. She may know one word for an object and refuse to accept that another word can also be used! However, when she sees other people using different words for the same thing, she will realise that it's OK to do this and she will become happier with this very quickly.

Even the cons with bilingualism turn out to be beneficial! If you go through any difficult stage remember to remain patient and that this phase will pass, normally quite quickly. Bringing up a bilingual child can be exciting and beneficial - to both the child and the parents - and can give them a great advantage in life, at present and in the future.

Extract from http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/baby/bilingual_babies.asp

I am surprised that this is happening in a developed country like UK.

I am very upset by recent reports and videos of child abuse by caregivers. Anyone, not just parents, please be vigilant and look out for warning signs of child abuse.

Here is one good article:

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm


 

Most welcome!

The following is the list of meanings for these characters for part 1 to part 25:

Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part1 and Part2 Meanings in Chinese:

天地玄黄　宇宙洪荒： 玄,天也;黄,地之色也；洪,大也;荒,远也;宇宙广大无边。

日月盈昃　辰宿列张： 太阳有正有斜，月亮有缺有圆；星辰布满在无边的太空中。

寒来暑往　秋收冬藏： 寒暑循环变换，来了又去，去了又来；秋季里忙着收割，冬天里忙着储藏。
　　
闰余成岁　律吕调阳： 积累数年的闰余并成一个月，放在闰年里；古人用六律六吕来调节阴阳。

云腾致雨　露结为霜： 云气升到天空，遇冷就形成雨；露水碰上寒夜，很快凝结为霜。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part3 and Part4 Meanings in Chinese:

金生丽水　玉出昆冈： 金子生于金沙江底，玉石出自昆仑山岗。

剑号巨阙　珠称夜光： 最有名的宝剑叫“巨阙”，最贵重的明珠叫“夜光”。

果珍李柰　菜重芥姜： 果子中最珍贵的是李和柰，蔬菜中最看重的是芥和姜。

海咸河淡　鳞潜羽翔： 海水咸，河水淡；鱼儿在水中潜游，鸟儿在空中飞翔。

龙师火帝　鸟官人皇： 龙师、火帝、鸟官、人皇：这都是上古时代的帝皇官员。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part5 and Part6 Meanings in Chinese:

始制文字　乃服衣裳： 有了仓颉，开始创造了文字，有了嫘祖，人们才穿起了遮身盖体的衣裳。

推位让国　有虞陶唐： 唐尧、虞舜英明无私，主动把君位禅让给功臣贤人。

吊民伐罪　周发殷汤： 安抚百姓，讨伐暴君，有周武王姬发和商君成汤。

坐朝问道　垂拱平章： 贤君身坐朝廷，探讨治国之道，垂衣拱手，和大臣共商国事。

爱育黎首　臣伏戎羌： 他们爱抚、体恤老百姓，四方各族人都归附向往。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part7 and Part8 Meanings in Chinese:

遐迩一体　率宾归王： 远远近近都统一在一起，全都心甘情愿归服贤君。

鸣凤在竹　白驹食场： 凤凰在竹林中欢鸣，白马在草场上觅食，国泰民安，处处吉祥。

化被草木　赖及万方： 贤君的教化覆盖大自然的一草一木，恩泽遍及天下百姓。

盖此身发　四大五常： 人的身体发肤分属于“四大”，一言一动都要符合“五常”。
　
恭惟鞠养　岂敢毁伤： 恭蒙父母亲生养爱护，不可有一丝一毫的毁坏损伤。



Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part9 and Part10 Meanings in Chinese:

女慕贞洁　男效才良： 女子要思慕学习那些为人称道的贞妇洁女，男子要效法有德有才的贤人。

知过必改　得能莫忘： 知道自己有过错，一定要改正；适合自己干的事，不要放弃。

罔谈彼短　靡恃己长： 不要去谈论别人的短处，也不要依仗自己有长处就不思进取。

信使可复　器欲难量： 诚实的话要能经受时间的考验；器度要大，让人难以估量。

墨悲丝染　诗赞羔羊： 墨子为白丝染色不褪而悲泣，「诗经」中因此有「羔羊」篇传扬。



Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part11 and Part12 Meanings in Chinese:

景行维贤　克念作圣： 高尚的德行只能在贤人那里看到；要克制私欲，努力仿效圣人。

德建名立　形端表正： 养成了好的道德，就会有好的名声；就像形体端庄，仪表也随之肃穆一样。

空谷传声　虚堂习听： 空旷的山谷中呼喊声传得很远，宽敞的厅堂里说话声非常清晰。

祸因恶积　福缘善庆： 祸害是因为多次作恶积累而成，幸福是由于常年行善得到的奖赏。

尺璧非宝　寸阴是竞： 一尺长的璧玉算不上宝贵，一寸短的光阴却值得去争取。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part13 and Part14 Meanings in Chinese:

资父事君　曰严与敬： 供养父亲，待奉国君，要做到认真、谨慎、恭敬。

孝当竭力　忠则尽命： 对父母孝，要尽心竭力；对国君忠，要不惜献出生命。

临深履薄　夙兴温凊： 要“如临深渊，如履薄冰”那样小心谨慎；要早起晚睡，让父母冬暖夏凉。

似兰斯馨　如松之盛： 能这样去做，德行就同兰花一样馨香，同青松一样茂盛。

川流不息　渊澄取映： 还能延及子孙，像大河川流不息；影响世人，像碧潭清澄照人。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part15 and Part16 Meanings in Chinese:

容止若思　言辞安定： 仪态举止要庄重，看上去若有所思；言语措辞要稳重，显得从容沉静。

笃初诚美　慎终宜令： 无论修身、求学、重视开头固然不错，认真去做，有好的结果更为重要。

荣业所基　籍甚无竟： 有德能孝是事业显耀的基础，这样的人声誉盛大，传扬不已。

学优登仕　摄职从政： 学习出色并有余力，就可走上仕道〈做官〉，担任一定的职务，参与国家的政事。

存以甘棠　去而益咏： 召公活着时曾在甘棠树下理政，他过世后老百姓对他更加怀念歌咏。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part17 and Part18 Meanings in Chinese:

乐殊贵贱　礼别尊卑： 选择乐曲要根据人的身份贵贱有所不同；采用礼节要按照人的地位高低有所区别。

上和下睦　夫唱妇随： 长辈和小辈要和睦相处，夫妇要一唱一随，协调和谐。　

外受傅训　入奉母仪： 在外面要听从师长的教诲，在家里要遵守母亲的规范。

诸姑伯叔　犹子比儿： 对待姑姑、伯伯、叔叔等长辈，要像是他们的亲生子女一样。

孔怀兄弟　同气连枝： 兄弟之间要非常相爱，因为同受父母血气，犹如树枝相连。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part19 and Part20 Meanings in Chinese:

交友投分　切磨箴规： 结交朋友要意相投，学习上切磋琢磨，品行上互相告勉。
　　
仁慈隐恻　造次弗离： 仁义、慈爱，对人的恻隐之心，在最仓促、危急的情况下也不能抛离。

节义廉退　颠沛匪亏： 气节、正义、廉洁、谦让的美德，在最穷困潦倒的时候也不可亏缺。

性静情逸　心动神疲： 品性沉静淡泊，情绪就安逸自在；内心浮躁好动，精神就疲惫困倦。

守真志满　逐物意移： 保持纯洁的天性，就会感到满足；追求物欲享受，天性就会转移改变。



Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part21 and Part22 Meanings in Chinese:

坚持雅操　好爵自縻： 坚持高尚铁情操，好的职位自然会为你所有。

都邑华夏　东西二京： 古代的都城华美壮观，有东京洛阳和西京长安。

背邙面洛　浮渭据泾： 东京洛阳背靠北邙山，南临洛水；西京长安左跨渭河，右依泾水。

宫殿盘郁　楼观飞惊： 宫殿盘旋曲折，重重迭迭；楼阁高耸如飞，触目惊心。

图写禽兽　画彩仙灵： 宫殿上绘着各种飞禽走兽，描画出五彩的天仙神灵。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part23 and Part24 Meanings in Chinese:

丙舍傍启　甲帐对楹： 正殿两边的配殿从侧面开启，豪华的账幕对着高高的楹柱。

肆筵设席　鼓瑟吹笙： 宫殿中大摆宴席，乐人吹笙鼓瑟，一片歌舞升平的景象。

升阶纳陛　弁转疑星： 登上台阶进入殿堂的文武百官，帽子团团转，像满天的星星。

右通广内　左达承明： 右面通向用以藏书的广内殿，左面到达朝臣休息的承明殿。

既集坟典　亦聚群英： 这里收藏了很多的典籍名著，也集着成群的文武英才。


Thousand Chinese Character Classic Part25 Meanings in Chinese:

杜稿钟隶　漆书壁经： 书殿中有杜度的草书、钟繇的隶书，还有漆写的古籍和孔壁中的经典。

府罗将相　路侠槐卿： 宫廷内将想依次排成两列，宫廷外大夫公卿夹道站立。

户封八县　家给千兵： 他们每户有八县之广的封地，配备成千以上的士兵。