This post was sponsored by Sagebooks. All opinions are mine and mine alone.
So, last time we hit a bit of a snag because I left for a week and though we bounced back somewhat nicely in the second week, I did not adequately prepare myself for the fact that reading an entire book was a bit intimidating to Glow Worm (5).
I have now forgotten that for three children. Any guesses on whether I’ll remember for when Sasquatch hits this step in a few years?
Well, I suppose my faulty memory about child development is the reason I have four children instead of only one.
Oh, it’s not that type of post? Look, I MAKE THE RULES HERE. This is embarrassing. Let’s move on.
Where Are We?
At the end of Week 8, we had finished two more books in the Treasure Box Set 2 series and getting ready to start Set 3 Book 1 in Week 9. I had in mind to finish the last book of the Treasure Box 2 series and then get about half way through the first book in Set 3 by the end of Week 10.
Did We Do It?
Ummm…. kinda? Ok, no. We did not.
We got close? Sorta?
I know we had two weeks to do very little but alas. It did not happen.
What Happened?
I’ll be honest. I tried to shunt the responsibility of reading Sagebooks with Glow Worm onto my daughter, Gamera (7). I mean, it’s efficient use of my time, right? I not only have my 5 year old learn characters, I have my 7 year old reviewing. That’s just great parenting right there.
Unfortunately, I chose poorly.
I had Gamera go over the last Treasure Box Set 2 book which was on Mencius (孟子/meng4 zi3). That was, no surprise, not interesting enough to hold Glow Worm’s attention for more than a few pages. In fact, the only reason they moved on from page one was due to Gamera’s indomitable will. And even that was not enough to make it more than a few pages.
Even the prospect of going back to the Mencius book was too much for Glow Worm for the rest of that first week and I was not going to be the one to make him do it. (I’m a coward. I know it.)
Of course, because we blew off Week 9 due to me being weak, I felt worried about Week 10. You know how the more you put off something, the more it looms and becomes ridiculously overblown in your mind?
I knew that would happen.
So I cheated. I said a big fat NOPE to Mencius and we skipped straight to Set 3 Book 1.
Look. In life, we have to make decisions and I made it. Things will either move you forward or hold you back and you have to do what works for you.
Mencius did not work for me.
Glow Worm perked up when he realized that there was no more Mencius so we made good progress and ended up at 3.1:6.
What Else?
Glow Worm continued his weird tonal sandhi problem from the last update and for some reason, he added the inability to properly say 蝴蝶/hu2 die2/butterfly, a term he knows how to say except while reading (apparently).
*head desk*
This is so frustrating to me. And maybe to Glow Worm. I don’t know.
I just know that I make him say 蝴蝶 properly a few times and he was like, WHYYYYY but I still made him do it despite knowing that it would frustrate him but I just. WHYYYYY?
I comfort myself with the hope that his tones will work themselves out.
Cookie Monster (~9) had an “American Accent” when he spoke Chinese as a kid despite no one in the family having it and now he doesn’t so I guess it’s just a developmental phase. A really aggravating developmental phase that causes me no little amount of stress – not because I think his Chinese will suffer but because I don’t like the thought of other Chinese parents judging me as they hear Glow Worm read aloud while we’re at kungfu.
Oh, come on!! YOU KNOW THEY TOTALLY ARE!!
How do I know this? BECAUSE I TOTALLY WOULD BE!!!
Oh, ahem. I have said too much.
Let’s just forget I said anything. See you in two weeks for our next update!
