A Chinese Character A Day

It seems there is no effort at all for my daughter of 3 and a half recognising a Chinese character a day, especially when such activity is put in the context of play.

Listen!

The most commonly heard commands from the mothers (or the grandmothers) to their little kids during my short visit to a Hong Kong clinic are:-

Don't touch, it's dirty.

Don't play, it's dangerous.

Be quiet, you are too noisy.

Sit still, so that you are a good kid.

Cultural Difference

You probably won't mistake this is a painting from Mark Rothko, but you wouldn't be able to imagine my husband use it as a wrapping paper for my birthday gift.  Well you probably defend my husband that a Frenchman wouldn't know such paper is for burning for the dead.  In fact he knows very well, but that fact wouldn't override his appreciation of beauty.  Of course I didn't blame him also coz a diamond ring was wrapped inside it.

Crazy Mother

How often did I criticize those mothers yelling at their kids, well, now I am one of those.  I don't feel guilty anymore, but frightened to realize the fragility of human beings.  In short, we, adults, are very weak.  But to the contrary, kids are really fantastic human beings.  My daughter of 3 years and 9 months just know very well how to shift her emotion.  Perhaps she doesn't know how, but just do it.  While I am still very angry and try to shake the shit out of her, she has already got up from her tantrum and worn a big smile and would come over and give me a French kiss.