Chinese or Non Chinese???

When it comes to schooling, I know a lot of parents are in a dilemma - to send the child into a Chinese school or private school or the normal public school?? Luckily for me, I have decided to save myself from the headache, I have made up my mind to just send Clarissa into Sayfol, where her cousins are. Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against Chinese school or her learning Chinese, but I always feel that the Chinese educational system is a little too tough on children. I have heard from a lot of parents that, the homework given by the Chinese school are tremendous and the teachers are too strict. 

For me (solely my personal opinion), language is a funny thing. I always feel that it is very important to first have a keen interest in the language to be able to learn it. I think learning Chinese is very important (especially being a Chinese) but I don't need my daughter to master in it. So long, if she can understand and speak, I am happy enough. I don't believe in the saying that you have to learn Chinese to be successful because China will have more business around the world. (Come on, majority of the educated Chinese from China speak perfect English these days!). 

Graduating from a normal public school, I was never exposed to the Chinese language, but I am able to read, write and speak the language now. Why? Simply because I am a Chinese who is worried that if I were to go to China one day, people will laugh at me (or worse, scold me) for not be able to speak or understand my own mother tongue. And so, I started listening to Chinese songs (reading the lyrics) and watching lots of Chinese movies/series (reading the sub title), and as they said, the rest is history.....

I hope when Clarissa is older, I will be able to instill the same feelings in her. No doubt she's only 1/4 Chinese (since her Daddy is only 1/2), but I would still want her to always remember that 1/4 of her. The reason for not sending her to a Chinese school is because I feel that it is unfair for me to put her in an environment where she's totally not familiar. Imagine yourself (as an adult) in a same situation, if you are not able to understand anything your friends or your teachers said, how would you feel? If there is anyone to be blamed for her not being able to speak the language, then it should be me, since I am the one who doesn't speak to her from young. So, there's no reason to force her into a Chinese school and let others teach her when as a mother, I didn't do it. 

Having said that, it doesn't mean I don't want her to learn the language at all. I am trying to mend the situation now by speaking to her more in Chinese. Recently, she came home calling her Daddy - Ba Ba, and Me - Ma Ma. When I asked her if she knows what it means, she told me the correct meaning. She also told me that she's speaking in Chinese and that those were the only 2 Chinese words she knows. I encouraged her to speak more, and now she added another 2 words in her Chinese vocabulary - "Dai" nan nan (big milk, in case you people thought the wrong thing ;)) and "Sai" (small) nan nan :) 

Given enough time and patience, I believe one day she will be able to speak and understand more. Afterall, she's only 3 1/2, she will have a long time more to learn the language......