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Original poster

Any chinese mothers out there???

460 replies

blossom2 · 05/01/2005 20:51

I was just wondering

DH is english and DD is a wonderful mix of both of us. people say she looks english/white when out with Dh and chinese when she's out with me!!!

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yingers74 · 06/01/2005 22:41

lovely part of the world! Will ask my mum whether she knows of any shops near you!

Off now, have a good night

Original poster
blossom2 · 07/01/2005 09:27

Good morning ... although its only 9.00am in the UK.

Congratulations yinger74. i found out i was pregnant raelly early too. wish i hadn't, feels like i've been pregnant for ages. Are you joining the 'due in sept 05?' thread??

I've always liked the Mayflower in chinatown. Its on the main road rather than in Gerald street, opposite McDonald's. But it has been years since i've gone there so not sure if its still any good.

I'm sure you can get chai siu buns from one of the supermarkets in chinatown and you should be able to steam them at home. i know the bakers only do baked ones

We're in paris for similiar reasons - DH's job!!! thngs you do for them. I do miss London.

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maomao · 07/01/2005 09:47

Many thanks to you both, and to you too, Madame Wong. I appreciate any and all tips!

Original poster
blossom2 · 07/01/2005 09:51

hey no worries!! do or DH drive?? there are loads of big cash & carry places just outside of town. I used to live in Greenwich and there was a great one with fresh seafood near the Dome.

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maomao · 07/01/2005 19:27

No, we don't drive, but thanks for the information!

yingers74 · 07/01/2005 22:27

blossom2, am a very sad individual as i started the sept thread!!!!!!!!!! And yes 8 months seems a long way away!

maomao - are there any companies on the internet who deliver? might try and have a look around at the weekend myself as it would be handy!

maomao · 08/01/2005 15:36

So blossom2 and yingers, are you excited about having two?

Good idea about delivering, yingers! I'll have to take a look. I did get myself to Oriental City once (in Colindale), but it was a bit of a haul on public transport with my dd.

suzywong · 08/01/2005 15:37

lurk
and congrats to those pg

maomao · 08/01/2005 15:38

Hello you lurker, you

I'm keeping to the safer threads --- the others scare me

suzywong · 08/01/2005 15:39

very wise very wise madame

I went to that korean bbq again just now

maomao · 08/01/2005 15:41

sigh

we really need a drooling emoticon here. where is tech2 when you need her?

suzywong · 08/01/2005 15:41

smoking crack in her garden shed I'll wager

maomao · 08/01/2005 15:42

LOL! Perhaps wearing her floral skullcap

Original poster
blossom2 · 08/01/2005 17:24

Thanks Suzywong ...

personally i'm feeling too sick to feel excited. terrible m/s and tiredness!!! i'm hoping to get excited after the 12 week scan next thursday.

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marz · 08/01/2005 20:00

Just discovered this thread, and hope you don't mind me joining....I am BBC, married to an Englishman...with two dd's. I cook Chinese, feel much more Chinese than English...but....don;t speak, only understand Cantonese. I really want my dd's to learn, (they are 3 and 1 at the moment!) but think probably Mandarin more than Chinese. Have very few links to Chinese community to speak of, so am not sure how to go about starting, dh and I want to learn to speak mandarin too, so was thinking of getting lessons maybe from a private tutor who could come to our home informally and teach me and dh and the kiddies would pick up on it. I know there are Chinese classes (or Sunday school, or however it works ) but am concerned that the children there would already speak Chinese at home and therefore my two may feel left out or "different"...I guess it is only in the past few years that I really regret "refusing" to speak Chinese...apparently I refused to speak after I started at boarding school. I think as I got older the incredible "shaming pressure" made me even more reluctant to speak, despite the fact that my mother continued to speak to me in chinese.
Any advice...thoughts about all this? Are all of you bilingual? Please tell me not...I don't want to feel too incompetant! (This is where if I were a bit more chatty literate.... I could put my smiley face in...!!!)

Original poster
blossom2 · 08/01/2005 23:30

Welcome Marz

I'm bilingual only because my parents can only speak cantonese. DD only speaks english but i think she can understand a little cantonese - not because i speak to her in cantonese but because we saw my family alot when we were back in london.
If we were still there then DD would probably go to the chinese school. She may feel different for a fwe months but at their age, they adapt so quickly and will pick it up in no time.

I think getting in a tutor sounds great, however be aware that the kids would not have a very long attention span. I read an article where one mother employed a nanny who could only speak mandarin so if the kids wanted anything, they had to speak mandarin. Also try getting some chinese nursery songs on tapes/CD (not that i know where you can get some) and put them on so that they are familiar with the sounds etc.

i think most of us are in the same situation about being chinese and ensuring that our children are aware of their hertiage. I'm just not sure how/what/when to go about teaching my DD things about being chinese etc. Although i do think she picks alot up from my family and the celebrations ( i hope anyway). Hope you know what i mean !!!

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yingers74 · 08/01/2005 23:44

hello, not sure i am excited about having two, i think terrified is more appropriate, the more i think about it the more scary it gets!

hello marz, i do speak cantonese but not as fluently as I used to but i spend a fair bit of time with my parents and watching Hk films so my fluency goes up and down. My dd sees a far bit of her grandparents and i try now and again to speak to her in cantonese but not sure much is rubbing off on her! My mum is off to HK in a couple of weeks with instructions to buy DVDs of kiddie shows/singing for my dd to watch. I am not sure whether I would send my kids to chinese school as i never liked going myself! And despite years and years of it, I pretty much forgot all my written chinese within 2 years of leaving! Bad I know!

maomao · 09/01/2005 15:18

The idea of nursery rhymes/television shows in Chinese is a great idea!

Hello, and welcome marz! I wish I spoke, wrote, or even understood Chinese, but I can't! When we were growing up, friends of ours were sent to Chinese school on Saturdays, but somehow we never did that... However, we did have Chinese records that we listened to. Is there a Chinese community centre nearby, or some such place where you could look at postings for a tutor?

Original poster
blossom2 · 09/01/2005 17:15

I'm sure you can post something at the chinese school in Chinatown Marz - thats if you live in London!!

i can't remember the street name, but its in soho, on one of the roads leading to the park/gardens. might be an idea to follow all the chinese kids on a sunday around 12.00pm!!!

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yingers74 · 09/01/2005 21:00

I went to the chinatown school and I have to say it was a bit crap! things may have improved in the last 20 years though! There are lots of local schools so you should check out your local library, at least that way, your children can meet up with friends they make. i never got to see my classmates apart from in class!

marz · 09/01/2005 21:08

Thanks all, I live in Southgate (London...just! We moved here in the summer from Camden) so in the future I think that Soho for Chinese school might be possible. As for now, I was thinking the tutor would just teach me and dh and dd's would just wander around (demanding attention I am sure!) but would pick up sounds and only start a formal teaching when a bit older.
I have a few CD's of nursery rhymes, but I just find it a bit weird playing them, we all have no understanding at all of what they are singing....
I no longer have contact with my mother, which is a very long story but it means that their link to a "chinese person" is not available....
But dd1 does recognise Chinese people, and also Chinese writing?!!? for some reason!
Anyway, we are planning to take them both to HK in 3 yrs, (I have to go back every 3 yrs for my residence, which I am so reluctant to give up!)
Anyway....do any of you miss HK? I lived there for a yr, got preg with dd1 there....and decided I wanted to come back (grass is always greener for me...)....but I miss the food and weather so much!

marz · 09/01/2005 21:15

oh I forgot...maomao, char siu buns are int he forzen foods section.....not always fresh...probably not as good as fresh but very very convenient! there is a big chinese supermarket in Edmonton too....Loon Fung I think.
Also one in Cricklewood...I think, and one in Alperton. Unfortunately I think all the ones I know are dependent on having a car! Apart from soho of course!
Congrats on all the pregnancies too..I am living proof that it is not as bad having two as you anticipate....it does feel a lot easier than I worried about (if that makes sense!)

Original poster
blossom2 · 09/01/2005 21:43

i have really craved chinese food this pregnancy. i've eaten practically nothing but congee the past few weeks.

so Marz, whats it really like having 2??

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marz · 10/01/2005 09:20

Blossom2....do you want the diplomatic answer or the real one?!!! It's great....there is a choice of two to murder! No, seriously, I was an only child and had big problems during 2nd preg with wondering how to love two...and we had a hard time at the beg, dd1 was 22 months when dd2 was born and was quite jealous at first, but I learnt very quickly that dd1 got seen to first, learn to read (to dd1) and feed (dd2) and in general I have become less "precious" about my children! That is how I cope...they play very well together now and are starting to gang up on me too, so I am really seeing the benefits of having more than one!
How is your pregnancy going? Are you working too?

Original poster
blossom2 · 10/01/2005 09:29

Pregnancy is going well now but had terrible Morning sickness in the early days. i'm about 12 weeks now - hoorary!!!

i gave up work to come to Paris because of Dh's promotion. I do miss it but the pregnancy and new baby will no doubt keep me busy.

we've always wanted more than1, but it is scary. although it sounds silly, i'm scared that it might be a boy. i've no idea how to even clean their private parts etc..... hope you know what i mean ...

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