A moment of Understanding.

Chinese character for "Love"

Yesterday my oldest son participated in a Chinese character recitation contest at his Chinese school. He had to go before three adult judges alone and correctly identify at least 50 characters using the appropriate Chinese tone. We practiced for several weeks, but I honestly wasn't able to help him with many of the words because my American ears have difficulty hearing the slight differences in tone that are critical in spoken Mandarin. About two weeks ago I realized that we weren't going to master everything so I switched to an emphasis on doing his best.

The car ride to school was nerve wracking for all of us because my son announced that he was "scared" and that he didn't want to go. Then he told my husband that his heart was beating really fast. Nerves. I felt so bad for him because this was the first time that he had to step into a evaluative situation without complete mastery. My husband prayed that God would give him courage and peace about the contest.

The situation got more tense when we arrived and found his teacher drilling the class on the pronunciation of each word without mercy. I'm 35 and I was nervous. I snapped at the teenage teaching assistant when he told my son, "This is easy. You would know these if you practiced. This list is a lot easier than all the other classes (for older students)." I immediately told him that it isn't easy when you don't come from a Chinese speaking family and informed him that we had been practicing. I really wanted to SLAP him right in the face.

Just when my son was about to short circuit from the stress, the judges came in and called his name to go first. My brave little six year old walked alone into another room where three adults were seated at a table. He sat down in the fourth chair and they drilled him for 60 seconds to see how many characters he knew. As I watched through a cracked door, I suddenly knew how my mom must have felt before all those piano recitals and track meets that I put her and my dad through as a child. Knowing that I was scared. Knowing that I wasn't guaranteed to finish first or play a song perfectly. Knowing that I didn't want to do it, yet willing me to finish. I had a true moment of understanding.

My baby finished the contest and exited the room with his head held high. I have NEVER been prouder of him. That was the greatest test of his character that he has ever faced, and his courage inspired me.

After the class I thanked his teacher for working with him and told her that he had been very concerned before the contest. She told me that he is doing very well and reminded me that it is much more difficult for a child to pick up Mandarin (or any language) without someone in the home that speaks it. My son is the only non-Asian in his class and most of the students A) have Mandarin speaking parents, and B) Are 2 or more years older than him. He is hanging with these kids on a weekly basis. Excellence is deliberate.

I learned later that my three year old also had a contest in his class- they had to recite numbers and identify colors. He knew it from watching me work with his older brother. Excellence is not only deliberate- it's contagious.

Next up for my global citizens- a tutor. It's time to get serious about this thing.

I hope you all are doing well and not using as much Zyrtec in your neck of the woods as we are!

Talk to you soon. Have a great week.