Comments on: FCC = Faking China for our Children

By: Cindy

Cindy — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 02:51:17 +0000

I have found a Vietnamese story time at a local public library. It is wonderful. It is really more of a language class than story time, but the “teacher” reads kids books and teaches the kids (mostly 7-12 year old girls) how to count, alphabet, animal names etc in Vietnamese. I love that T hears the language and I am learning a few words along the way. He just loves it (doesn’t hurt that the girls all flirt with him the whole time!) Added bonus – 8 year old girl from the same province!

I am really lucky to have become friends with my travel group and we get together every few months. Plus local families who used the same agency. I do worry like Lulu that T will grow up thinking all kids have white parents.

I have been amazed at the amount of cultural events available. For example a celebration at the MOA in a week. Huge Tet celebrations. Fall Festival. More than I ever realized until I started looking around.

By: kikalee

kikalee — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 19:53:53 +0000

I am insanely far behind in everything, and not being proactive in cultural immersion. At all. I want to but it just gets lost in the muck of life. And it’s pissing me off we have like no time to do anything these days, or think ahead as to what is best to keep her in touch with her heritage. I’m being really hard on myself today. I’m actually downloading the Booksmart app right now as I type this, to get a swift kick in the ass to get the LB together before my brain evaporates. It’s been two years and I need to start somewhere…

Nonetheless this is an *awesome* subject to bring up.
–L

By: coco

coco — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 06:34:49 +0000

I just got onto our FCC list. I’ve never done anything with them either. I chickened out on the CNY stuff at the last minute. I think we are definitely doing no better than you are. Mavis just started with a Chinese tutor, which isn’t a grand success, but we’ll stick it out until she can begin Chinese school at 4.5 (not immersion, just weekend school). As for the lifebook, I highly recommend using something like BookSmart. I did mine on there pretty quickly and have been satisfied with the outcome. I was never going to be able to do some kind of wonderful scrapbook style thing. Mine looks like a real book, and Mavis likes it. I think it helps to remember you can re-do a lifebook at a more sophisticated level when she is older.

I second Lisa’s comments about a broader multiculturalism being most important.

By: lisa

lisa — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 04:47:09 +0000

Shh-I’ve never been to an FCC anything.I always intended to, but, I have never belonged to organized groups, so it felt really artificial to do it now. We hosted a LNY party for about 40 friends, and it was fun. We’re raising S bilingual in Spanish, with Mandarin classes on Sat mornings. We realized that we don’t have the resources for her to be bilingual in M. We do with Sp, which will make it easier for her to learn the other.
We only have one family among our friends that we have things in common with who is ChAm with a son S’s age-but many multicultural families (not adoptive), and this is what I am focusing on for her experience. Oh, wait-2 families-I always forget A is Ch ; ) Several other families, but the relationships are a stretch, in that we don’t have as much in common.

It feels more real for us to focus on multicultural identity than trying to immerse her in the ChAm community. Because I really believe her generation is going to redefine all of our ideas about race and culture. ~lmc

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:32:59 +0000

You have to register them at age 4?

I am so out of it!

By: American Family

American Family — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:52:51 +0000

We don’t do FCC. It is just too weird. Our family has different issues to work on (obviously!), but if it makes you feel any better, I haven’t finished L’s lifebook either. I am hoping to have it done by her bday in April. I love our local Chinese school for dance and language classes. I would also give my right arm for the option of Chinese immersion.