Chinese School .... The mission begins.

Week one of Chinese School successfully completed. Despite protesting she didn't want to go all summer, Jo-San has suddenly become very interested in learning Chinese. Long may this continue.

The first lesson revolved around the Mid Autumn Festival and involved watching a video and making a lantern. All very festive and I was very proud to hear that she participated well and she was able to tell me what the video was about. Thinking she was watching the video and interpreting the story visually I thought this IS a good start, until I later found out the video was actually in English..... oh well at least she now knows there is a drum beating rabbit on the moon.

Another plus point, going to Chinese school Jo-San was very pleased to have a desk and chair where she could sit and lay out her pencil case and listen to the teacher..... even though she didn't have a clue what she was saying, she said it was nice to have her own 'place'. 

It's all about Kidzos. Work = Earn = Save = Spend

Finally made it to Kidzania yesterday with Jo-San and her buddy. Very glad we left it 'til now as I think it was a pretty good lesson in life skills, just as the place intended. 

After a rocky start we finally managed to convince the kiddies that if they got themselves a job they could earn some Kidzos (Kidzania money) to add to the collection they were given at the start. Jo-San's buddy was motivated by the prospect of his own credit card, whilst my little one just wanted to shop. 

Their reception year teacher will be proud! They used their counting, reading and observations skills to navigate around the shop as a cashier, stock manager in the department store, ice cream maker, air-con maintenance engineer and even made paper from recycled old newspaper to name a few jobs they did.

The more physically demanding jobs like fireman, policeman, courier were not appealing to my girl and neither were the squeamish and high responsibility roles like surgery or caring for a room full of babies in Alder Hey although a stint as a dentist putting in a filling was met with some bemusement. So no definite career path chosen as yet, although she still likes the idea of being a teacher just like Miss Musk. 

Armed with a wad of cash the buddies opened a bank account each with their hard earned kidzos and proceeded to try and spend it in the department store. The store didn't accept cards so they had to go and withdraw the cash ... which made the decision of spending even harder. 

Hopefully they've learned the value of money. That it doesn't grow on trees and that the more you work the more you get. The look of achievement on their faces when they came out with extra cash after having completed a job was priceless. 

As for the item she worked so hard for? Its discarded somewhere around the house already.....