Richmond Children's museum

This was the third time we visited this museum, and we observed a huge difference in Ming Ming.
The first time she was still small, not even walking yet. The second time was about two months ago, she had tons of fun but was scared of all the large fake animals (the cow, the dinosaur, etc). This time she was running around, sometimes speeding into cars and caves that were not easy to see, we really had to run after her so that we don't lose her. it was no longer necessary to introduce or suggest games or places for her, we followed her lead!

MM the cashier

MM the good student, Papa was the teacher writing on the blackboard though we did not see him here.

"Papa you don't cheat!" -- Ming Ming the banker... but all she wanted to do was to put all the money in the safe - maybe Wall Street should follow her lead?


MM the ambulance driver

MM the dancer

MM the pirate-dancer

MM the phone operator, papa was on the lower level talking to her

MM the truck driver

MM the milkman

MM the dragon rider

MM the dinosaur egg

MM the dam builder

MM the painter

MM the chinese holiday home-maker.

this was a great museum for role play.

After the museum, we visited Civa and Rana (who moved to Richmond a year ago). Forget to take any pictures. The pair of twins do not speak Chinese any more. Though they understand their mum in chinese, but they always talk back in English. I realised that MM speaks the three languages because there is not really a dominant language in her life. She got a very strong French environment when her grandparents are here (an environment more consistent than chinese because in my family we speak three dialects), but she also spends more time with me than Antoine in her day to day life.. the result is that all three languages are equally important in her life.

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That said, I am getting a bit concered when Antoine reads to her in English. I always translates her English books into Chinese, but Antoine thinks that she needs exposure to vocabulary, and once we translate we always use the same words. Now he reads stories and waits for MM to fill in the blanks, or finish the sentence. And Ming Ming is getting pretty good. But she does not do as well when I try it with her in Chinese, because when I translate my sentences are different each time. I need to get a lot of Chinese story books! Is that enough reason to go back to HK?