Goodreads Share: The Twins of East East Village
Author: Zhang Pengjie
Publisher: Wenlin Publishing Co.
Hello, I am Ruby, the parent of Su Muyin from Lower Kindergarten 1. This morning, I was organizing my daughter Mimi’s bookcase, and she caught a glimpse of the cover, and she exclaimed, “I want that book about the twins, I’ve been looking for it for a long time. I’ve been looking for it for a long time. Which one is it? Why are you so excited? It turned out to be the picture book “The Twins of Dong Dong Village”.
When I read it again, I really thought it was a great book. The author, Zhang Pengjie, whom I knew from my college fellowship, is a very good singer and songwriter, and it turns out that she also creates picture books, so when I joined the Qingpi Reading Program and saw that there was more than one book with this author’s works, I felt very close to her and looked forward to it. Just like the author’s impression and lovely painting style, each of her picture books is bold and colorful, with some biblical concepts in them, but without any sense of preaching.
Let’s have an intimate parent-child reading with Mimi and me! In the picture book, there are twin brothers, one is happy and the other is sad. The book is written in a contrasting way, so you can see the differences between them as soon as you open the book. When faced with an event, the two people respond very differently, the positive is always positive, the negative is always the same, for example, when there is a blackout, when the juice is poured, when they encounter mosquitoes when they go out for a picnic, or when they fall ill, you can see the different responses of the two people who are similar in looks. I was most impressed by the two pages on colds and illnesses, which clearly reflected the saying “a joyful heart is a good medicine”. Perhaps I have been feeling the effects of emotions on the body very deeply recently, so I read them with even more feeling.
As I guided Mimi through the reading process, I finally took her back to the beginning and asked her to choose again and again whether she wanted to be the optimistic brother or the pessimistic brother in this situation. Sometimes she chooses her brother, sometimes she chooses her brother, a very real choice of her situation. I also brought in the idea that sometimes I would be like my brother, sometimes I wish I was like my brother, and finally I brought out the hope that our home could be a home like my brother’s, optimistic and open-minded, and that people would want to come into our home.
May you share this lovely and reflective picture book, and may your home be filled with joy.
Lower Kindergarten 1
Su Muyang Parent
May 31, 2024
Hello, I am Esther, the parent of Leung Cheuk Yiu in Lower 2B, and I would like to share my parenting experience with you today. As a parent of two children, the age difference between my children is about 2 years. Since both of them are girls, they like similar things, so there are always times when they love each other and times when they hate each other. Therefore, I try to learn from my parents and friends, and also from books!
1. Don’t compare
When relatives and friends see two children, they will inevitably compare them: comparing their grades, height, appearance, etc. This may be unintentional, but the children will inevitably be unhappy. Therefore, I think it is most important to teach children to appreciate their own strengths, so that they can realize that everyone’s pace is different, and that they may learn at different speeds, so it is enough to compare their own progress!
2. Avoid being biased
The two daughters are always in a situation where one minute they are sugar-coated peas, and the next minute they are in a situation where they have no choice but to give in to each other. They don’t give in to each other, and then they complain to me. This is a big headache for a mom. According to Wang Yizhong, a clinical psychologist, fighting between siblings is not a bad thing. It should be seen as a natural part of growing up, and a chance for children to resolve their disputes by first observing what is going on between them and how they are resolving it. If after a period of time it is still unresolved or not handled correctly, it is advisable to separate the two and guide the child to find a suitable solution, but do not force the older child to compromise with the younger one, as this will cause her to have negative emotions and be jealous. 3.
3. Seek equality, not fairness
As a parent, you may be asked from time to time, “Why is it okay for my sister? “Or sometimes, in a reversal of the question, the older sibling will ask the same question. Experts point out that the reason children ask “why? Experts say that the reason children ask “Why?” is not necessarily because they want an answer, but because they want to gain some kind of advantage and complain. It is important to teach children to express their real needs and to explain to them that if they can achieve a certain ability first, then they will be able to do that thing. According to Wong Pak Ka’s article in
<<To a mom who’s been driven crazy by her two babies, “Fairness is treating children the same regardless of their age. Equality is to take into account the differences of the children and provide different kinds of assistance according to the different needs of each child”.
Lastly, I think parents should try their best to get time alone with their children, so that they can have time to talk to their parents and deepen their understanding and care for each other.
(References: Wang Yizhong Psychologist https://www.mababy.com/knowledge-detail?id=4960 Don’t underestimate the unconscious “favoritism” behavior of parents! 6 Ways to Treat Children Fairly)
Upper Lower 2B
Parent, Mr. Leung Siu Yiu (梁婥瑤)
June 21, 2024
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