Does your child struggle with perseverance, patience and focus? This bookset is a great tool in our parenting kit!

Grace 说恒心 shows us the importance of perseverance.
Grace 说耐心 teaches us what we can do when we feel impatient.
Grace 说专心 encourages focus.

It struck me how intentional Grace's dad is in guiding his child and I love his ingenious ways to teach her to cope. I have much to learn from him!

Recommended for Ages: 2-6
Pages: 144
Format: Hardcover
Number of books: 3
Language: Simplified Chinese
Author/Illustrator: 廖树清

Here are some reflections we had after reading these books!

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Last December we encouraged my elder boy to pick up a new hobby or skill, and he chose piano lessons. This was his first ever external class, maybe only for a season. If it doesn't work out we will stop anytime. The first lesson he came home beaming "Mum I love to play the piano! It's easy!" The second and third lesson came and went. It was getting harder each week. His face fell when he struggled with the fingering and deciphering the notes on the musical staff. He had problems tracking the notes and tended to be distracted by his brother while practising. He would be overconfident and play familiar clusters of notes by memory, and then forget which bar he had to continue from. He'd only practise piano only because I asked. What made things worse was that I was frustrated with how easily he gave up. Sometimes practices would end in tears, both his and mine. After discussing with my hubby, I realised my boy doesn't need more pressure, more expectations. Moreover, piano classes are not compulsory, if it's he's not enjoying it, why bother? I apologized to my elder son that I had been impatient with him, and asked for a do-over. In the weeks ahead, I had to sit on my hands and bite my lips many times. I prayed to God for wisdom - how to inspire perseverance and excellence in my child? My boy asked one day, "Mama, is piano ever going to get easier?" We looked at difficult music scores with new notes and fingerings, playing with two hands. We figured out together that we can either run away or take up the challenge. Try our best bit by bit, day by day, and not give up. It usually gets really hard before it gets easier. We would troubleshoot together, find ways to improve and celebrate little successes. Over time, his confidence soared. He initiates practice many times a day just for fun, and now declares that piano is way better than screentime! Make no mistake, he is no prodigy. I'm excited to see how this journey is going to help him overcome new challenges in other aspects of life. Only time will tell! Does your child struggle with perseverance too? Do you have tips on how to support them? #intentionalparenting #mystorytreasury #chinesekidslit #sgparents

A post shared by Helping families ❤ Mandarin 📚 (@mystorytreasury) on Mar 20, 2019 at 8:25pm PDT

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In Grace 说专心, Grace's dad brings the whole family out to see how others focus on their work. He brings her to watch - a Teppanyaki chef cooking, - a pastry chef or pâtissier decorating a cake, and - a violinist playing melodious tunes! He shows the importance of - being intentional in parenting, - creative in teaching his little one soft skills, and - learning from the masters. This brings to mind Charlotte Mason's habit of attention. She discouraged dawdling, which happens when we 心不在焉 / in 望着黑板 心在沙滩 state, with gaze drifting away, eyes having a faraway look, or getting fidgety. If our kids can enlist their will, choose to focus on the task at hand and we take care not to overwhelm them - we can spend less time on actual work and have more time for leisure and other things. Perhaps it's time to visit @dintaifungsg to see the amazing chefs make 小笼包 at the glass window! It's easy to show focus in things we like to do. The boys can spend hours creating elaborate cities with duplo, magnatiles, wooden train tracks, Lego people and animal figurines. They can run around the park with sticks and stones playing pretend with their friends all morning. We once had a perler bead craze and worked on our creations over days. One thing that baffles me is why they can't sit still to draw or colour for 5 minutes. How do you encourage your kids to have patience in what they don't like, or in their weaker areas? I'm still trying to figure this one out, help needed here!

A post shared by Helping families ❤ Mandarin 📚 (@mystorytreasury) on Mar 21, 2019 at 6:46am PDT