Strict

One thing the K-folks have always struggled with is the fine line between appropriate sternness and discipline -- to hopefully engender in the kids a healthy respect for authority and boundaries -- and overly authoritarian "traditional" Asian parenting that might "clip their wings."

Of course, according to K-Mum, given the sometimes unbounded sassyness on display in the house from time to time, that's one balancing act that K-Pop need not worry himself about.

Over this past year a specific area that K-Pop has wrestled with is the enforcement of piano practice. K-bao has progressed remarkably quickly in her first real year of piano playing, but it has not come without some, um, "struggles" along the way. Given both K-Pop's and K-Mum's own childhood experiences, the irony of some of our impositions today have not escaped us. And it should be clarified that the piano proposition is really K-Mum's brainchild, though of course music education is something that K-Pop wholeheartedly supports.

However, little notes like the below, which K-Pop received from K-bao after one particularly challenging practice session, reassure K-Pop to grit through it.

(By the way, having just completed Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, K-Pop can rest assured that he is but a marshmallow in the greater tradition of Asian parenting)

Homeschool

From time to time K-bao and sister C-bao are off from school during a weekday, such as during teacher development days. These turn into homeschool days when either K-Pop or K-Mum have to work from home and try to keep the kids out of trouble.

To maintain some sanity and order, K-Pop generally creates a schedule that includes math and Chinese worksheets, some free reading and play time, a bunch of "instructional apps" (Khan Academy, DreamBox Learning, Kodable, and a Chinese vocabulary app), piano, and if he's feeling really ambitious, some art and painting time on the balcony outside. The below whiteboard schedule from last week is typical.

Spring Recital

Over the last 9 months, K-bao has made tremendous progress with piano. Last month, she had her second piano performance at Teacher Susie's Spring Recital. K-bao played 2 pieces, Bach's Minuet in G and Dinosaur Stomp (a natural pair, of course).

After the songs were all played, Teacher Susie handed out Certificates of Accomplishment.

In addition, as she does after each concert, Teacher Susie awarded two trophies, one for Most Improved and the other for Overall Honor Student. To everyone's surprise -- most of all K-bao's -- she was awarded the Honor Student prize, which goes to the student who shows up each and every lesson well-prepared and with a great attitude.

K-bao couldn't stop beaming.

A Duet

K-bao has shown remarkable progress since taking up the piano about 6 months ago. She can now handle basic tunes, and while we can't say that practicing through the hard pieces has been entirely devoid of whining, the K-folks are proud of her pluck and persistence to date.

Here she is playing a simple version of Bach's famous Minuet in G with K-Pop.

First Recital

K-bao has been playing piano now for a few months, and had her first recital recently. The K-folks hope that learning the instrument and going through the process of practicing and progressing will not only teach the little one some musicality, but also the value of discipline and hard work.

Admittedly, neither K-Pop nor K-Mum were shining examples of these virtues in their own checkered histories of learning the piano, but perhaps things will turn around with this younger generation.

Here she is lining up with the other fellow piano players ahead of the performance.

Aunt Chris and Uncle Calvin were kind enough to attend, along with the rest of the family.

Here she is with a friend from school who also happens to be taking lessons with the same teacher.

Below is the clip of her full recital - all 55 seconds of it. K-bao played two songs, Are You Sleeping? and Yankee Doodle, which she practiced assiduously in the couple of weeks leading up to the performance. And aside from making some funny faces after each song, she did quite well.

Post recital group picture with her certificate of accomplishment!