AEducation

BPlanning

CGreenliving

DCOreduction

C

Oneofthelatesttrend(趋势)inAmericanChildcareisChineseaupairs.AuPairinStamford,forexample,hasgotincreasingnumbersofrequestforChineseaupairszxxkfromaerotoaround4,000since2004.Andthat’strueallacrossthecountry.

“IthoughtitwouldbeusefulforhimtolearnChineseatanearlyage”JosephStocke,themanagingdirectorofscompany,saysofhis2-yearoldson.“Iwouldatleastliketogivehimthechancetousethelanguageinthefuture,”Afteronlysixmonthsofbeingcaredby25-year-oldwomanfromChina,theboycanalreadyunderstandbasicChinesedailyexPssions,hisdadsays.

LiDrake,aChinesenativeraisingtwochildreninMinnesotawithanAmericanhusband,hadanotherreasonforlookingforanaupairfromChina.Shedidn’twantherchildrentomissoutontheirroots.”BecauseIamChinese,myhusbandandIwantedthechildrentokeepexposedto(接触)thelanguageandculture.”shesays.

“Stayingwithanativespeakerisbetterforchildrenthansimplysittinginaclassroom,”saysSuzanneFlynn,aprofessorinlanguageeducationofChildren.”Butparentsmustunderstandthatjustoneyearwithaupairisunlikelytoproducewonders.Completemasterydemandscontinuedlearninguntiltheageof10or12.”