我一直觉得学好英语很重要，因为语言是个钥匙，一个工具，有了它，能接触到更远的世界，交更多的朋友，看到更多的事情。每个孩子都是语言天才，一些香港朋友在家里是跟孩子说英语的，小朋友跟父母说英语，跟其他家人说广东话，并不会发生混乱，两个语言都是母语一样的就说溜了。这样的情形换在我们身上也很常见——普通话和地方方言，一般也都是一起学会的。

当然相比起英语，我还是觉得普通话更重要些。现在所有人都跟他说普通话，我们的朋友来了，不自觉地用广东话逗他的时候，我们都会说：“小A听不懂呀，你得说普通话！”，而在家乡一直说宁波话的奶奶现在也很自觉地操着不熟练的普通话来跟小A说话。现在就是老外，也很多人在学普通话呢，香港人也很多专门请老师到家里教孩子说普通话的，我们自己有什么理由不讲呢。

所以如果小朋友可以顺利的在双语环境长大的话，我希望是普通话和英语。至于广东话，只要不离开这块地方，长大了不用教也能学会——可见语言环境多重要。现在我们学英语就是缺少语言环境，所以更需要营造出一个双语氛围。也有朋友提议说读国际学校。（这似乎越扯越远了）但国际学校对我来说最大的吸引力还不是因为语言，倒是因为体制外教育截然不同的特色，孩子的创造力，主动性，对上学的热情，这些是应试型的教育不可比拟的。但是这并非十全十美，国内的学校读书虽然压力大，相对没那么灵活，但是基础教育确实是比较扎实的。所以我每次想到从前房东的孩子那句“school is interesting!”就热切的希望小A日后能跳出现在的应试教育体制；但每次想到同一个孩子告诉我她们四年级还在背乘法口诀，又有点犹豫……

小A才半岁，考虑这些实在有些庸人自扰。但是因为受到一些周围的影响：上什么样的幼儿园决定上什么样的小学，决定以后在哪种教育体制下读书……而我们甚至要考虑，让小A在广州还是香港读书呢？所以也忍不住扰一扰自己。

烦人的事情按下不表，还是绕回主题。因为也想培养小A对英语的一点兴趣，所以我收集了一些英语的童谣，还挺有趣的，要都记住不容易，选几首先瞧瞧。

Five Fat Peas

Five fat peas in a pea pod pressed
(children hold hand in a fist)
One grew, two grew, so did all the rest.
(put thumb and fingers up one by one)
They grew and grew
 (raise hand in the air very slowly)
And did not stop,
Until one day
The pod went POP!
(children clap hands together)

One Potato, Two Potato
One potato, two potato,
Three potato, four,
Five potato, six potato,
Seven potato, more!

one,two, tie my shoe 

1,2  Tie my shoe
3,4  Shut the door
5,6  Pick up sticks
7,8  Lay them straight
9, 10  A big fat hen.
Let's get up and count again!

One Little Flower, One Little Bee

One little flower, one little bee.
One little blue bird, high in the tree.
One little brown bear smiling at me.
One is the number I like,
you see.

monkeys on the bed

Five little monkeys jumping 
on the bed
One fell off and bumped 
his head
Mama called the doctor and 
the doctor Said,
" No more monkeys 
jumping on the bed!"

Four little monkeys jumping 
on the bed, three little monkeys jumping on the bed, (and so on).

Five Cookies

Five little cookies in the bakery shop.
Shinning bright with the sugar on top.
Along comes (child's name) with a nickel to pay.
He/she buys a cookie and takes it away.
(continue with four, three, two and one).

Ten Fingers

I have ten fingers    hold up both hands, fingers spread
And they all belong to me,  point to self
I can make them do things-
Would you like to see?

I can shut them up tight   make fists
I can open them wide    open hands
I can put them together   place palms together
I can make them all hide   put hands behind back

I can make them jump high   hands over head
I can make them jump low   touch floor
I can fold them up quietly   fold hands in lap
And hold them just so.

Three balls

Here's a ball     make ball with thumb and index finger
And here's a ball   make ball with other thumb and index
A great big ball, I see   put arms up and touch fingers over head 

Shall we count them?
Are you ready?
One, Two, Three    make all three balls in succession 

Counting  Apples

Five red apples
Hanging on a tree    five fingers held up
The juiciest apples you ever did see!
The wind came past
And gave an angry frown     shake head and look angry
And one little apple came tumbling down.
Four red apples, etc.