[Lizabeth]

Hi. I know there are other threads that discuss the difference between Local schools and International, but my situation is a little different.

I was hoping for some advice because I feel very lost with all of this. My son is 2 years 2 months old. I found a school that I like and they offer both international and local classes. He would be in pre-nursery starting next month, 3 hours a day 5 days a week. I was never considering local before. We are American and I just figured International was the way to go because of the language. I just found out that my husband's company does not pay for education until age 4. We can not afford to send him to this school's international program, but we can afford the local program. We have a friend that is a kindergarten teacher and he has told me that a local program is the best decision and then put him in international at age 5. His advice was given without any knowledge of our situation. He said with children that young they will absorb the Chinese languages better in local.

Here are my options:
1. Don't send him to school until next year at age three.
2. Send him to a school that I do not like as much that we can afford there international program.
3. Send him to a school that I like a lot, but in the local program. Then switch him to international at the same school for kindergarten.

As you can see, I am a bit confused. I want the best for my son like every mother. We are very new to Hong Kong so I would be very grateful for any insights and suggestions.

Thanks!
Liz

[Neha]

I would use option 3 . I know alot of people who send their kids initally to local schools and then switch to international school

[Mom2two]

Would also do option 3, if you like their program and the way they care for the kids. Local education sometimes focuses very much on the academics, so just make sure the way that your son is being cared for / educated is in line with your ideas about upbringing. If that is the case, go for it! If not you can do option 1 and in the meantime start our own playgroup. Good luck with your decision.

[carang]

i'd wait until he was three, then go for option 3....26 months is awfully young to be going 3 hours, 5 times per week....my humble opinion.

[joannek]

second carang. although a lot of locals send their 24 mth old (some 20mths) to school 3hrs/5-day week. i feel that's too much for a large baby! before he turns 3, just set up playgroups, once or twice /week apply to parent/child classes for you & him, so that he gets to hang out with other small children.

[MayC]

I'd go for Option 3. Kids pick up a foreign language quicker at a younger age. My daughter started school at the age of 2 with limited Canto. 8 months later, she was fluent and now prefers it to English. I haven't got a problem with that. In fact, she's correcting my Chinese and teaching me new words!!!

I've chosen local over international for the simple reason that I think she will benefit more if she knew more than one language. We'll move back to Sydney later on and I'm sure her English will be fine then.

At the age of 2, they don't get homework even in the local stream so I wouldn't worry about school being too strict for your son. Why don't you try it first for a few months and see how it goes? If you don't like it, you can still pull him out, then re-enrol him at the age of 3.

Having said that I was a bit worried in the first 3 months because all her friends spoke Chinese and didn't really talk to her. 3 months later, she was one of them. Kids somehow have their own way of adapting. Some of the other kids are only just beginning to speak too so it's easier to blend in.

Good luck.

[Lizabeth]

Thank you everyone for all of the great advice. It has really helped.