I was in Sibu a few weeks ago, and my dear sister-in law (SIL) asked me if I carried out any “胎教” (I loosely interpret it as “prenatal baby education”). The conversation went something like this:
SIL: Er sao (二嫂, second sister-in-law), did you carry out prenatal baby education?
Me: Eeeerrr… you mean playing music or reading to the baby in the womb?
SIL: Ya things like that. It’s very important you know? (Duh…)
Me: Why important leh?
SIL: My friend said huh she played a piece of music to her baby while in the womb all the time, and her baby could recognise the music years after birth!
Me: Oh, so playing music to the baby prenatally will help a child remembering a piece of music…
SIL: Ya!
Me: Got other benefits or not? (I mean, remembering a piece of music years after birth is not exactly a big benefit…)
SIL: It’s very important lah!
I have to stress here that my SIL is a very caring person and she wants the best for her unborn niece/nephew. She is also a very attractive young lady and a very filial daughter… SIL, you won’t be angry that I record our conversation here hor? ^ ^
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Yesterday when I recalled this conversation, I googled the concept online. I keyed in “prenatal baby education” and got a whopping 188,000 results. And when I entered the key word in Chinese, I surprisingly found 5,820,000 results! We Asians are really kiasu, eh?
Some of the prenatal education systems that I found boast of improving a child’s intellectual, social, creative and emotional capacities even in the womb. Some believe that playing music religiously to the baby in the womb will make him/her the next Mozart. Others claim that certain education programs will churn out super babies eg start walking at 6 months old, talking at 8 months etc.
With all due respect, I am more ready to accept the other school of thought (aka the Regallian school of prenatal baby education). To me, prenatal baby education is:
Loving and accepting the baby
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Be happy
Be goofy, sista! ^ ^
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Living an upright life
Read your Bible, say your prayers, live with a clear conscience
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Eating healthily and staying healthy
Ahem, the photo here indicates, “Do not be like me!” Take more fresh food, eat a balanced diet, exercise… Remember, do not be like me!
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So my dear SIL, I do carry out prenatal baby education and I am fully confident that my child is going to be a genius!
