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Here are some back-to-school tips to help you and your little ones ease back into your school routine: 

During the summer, the sun is still bright and shining at our usual 8:00 bedtime hour.  “But mom, why are we going to bed when the sun is still up??” -- is what my kids would say.  So naturally, we moved our bedtimes back a little later.  But now that school is starting again, I try to push bedtimes up a few minutes earlier each day.  I’d start with 8:50 PM the first night and then 8:40 PM the next night until I’m back onto the 8:00 PM bedtime.  I’d recommend starting this process at least a week or two in advance, so the transition feels more natural.

I’d much rather shop online than to go to the store with two little kids in tow.  So, I try to set a reminder to create a shopping list for all the supplies and clothes my kids need for school and after-school activities.  Creating a shopping list in advance and ordering as possible online can help save a lot of time.

If you plan to prepare lunches for your kids, it helps to have a meal calendar created ahead of time.  It also helps to simplify your grocery list so that you’re not over-buying food.  I usually like to plan 1-2 weeks of meals for every day of the week – which includes a lunch entrée, a fruit, a snack and a water bottle.  My older daughter likes to provide her input, so I’ll run my meal plan by her for any edits.  If your child prefers a school lunch, you can review the school’s lunch menu with your child in advance.

Coordinating after-school activities for 1 or more children can be a challenging feat.  I like to draw up a monthly calendar with all of my kids’ activities each day for the entire family to see.  It helps to ensure all family members are on the same page, so we can coordinate pick ups/drop offs and other personal events.  If you’d rather not use a physical calendar, there are plenty of apps and online products available that offer family calendar sharing.

I like to have a little workstation set up for each child so they have their own writing utensils, paper, and other crafts/supplies they need to study or do homework.  As you know, I’m also committed to teaching my kids Mandarin Chinese (and my kids are not enrolled in a Chinese preschool or language immersion school).  So, I keep all their Jamma Jango  language learning program materials (Chinese flashcards, Chinese language video, activity book, stickers, etc.) at their desk at home.  This ensures I have all the learning materials I need at my fingertips.  I also set aside special time to focus on my childrens’ foreign language learning and post it on our monthly activity calendar.

During the days leading up to the first day of school, I start reminding the kids that school will be starting back up again soon.  I’ll also remind them what it means to go back to school.  I’ll mention things like…”do you remember where to wait for the school bus in the mornings?”; “what kind of lunches do you want to eat in school?”; “are you looking forward to seeing your old teacher and meeting your new one?”  Bringing up these scenarios helps them know what to expect when school starts again.  It also reminds me what I need to prepare for the kids to transition back to school and how my daily schedule will be impacted. 

To avoid a stressful morning on the first day of school, I like to make sure I’ve packed my kids’ backpacks with all their essentials the night before.  I also work with the kids to plan out their outfits and get their socks/shoes ready.  I use separate backpacks or duffel bags for their after-school activities so I’m not frantically searching for ballet shoes or piano books at the last minute. 

Preparing in advance has always helped me feel organized and ready to take on the new school season.  What other ways have you used to get your kids ready for school?  I hope your transition back to school is as smooth as possible!!

When I created Jamma Jango, I developed the program with “the parent” in mind.  I realized it’s way easier for a child to learn any new skill or sport--if their parent is also committed to helping them learn.  When my nephew wanted to learn soccer, my sister-in-law bought his soccer gear, attended all his practices and games, and even practiced soccer with him in her backyard after school.  Her husband also volunteered to be an assistant coach. 

Learning a foreign language requires a similar kind of investment and time commitment, as well.  I was surprised to find there were not of options available for young children to learn a foreign language (such as, Mandarin for kids or a program to teach kids Spanish--like Spanish for babies or Spanish for toddlers).   

So, when I developed Jamma Jango, I wanted to introduce a language learning program that is fun for kids to use but also practical and easy for parents to manage.  This language learning program provides parents an all-in-one box they can use at home or bring with them anywhere, so they have all the educational tools they need at their fingertips.  Parents can use this product at home as a supplement to their childrens' language education, even if they are already attending Spanish preschool.  The language box can also be used as part of one's Mandarin or Spanish homeschool curriculum.  

STEP 1: WATCH THE CARTOONS

First, I developed the cartoons.  Cartoons offer a natural way for children to learn a new language by watching and hearing characters talk.  There are three main characters in the Jamma Jango cartoon.  Kaylo, a bunny that speaks English; Ippy, a duck that speaks the second language like Mandarin Chinese or Spanish; and Van Go Go, a dog that translates both languages for them.  I wanted the cartoon to be conducted in two languages because it is a very common way of learning languages in multilingual homes.  I grew up speaking two languages at home with my parents.  We would naturally communicate to each other in Chinese, while my brothers and I would speak to each other in English.  Sometimes we would even mix the two languages together in the same sentence.    

STEP 2: PRACTICE THE WORDS

Learning a new language also requires repetition.  Cartoons are great at capturing childrens’ attention but they also need an opportunity to practice the new words they’ve learned.  You and your child can repeat the key words in the cartoon out loud throughout the cartoon.  I also created flashcards to go along with each cartoon so kids can practice wherever they go.  

STEP 3: PLAY THE GAMES

And finally, I included fun activities, language learning games, and stickers to help kids learn by “playing”.  It allows children to reinforce their learnings through the use of fun and relevant resources.

No matter what methods you use to teach your child a second language, your child will benefit greatly from your efforts.  Even learning a few words in Spanish can help expand your child’s English vocabulary.  Don’t feel intimidated to try a new language, even if you are not familiar with the second language at all.  You can still learn the language with your child together. 

The best part about teaching a child a new skill is the bond you share learning it together.  Acquiring a new language should be fun and easy for both parents and children.  Take a few minutes with your child to make a game of calling out objects in another language or learn a song in a different language.  You’ll be amazed by how much of that language you’ll learn even if you’ve never studied it before!

Summer is here!  Summer is such a fun season for me and the kids because there’s no school and our days are packed with new activities and experiences.  The season actually gives me more time to teach my kids a second language because they’re not as busy with school and extracurricular activities, so they have more opportunities to focus on learning Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.  I’m always looking for ways to be involved in my kids’ language learning.  Since there is no Chinese preschool near me or schools to learn Mandarin for kids, I found that using personal experiences and practicing vocabulary in real-life settings (like field trips) can really help children learn a foreign language.  It’s also a great time to have fun and bond with your child.  You can create language learning games out of these times (such as, bringing Chinese flashcards with you on trips as one of your games to learn Chinese). 

A few weeks ago, it was strawberry season in Texas and we took a trip to Pecan Creek Strawberry Farm.  It was the perfect time to practice how to say “strawberry” and “farm”, the words they learned from Jamma Jango’s Fruit Stand (ep.3) and Farm episode (ep.2).

My younger daughter, Supernova (2) is a toddler now and she’s chatting up a storm – asking lots of questions and learning new words at a rapid pace.  She has already begun to distinguish words between English and Mandarin.  When we were are the farm, I pointed at a strawberry and asked her how to say it in Chinese and then English.  She can say both the Chinese and English words back to me.  It’s amazing how quickly children can absorb multiple languages!  When Rockstar (7) was 2 years old, her Chinese-speaking ability was much stronger than her English because she wasn’t in school yet and she only heard me speak Mandarin to her at home.  But Supernova understands both Mandarin and English pretty well because now Rockstar speaks a lot of English, so Supernova hears both languages fairly equally.

The girls and I had a great time – and the strawberries were deliciously sweet!  Each child had a bucket and they plucked about 5 lbs. of strawberries all together.  I can’t wait to come back again next year.

So how do you say “strawberry” in Chinese?  Click on the image below to find out! 

Maintaining those strong family connections really helped me get through the first tough years of motherhood.  I called my mom almost every day.  She would chat with me in Mandarin Chinese about what she went through as a new mom and I learned so much about my parents, grandparents, and family history during that time.  My experience was so enlightening, it motivated me to encourage that strong family bond in my children too.  I hoped my kids would also grow up to have close relationships within the family.

One way I determined to help my children stay connected to their family was through the gift of language.  I wanted to raise my daughters to speak both English and Mandarin Chinese.  I knew being bilingual can bring many benefits for children.  It can help sharpen the mind, improve multi-tasking abilities, foster academic achievement, and strengthen communication skills.  It can even delay the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease!  But my main reason to teach them a second language was that I simply wanted them to speak the same language as their grandparents.  If they can speak Chinese to their grandparents, they can learn all the rich history of their family heritage like I did.  I made it my goal to teach my children Chinese.

“Language is the road map of a culture. It tells you where its people come from and where they are going.” ~ Rita Mae Brown

After my first daughter was born, I had no clue where to begin when I embarked on my mission.  Just like learning any new skill or sport, learning a language requires an investment in your time or money to help a child master it.  I searched everywhere for language learning programs or language learning games for children.  I specifically looked for Mandarin for kids and Chinese flashcards, but couldn’t find many resources out there.  I also thought about enrolling my toddlers in a Chinese preschool -- but it was neither an affordable nor practical option for us because the closest school was at least 20 miles away.  I knew there had to be a better way to teach young children a second language.

That was how the idea of Jamma Jango was born.  My years as a Product Manager helped me bring my passion to life and after two years of research, development, and testing with other parents and children, I was ready to share my creation.  Jamma Jango is an all-in-one box filled with cartoon videos, flashcards, stickers, language learning games, and a discussion guide.  It’s a language learning program designed to make acquiring a foreign language fun and easy for young children.  Even if you’ve never learned it before, to teach kids Spanish or Chinese shouldn’t feel intimidating.  It should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience.  Jamma Jango is now available both in Mandarin and Spanish for toddlers.  It’s a great, versatile tool for all parents (working and stay-at-home) who want to supplement their child’s foreign language education at home or who want to use this program to add to their Spanish homeschool or Chinese homeschool curriculum.

I think most moms can relate when I say motherhood can be a delightful, challenging, and humbling experience all rolled into one.  Without those first-time mom experiences, I wouldn’t have learned how important it is to instill a strong sense of family and community to my children.  Those events also helped me create a language product that I hope will help other parents who want their children to be bilingual.  I’ve met so many wonderful moms who are just as passionate about giving their children the best possibilities in life – whether it’s connecting their children with their heritage, introducing them to new cultures and languages, or challenging their brains with a highly-valuable skill.  Most of all, I’m pleased to say my kids can speak both English and Mandarin Chinese.  It took some patience and consistent practice to get there, but it brings me great joy when I see my daughters talk to their grandparents in their native language.  A strong and loving bond between a child and their family is all I could ever ask for.    

Before you know it, your child could be able to read the words above with full understanding — and that’s just the beginning of their journey with Mandarin for kids. Here at Jamma Jango, we see first-hand just how beneficial it can be for a child to use language-learning games and language programs for kids in order to expand their world.

In today’s blog, we’re going to discuss four reasons to choose Mandarin as the second language for your child. Unsure about how to approach Mandarin for kids? Jamma Jango is here for you. Browse our language-learning programs today to get started with Chinese flashcards, games to learn Chinese, Chinese language videos, and more!

Learning another language increases empathy and cultural responsiveness.

When your child embarks on a language-learning program, they truly consider someone else’s perspective by learning another culture’s language. This ability to consider someone else’s perspective, however, translates over to them being more empathetic toward others. This also increases cross-cultural understanding and awareness. Language and culture are incredibly intertwined, so when one understands a language, they also begin to better understand the culture. Then, even if they don’t speak a third or fourth or fifth language, they’re also more likely to be empathetic and understanding toward other cultures.

Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world.

According to Ethnologue, there are almost 1.2 billion native speakers of Chinese; about a billion of these speakers speak Mandarin. By helping your child with Mandarin for kids, they’ll be able to communicate with a vast number of people — about 1 in 6 people, in fact. If there are any languages for kids out there that should absolutely be learned, then it should be a language that a large percentage of people speak. This will allow your child plenty of ways to practice and use their new language outside of their Chinese homeschool or language-learning program.

Learning another language challenges the brain in positive ways.

Studies show that bilingual people are actually better at tasks that require multi-tasking or attention focusing than monolinguals are. Even better, you don’t have to wait until your child is an adult or even in high school to see these benefits.

Additionally, students who have studied foreign languages tend to perform better in core subjects such as English and mathematics. And it’s no surprise they perform better in English — learning another language will improve kids’ abilities in their native language.

Chinese is increasingly needed (& wanted) in our globalized economy.

We know you’re not looking for Chinese flashcards in order to line your child up for a career in business with China — but that wouldn’t be a bad side effect. In our global economy and culture, speaking Mandarin will open up business, travel, culture, and career opportunities to your little one. They may just be playing language-learning games in your living room now, but those games to learn Mandarin could truly open the world to them.

Jamma Jango: Mandarin For Kids

You want your children to be active and healthy this summer and for them to keep developing. When you teach kids Spanish, this can be a creative outlet that encourages development and learning. In today’s blog, we’ll discuss why to teach kids Spanish, along with four other ways to keep your kids active and engaged this summer. If you need tools to teach kids Spanish, such as language-learning programs, then you can count on Jamma Jango. Shop with us today!

Visit The Library

The library is a treasure trove of fun and learning. While at the library, your child can make friends, learn new skills, develop a love for reading, and more! Whether you’re looking for bilingual Spanish books or simply want your child to find a genre that speaks to them, visiting the library will be a productive activity this summer.

Learn A New Language

What better time for your child to learn a new language than when they have plenty of time and energy (read: summer). When you teach kids Spanish, they’ll expand their worldview and improve their language abilities (in both Spanish and English). If you’re interested in elementary Spanish or Spanish preschool for your child, then this summer could be a great time to get a headstart.

Play Language-Learning Games

The above tip — learning a new language — doesn’t have to be boring! For example, we don’t expect your 7-year-old to sit down with your Spanish textbook from college and soak it all in. Instead, fun language-learning games will be instrumental! Here at Jamma Jango, we offer language-learning programs, including fun flashcards and games that can be used to reinforce your child's Spanish or Mandarin Chinese language learning.

Visit Local Parks

Your child still needs to have fun this summer! And while they may love their new language-learning games, they’ll need a break from learning to just be a kid. Instead of holing up in the house to watch a movie or play video games, though, your children can go to local parks or a rec center to use their energy in a productive, healthy way.

Enroll In Summer Camp

Summer camp is a great way to make friends, learn new skills, and try new activities — you could even find a summer camp that teaches kids Spanish! Try to find a summer camp that caters to your child’s interests or potential interests, such as athletics, cooking, or even STEM activities.

Teach Kids Spanish With Jamma Jango

I didn't know there were so many types of homeschooling methods.  I also learned that some parents homeschool full time, while others supplement their children’s homeschool curriculum with tutoring or classes outside the home.  

Although I don’t homeschool my children full time, I do teach my daughters Chinese and Spanish at home because they don’t learn those languages at school.  I was fortunate to learn a couple of helpful tips from other parents about homeschooling which I’d like to share with you below.  

 5 Simple Tips for Homeschool Beginners

1. Try to encourage your children’s love of learning by:
   - teaching topics that interest them
   - incorporating games, songs, and fun activities
   - allowing your children to learn at their own pace
   - encouraging questions and dialogue
   
   
2. Don’t feel pressured to teach every subject or to duplicate what the public schools are doing. Even public schools can’t cover all subjects out there.  And you don’t need to teach multiple subjects in one day.
   
   
3. Try not to over plan your children’s day that it becomes too overwhelming. Some days can be fuller than others.  While other days can be filled with playtime.  It’s up to you what works best for you and your kids!
   
   
4. Take your children on trips and walks outside to apply what you’re teaching at home to their external environment. You can even bring flashcards and books outside with you.
   
   
5. Engage with other homeschooling families and communities to learn what works for them and what doesn’t.

Do you homeschool your children?  What are some words of wisdom you would share with other parents interested in schooling their children at home?  Feel free to add a comment or share a tip of your own!

1. TV can help kids learn about a variety of subjects.

If there’s a subject your child enjoys, more likely than not, there is a TV show, movie, or educational DVD that explores the subject in detail. You might even be surprised to find out how many kids watch and love educational shows aimed at adults. Rachael Ray, for example, has a huge following among kids and tweens, and her primetime show often features kids in the kitchen.

Children’s shows, whether they bill themselves as “educational” or not, may offer opportunities to spark learning. Kids are able to see how fun learning can be and establish a habit of finding out more when things interest them.

Documentary and nature shows are also entertaining and educational for kids. A great example: Meerkat Manor, on the Animal Planet, makes a soap opera out of meerkat life and has kids hooked on the drama.

Most kids are not able to visit the rainforest or see a giraffe in the wild, but many have seen these things on TV. Thankfully, educationally minded producers have given us many shows and movies that allow viewers to see amazing footage of nature, animals, society and other cultures. Kids and adults alike can learn from this type of media and gain a greater appreciation for our world and the animals and other people who inhabit it.

When kids see their favorite characters engaged in fun learning games, they want to play too. Kids also like learning activities more if they involve beloved characters. Preschoolers’ shows are especially effective for generating ideas for learning activities and using characters to motivate kids.

If you have a child who loves Blue’s Clues, for example, you can create clues and a riddle for them to solve at home, or challenge your child to create the riddle and clues. Or, turn a regular activity into a challenge and encourage your child to solve it like the Super Sleuths do.

Of the new movies that are released each year, you can bet that several of them are based on books. Parents can challenge kids to read a book with the promise of going to the theater or renting the movie when they finish it. Or, kids may see a movie and like it so much that they decide to read the book. Discuss the differences between the book and the movie to help kids develop thinking skills.

5. Kids can build analytical skills by discussing media.

Use television programs to prompt discussions about plot and character development. Asking questions as you co-view with your children will help them learn to think, solve problems, and predict, making TV viewing a more active experience. More important than just memorizing facts, developing thinking skills will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Advertising may be annoying, but it does present yet another opportunity to develop kids’ thinking skills. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, young children may not even know the difference between programs and commercials. They are just soaking it all in and applying it to their reality. As a parent, you can explain the purpose of advertising to your kids and alert them to any deceptive tactics. Allow them to analyze the methods used by advertisers to sell a product.

Children are influenced by people they see on television, especially other kids. Obviously, this can have a negative result, but it can be positive too. Lately, kids' TV shows have begun promoting some positive agendas such as healthy living and environmental awareness. As kids see their favorite characters making positive choices, they will be influenced in a good way. Parents can also point out positive traits that characters display and thereby spark valuable family discussions.

Media truly can have a positive effect on children, but it is up to the parents, caregivers, and educators in their lives to ensure that kids’ viewing experiences are enriching and not damaging.

Do you believe that children can be positively influenced by watching television?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

A couple years ago, when I was pregnant with Rockstar -- Hubz and I met my mom and my grandparents for dinner.  My mom told me they were thinking about moving back to Taiwan and I started to feel sad that I wouldn’t get to see my grandparents as often as I did.  I regretted that I didn’t spend enough time learning more about them and what life was like for them growing up.  So during dinner, I asked my mom to translate a bunch of questions for me and I learned all about my grandparents’ life in Taiwan before they came to the U.S. 

My grandparents married at the age of 19 and had 7 kids.  Since my grandfather was the oldest son in the family, my grandmother helped to take care of his younger siblings too.  He had 13 brothers and sisters!  I also learned all about my grandfather’s career and what Taiwan was like post World War II.  It was one of the most fascinating and enlightening conversations I’ll ever remember. 

Shortly after my grandparents moved back to Taiwan, my grandfather passed away.  I will always be grateful for the last time I saw him before he left.  That’s why it became so important to me that my kids learn Chinese.  I don’t want them to be limited to one or two family dinners where they suddenly realize they know nothing about their ancestors.  I want them to be able to speak to their non-English speaking relatives on a regular basis without any language barriers.  It also got me thinking about how much rich history there is to learn about my family.  So I wrote down a bunch of questions and asked my mom to fill it out so I can pass on the information to my kids and grandkids.  I don’t want any of that history to get lost. 

So how about you?  Do you know a lot about your own family history and the story of your grandparents’ lives?  If not, I’d be happy to share the list of questions I came up with.  Click here to download a sample list of questions you can ask your family members.  You can use them to ask your parents and grandparents about their life story.  I’m sure they have lived very interesting lives as well!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!  Today is a perfect opportunity to teach your kids about Cinco de Mayo which is Spanish for the "5th of May".  

Many people think Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican Independence Day, which is actually September 16th.  But Cinco de Mayo is the day the Mexican Army defeated the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  This defeat was a big, symbolic win for the Mexican Army because they were largely outnumbered by the French who were also better equipped for the battle.  In addition, historians have stated, had Mexico not defeated the French in Puebla on May 5, 1862, the result of the U.S. Civil War may have turned out differently.

Here are some videos and coloring pages you can use to teach your kids more about the history and significance of Cinco de Mayo.  

Fun Facts About Cinco de Mayo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t61-OBqbdCM

Cinco de Mayo Song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19w04KBhILc

Click here for free downloadable coloring pages.  (Courtesy of coloringpages101.com)

You can also take this time to teach your kids some Spanish words.  

• Cinco = Five
• Mayo = May
• Sombrero = Hat
• Trompo = Spinning Top
• Fiesta = Party
• Piñata = a decorated figure of an animal containing toys and candy that is suspended from a height and broken open by blindfolded children as part of a celebration.
• Maracas = a pair of hollow clublike gourd or gourd-shaped containers filled with beans, pebbles, or similar objects, shaken as a percussion instrument.

If you’re interested in teaching your child a second language, most likely you are aware of the many benefits of being bilingual.  There are lots of articles that discuss the many advantages of bilingualism.  Learning to speak more than one language helps to:

• Sharpen the mind
• Improve multi-tasking abilities
• Strengthen listening and communication skills
• Develop strong problem solving skills
• Encourage positive behavioral and social skills
• Enable academic advantages in the future
• Open doors to more job opportunities
• Delay the onset of dementia and other symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease

Those are more than enough reasons for me to encourage my children to learn more than one language!  For more info, here’s a cool whiteboard animation about the benefits of being bilingual.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZANBvuS_iDU

But also, like I said before, one of the main reasons I wanted to raise my kids to be bilingual is simply to enable them to communicate in Chinese with my parents, grandparents, in-laws, and other non-English speaking relatives.  They can learn so much about their heritage and their family just by talking to them. 

On the last day of our Spring Break trip, Hubz and I took the kids to Flamingo Gardens, it’s a Botanical Garden/Wildlife Sanctuary in Fort Lauderdale. 

We like to come here because we get to view and feed lots of unique animals we don’t normally see at home.  Flamingos eat feed right out of your hands.  Peacocks roam around the grounds showboating their feathers, which is really fun to see. 

Rockstar loves animals.  So it was important for me to create an episode on Jamma Jango that teaches kids how to say different animal names in another language.  I'm so excited for you to see this episode when it's ready to launch!

A trip to Miami would not be complete without a visit to the beach.  My daughter (aka Rockstar) loves the beach and couldn't wait to play in the sand and ocean water.  She especially enjoys collecting seashells and digging for sand crabs with Hubz.  

The best part is that I get to take another opportunity to practice Rockstar's Spanish. Woo hoo!  I love to sneak in little teaching moments whenever I can.  (haha...things that make moms happy)  

Jamma Jango's first episode is at the beach, so Rockstar has learned common beach terms in both Spanish and Chinese.

Me: "Rockstar, we're going to the beach today!"
Rockstar: "Yay!!  Will Daddy take me swimming in the ocean?"
Me: "Yes, but first you have to tell me how to say "beach" in Spanish."
Rockstar: "Playa."
Me: "Awesome! Excelente!"

Another one of my favorite things about going to the beach in Miami is visiting Lighthouse Cafe in Bill Baggs State Park.  Hubz is very close to the wonderful family who owns this restaurant and it's where we had our wedding rehearsal dinner.  If you have not been there, you absolutely must go.  The food is delicioso!  

That's a picture of the spiny lobster we devoured for lunch after a fun day at the beach.

Because Miami has a large Cuban population, it's a great place to find delicious Cuban cuisine.  Hubz and I always look forward to getting an authentic Cuban meal whenever we visit.  We crave dishes like vaca frita (fried beef) and masas de puerco (fried pork chunks).  Also, pastelitos like guayaba y queso (guava and cheese pastries) and empanadas.  I can go on and on about all the Cuban dishes we love to eat.  

One of the first restaurants we visited on this trip was "El Palacio de los Jugos" (the Juice Palace) in Hialeah. They serve authentic Cuban dishes and sandwiches but they're especially known for their fresh fruit juices.

Almost everyone in Miami speaks Spanish, so it's very helpful to know the language. The minute I walked into the restaurant, I was immediately intimidated by the fact that not a single person spoke English and the entire menu was in Spanish.  

Fortunately, the Hubz' has no problem ordering food for me in Spanish.  (I really need to practice my Spanish!)  We ordered their famous chicharrones (fried pork belly), jugo de naranja (orange juice), jugo de guayaba (guava juice), and various Cuban sandwiches.  

Rockstar is learning Spanish from Jamma Jango so this was the perfect time for her to practice.  One of the episodes in Jamma Jango covers the topic of fruit, so I took this opportunity to start pointing at all the fruit in the restaurant and asking her how to say them in Spanish.

Me: "How do you say orange in Spanish?"  
Rockstar: "Naranja?"
Me: "Awesome! Excelente!"

I can't wait until Rockstar can order food for me in Spanish.  Pretty soon, her Spanish will far surpass mine!

Growing up, I was reluctant to speak Chinese to my mom, no matter how much she pushed me to practice the language.  I wanted to speak English!  All my friends spoke English, so why should I learn to speak Chinese? 

Now that I’m older, I regret not practicing my Chinese more.  When I visit Chinese-speaking countries or when I see my relatives in Taiwan, I have a very difficult time communicating.  I’m a little embarrassed I can’t speak my own native language fluently.

When my first child (aka “Rockstar”) was born in New York a few years ago, I was working as a Product Manager at American Express.  My husband (aka “Hubz”) and I made a pact to speak to her only in Mandarin Chinese.  We wanted her to grow up learning to speak both English and Chinese at a young age.  And we knew it would be much easier to teach her both languages as a toddler so she can develop the tongue for them. 

But how was I going to ensure she learns to speak Chinese fluently if we’re living in an English-speaking country, surrounded by English speakers?  And how was I going to maintain this pact if I can barely speak or read Chinese myself?  After Rockstar was born, I struggled to find any books, videos, and language programs that I could use to teach her the language.  (And now that Rockstar is a little older, she wants to learn Spanish too.)

I realized the only way to truly educate my daughter in multiple languages in an engaging manner is to create the product myself.  Welcome Jamma Jango!

Thank you for joining me on my adventure to develop fun and educational products that teach young kids new languages.  I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the latest successes, roadblocks, and ideas that have made Jamma Jango what it is today.  

Thanks for checking out my Jamma Jango blog! 

My name is Julia and I’m a mom of two sweet little kids.  I was born in Taiwan but raised in the U.S.  So, I grew up speaking both Mandarin Chinese and English (although my English is much better than my Chinese). 

Now that I have children, I think it’s really important they learn to speak both languages too.  Living in an English-speaking country, I haven’t had much difficulty teaching them English.  However, I ran into many challenges finding the right resources to teach them Chinese.

As a result, I’ve decided to create my own language program called Jamma Jango to help kids learn a second language--which I will write about here.  For those of you looking to raise your children to be bilingual, I hope you can relate.  Teaching kids a foreign language can be challenging but also quite fun! 

(For updates on Jamma Jango's upcoming launch and educational tips, sign up for our newsletter in the email address field below!)