Yesterday we brought the kids to the Showa festival. There was so much carnival atmosphere created out of cardboard and paper that I realized we could be having a lot more fun with these materials at home. Not only that, but a whole Chinese New Year festival could be done at Noah's School in such a way. Okay there was a lot of work involved, and when adults in graduate programs try to make something like an exhibit about Bento boxes, or ninjas, that is different than what kids would be able to do in the Boston Public Schools, but it opened my eyes to what is possible.
I mean, in many ways the Showa festival was better for Noah and Jonah, than the real festival why was it better for kids? Because everything was free and everything was something they could do. Plus they won a prize every time, which was candy. You know what? The Showa festival was better than Halloween.
When you say "it's the thought that counts." Sometimes that's especially true for children. In a couple of hours they travelled to all these temples, met ninjas, made bento boxes and got their money or book stamped and then we went home. Going to those real places would simply be too intense at this age too much walking. Too much traffic. Hecl we'd have to get on a plane for a whole day.
Sometimes I wondered at Corporate events why they made a fake Chinatown, when we are in Boston and you can just go to it.
Maybe I should rethink my plan to bring Chinese New Year to JP in terms of what I learned at Showa yesterday.
What is Kung Fu and lion dance? Part self defense and fighting, part meditation and culture and part performance with drums and arts and crafts. Come and learn this art on Saturdays at 108 Stirling Road. Warren, NJ We work with Murray Hill Chinese School which also offers many other programs both cultural, academic and athletic. Check ou their website here https://www.mhcs-nj.org/
Kung Fu and Love
A great gift for Valentine's day or Chinese New Year
No comments:
Post a Comment