If you’re anything like me, guilt eats away at you on top of the stress of life because there’s less Chinese learning happening.

So many times, what we perceive as interruptions, is just a normal part of life. 

Having a backup plan where I scale Chinese learning down to the bare minimum has truly helped me keep it going in those time because the ultimate secret sauce of language learning is consistency.

This backup plan also helps free me from feeling guilty that I’m not getting to Chinese. 

Giving me more energy to focus on the currently demanding things.

Here are seven strategies for bare minimum Chinese for those busy, stressful seasons of life (inspired by a conversation with my friend Amie of Trilingual Texpats be sure to check out her fun blog and their travels).

7 Bare Minimum Chinese Options

1. Take a Break

Give yourself permission to take a break. Sometimes, what we all really need is simply a break.

I used to worry that we we will “fall behind” and not take breaks when we desperately needed it. This resulted in increasing my own frustration in an already difficult time and causing my daughter to dislike learning Chinese.

If you feel like you’re about to lose your mind and the frustration increasing in both you and your child, it’s a sure sign that you need a break.

Take one, I promise you won’t regret it.

2. Outsource

Hand the baton off to someone else who has the bandwidth to do it. Whether it be a grandparent, babysitter or online classes.

Take time to set something up so the weight is not all on your shoulders to teach your child.

I didn’t consider this option previously since I can speak Mandarin. But when we did try out the classes, I was surprised by how nice it was to share the load with someone else and not have to be the only source of Chinese learning for my daughter.

Our favorite online classes so far are LingoBus and iTalki (referral links).

LingoBus now has classes that are geared towards second language learners or those learnings overseas.

I’ve heard lots of good things about LingoBus from other parents as well, even non-native speaking parents. My daughter liked how interactive it was.

iTalki has lots of experienced tutors who are willing to work with your goals and needs. It’s easy to find Mandarin or Cantonese tutors on there. You can even filter tutors by location (China, Taiwan or Hong Kong) or select teachers who know multiple languages.

3. Immerse Your Child Via Chinese AudioBooks and Music

Instead of being the main one speaking and immersing your child in Chinese, take a break by using audiobooks or Chinese kid’s music albums.

These screen free options are a wonderful way to immerse them in some quality Chinese not to mention educational.

Here’s a list of some great Chinese kids’ albums to try out, organized by age/Chinese level.

These are our current favorite audiobook apps (just audio, no text):

• 親子有聲書: Taiwanese accent, lots of popular kid’s books and magazines to select from. My daughter has learned so much from the stories which covers everything from classic tales to Chinese idioms and science.
• iHuman Stories: Chinese accent. Plenty of popular kid’s books read on here.

Here’s a list of our favorite Chinese story time podcasts for kids if you don’t want to use an app.

4. Screen Time in Chinese

If your family does screen time, try easing the screen time into Mandarin to increase the amount of exposure they’re getting in the minority language.

Here’s a list of shows for kids available in Chinese on Netflix and also on Amazon.

5. Use Chinese Learning Apps

There are many educational Chinese learning apps out there to help your child review and learn Chinese characters.

Here are three of our favorite ones:

• iHuman Chinese: (simplified Chinese) Great app that teaches kids 500 Chinese characters through games, stories, practical phrases and leveled books. The interface is in English so you don’t need to worry about trying to decipher how to sign up or get a WeChat account.
• 認字識詞: traditional Chinese with Cantonese/Mandarin audio option) fun engaging app for older kids (4+) who have some knowledge of Chinese. The app is more focused on helping kids practice reading and writing Chinese characters.

See the full list of Chinese learning apps for kids here.

6. Do What You Can Handle

Be realistic with what you’re able to do to help your child with their Chinese. I know we all have an ideal of the amount of input we would like to give to them but try to be honest with yourself on the amount of time and energy you have.

Is it reading one storybook? Then do that. Is it speaking to them in Mandarin during meal time? Then do that.

You don’t have to do it all. Just what you can handle especially in those busy seasons of life. You can always outsource and use one of the other options listed to help your child learn Chinese.

7. Remind Yourself this Will Not Last Forever

In those difficult seasons in life, it’s ok to do the bare minimum to maintain their Chinese.

Let’s model the kindness we want our children to have with themselves by treating ourselves with kindness.

Letting our children see that it’s ok to take a break or pull back when things get overwhelming is really healthy. This is how they will really learn how to face stress in their own life.

If no one has said this to you today, I see you mama, and you’re doing much better than you think!

Let me know what your bare minimum Chinese looks like in the comments below!

More Low Key Activities for Learning Chinese

• 25+ Netflix Chinese Shows for Kids
• Chinese Prime Videos for Kids
• 10+ Chinese Exercise Videos for Babies & Kids: Kids Yoga & Dance
• Chinese SuperBook: Free Chinese Christian Show 超級妙妙書
• Free Chinese Hobby & Craft Videos for Kids
• Chinese Learning Apps for Kids