Photo source: Zhang Yanming, PPI at Longchao Activity Center

In September 2024, the Parenting and Play Center was established in Longchao Village where I live. Encouraged by me, villagers sent their children to the center one after another. I met many children - some lively and naughty, others quiet and shy. Among them, one child left the deepest impression on me.

His name is Mingming, a nearly two-year-old boy. When he first came to the activity center, he rarely spoke. Initially, I thought he just needed time to adjust and was therefore reluctant to interact with other children. However, as I got to know him better, I realized Mingming's quiet demeanor stemmed from multiple causes. From what I observed, Mingming's father works away from home year-round, his grandparents are burdened with farm work, and his mother from the neighbor country juggles housework with childcare. Due to language barriers, she seldom communicates with Mingming in daily life. Growing up in this environment, Mingming developed a withdrawn personality. Other children were reluctant to play with him, leaving him struggling with social interactions.

Based on Mingming's situation and my knowledge of scientific parenting, I created a change plan for him and documented every development in my diary.

October 9, 2024 | Weather: Fine | Location: Mingming's home

During my first home visit today, I gained deeper insights through face-to-face communication with Mingming's mother. I discovered that while Mingming isn't verbally expressive, his curious eyes constantly observe surroundings, revealing strong interest in new things. We reached an agreement: she will update me on Mingming's progress during center hours, while I'll make regular home visits to teach simple parent-child interaction methods and language guidance techniques for daily communication.

December 3, 2024 | Weather: Overcast | Location:PPC

Despite limited progress in the first two months, I persisted. Noticing Mingming's interest in animal pictures, I began targeted guidance. When with him, I patiently taught animal names through picture books. Gradually, he started responding. By the third month, instead of hiding in his mother's arms when greeted, he began attempting return greetings under guidance - an encouraging initial breakthrough.

January 15, 2025 | Weather: Light rain | Location:PPC

Beyond recognizing flashcards, I noticed Mingming's fascination with colorful books. I started incorporating picture book sessions for all children, including him. The vibrant illustrations gradually captured his attention, making him more engaged in interactions. Through organized group activities requiring cooperation, I encouraged children to help each other. I deliberately assigned Mingming collaborative tasks to increase peer communication opportunities. By publicly praising his small achievements, other children began recognizing his strengths and changing their attitudes. Slowly, Mingming started joining group games instead of staying isolated.

February 28, 2025 | Weather: Fine | Location: PPC

During free exploration today, Mingming couldn't reach a favorite toy due to his height. He made a major breakthrough - approaching me clearly saying "I want that toy," then taking my hand to lead me to it. This demonstrated qualitative improvement in both verbal expression and proactive communication.

Diary Summary:

Through months of effort, Mingming has transformed from an extremely shy, nonverbal child struggling with social integration to one who actively expresses needs and participates in group activities. While celebrating his progress, I remain committed to helping more children like Mingming, nurturing every child's growth with loving care.

Project Introduction:

Scientific Parenting and Early Childhood Education project Tengchong (‘SPECE TC’) is funded by Yao&Han Fund and implemented in cooperation with Tengchong Women Federation and Tengchong Education and Sports Bureau. By setting up a ‘Parenting and Play Center’, the project team carries out a variety of interesting activities, trains ‘Parenting and Play Instructors’, and visits families regularly to help parents improve their knowledge of child rearing and education, master the skills of parent-child interaction, and promote the early education and sustainable development of rural children aged 0-4.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and have nothing to do with the position of the funder.