Angelica Lee isn't worried that her four-year-old twin boys are not taught to read yet. In fact, you could even say she's happy about it.
In a recent interview with Apple Daily Taiwan, the 45-year-old Malaysian actress shared that she and her husband of 10 years, Hong Kong film director Oxide Pang, are using the Waldorf education method for their sons, and so the boys would learn to read only when they are seven years old.
Angelica Lee Wants Kids To Make Their Own Choices
She also doesn't like to "control and discipline" them, choosing instead to lead them.
Outdoor play and learning is key in the Waldorf method's nature-based curriculum, and Angelica believes playtime is important for children. She also disallowed the use of electronic gadgets for her boys.
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Relating to her personal experiences growing up, she said in the interview: "The reason why I am a very happy person is because I played enough when I was young. I was surrounded by rice fields, and I used to climb trees and catch fish every day.
Angelica Lee Doesn't Mind Her Kids Getting Dirty
"Nature has given me a sense of power that is too great to be simply put into words."
And now, she doesn't mind her children getting their hands dirty, literally.
"They play with snails and earthworms. We also pick up branches and leaves to make artwork. There are sand piles at home, so they'll play with sand and in the dirt as well," she added.
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However, whatever education method a child is receiving, they would still be playful and mischievous.
"They are not tired from playing all day. After I've told them bedtime stories, I would fall asleep but they would still be awake," Angelica laughed as she recalled her sons' antics.
"They would also splash water around until the ceiling of the bathroom is wet, or happily lick milk powder from their beds and the floor after they spilled it."
Turning away from her sons for just a moment will result in mess, Angelica continued.
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The Waldorf education method has its beginnings in Germany in the early 1900s, and offers children age-appropriate education through experiential learning. It emphasises on art-themed activities such as painting, playing music and drawing, and practical skills such as cooking, gardening and cleaning.
Lead image source from Instagram / sinjeelee1234.
This article was first published in AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
Before you leave, read theAsianparent's quick guide on fun ways to teach kids to read.
Reading Angelica Lee's story might make you wonder when you should get your kids to read. After all it is also a necessity.
Well, it's no surprise that for many pre-school children, lack of motivation to read is a common issue. Therefore it’s important to make this activity ‘fun’ as a means to motivate kids. If you wish to get your kids to start reading early, here are a few things you can try.
- Pelmanism: This is the method of matching cards together, usually a picture with a word. To lend more relevance to words, you could use a storybook and then use some of the vocabulary featured in the text.
- Mystery Word Bag: This fun activity can help you practice your child’s reading of individual words as well as their comprehension skills. Place six to eight words from a story into either a box or a bag and take turns picking the word from the bag.
- Board Games: You can also try board games. They are always fun and are a great way of bonding with your child. Rather than using existing board games, you can create or print off a blank board game template and add either words or initial phonemes to each square.
Read more from our experts, here.
ALSO READ:
What Is The Waldorf School Method?
Waldorf Education: A comprehensive guide for parents
