Community Program Targets Mandarin-Speaking Grandparents

Grandparents caring for their grandchildren while the kids’ parents go to work is not a new concept—but it is a trend that started more than three decades ago in Taiwan, the birthplace of a cluster of Cupertino residents. It’s common enough here now that a health and nutrition class specifically designed for Mandarin-speaking grandparents is offered in Cupertino.

While the grandchildren play, the grandparents will learn about early childhood health and nutrition from two Mandarin-speaking instructors in a free, four-session class at Cupertino Senior Center on Wednesdays from 1-2:30 p.m, starting Thursday.

A number of Cupertino's Taiwanese immigrants who have their parents look after their babies or toddlers on weekdays once received day care from their own grandparents in the 1970s or early 1980s.

That was when Taiwan played catchup with the West’s women’s movement and encouraged more women to return to the workplace after getting married and having children.

Those working moms left their babies or toddlers to the little ones' grandparents, because they believed a nanny with no blood relations wouldn't care about the children as much as a child’s own grandparents.

For today’s parents raised with day care grandparents, the decision to employ their parents as weekday caregivers is a natural move.

It was also natural for the classes to be taught in the native language of those grandparents, as Mandarin is the official language of China and Taiwan.

The classes, which will be taught by a nutritionist and dietician, are part of the First 5 Santa Clara County Learning Together Initiative.

First 5, formerly the Children and Family First Commission, was formed when voters approved Proposition 10 in November 1998, the funds from which are dedicated to early childhood development of children from birth to 5.

By partnering with schools, churches, day care centers and other community organizations, the Learning Together Initiative promotes school readiness through education, information and resources on nutrition, health, kindergarten readiness and early literacy.

Space for the class is limited to 25, and the child care facility at the site accommodates 15, so register early.

For registration, call the senior center at 408-777-3150.  For more information on FIRST 5 Santa Clara County or the LTI Initiative, click here.