Just last year, young Meredith would not respond to her own Chinese name, Jiaxin.

These days, the four-year-old has been practising how to write her name, which means peace and harmony.

Meredith also enjoys singing Mandarin songs and watching Mandarin drama serials, which she was not interested in previously, said her mother Serene Tan, 33.

The change was the result of a concerted family effort by Ms Tan, a public relations manager, and husband Chad Olsen, 35, vice-president and head of anti-fraud at Deutsche Bank.

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Theirs is an example of an English-educated and English-speaking family who recognised the importance of helping their children build a foundation in Chinese at an early age.

Said Ms Tan: 'We believe it's important that Meredith knows her roots, though she is half-Chinese. Also, China is increasingly important, not just culturally but also commercially. It's important for her to have a strong grasp of the language.'

That was why last year, they sent Meredith for weekly Chinese-language classes at the Hua Language Centre branch in United Square.

The Olsens also have a six-month-old daughter, Gwyneth. Her Chinese name is Jialing, which means happy and smart.

Both parents, though more comfortable in English, also try to speak Mandarin with Meredith at home. Ms Tan's parents, who babysit the girls while the couple are at work, speak only Mandarin with her.

Mr Olsen, a Eurasian Singaporean, can speak some Mandarin, having taken an intensive two-month course in 2007 before a six-month work posting to Beijing with his previous employer.

Are they concerned that Meredith may not pick up proper Mandarin usage from them at home?

Said Ms Tan: 'It's not easy for us but we're trying because we are creating a home environment for her to become interested in Chinese. If her foundation is not strong, she may have problems picking up the language later in life.'

Their resolve to build a strong Chinese-language foundation for their children was reinforced by what they saw during Mr Olsen's stint in Beijing, said Ms Tan.

She remained here but visited him in China. On those trips, she visited several international schools where she saw Caucasian children learning and speaking Mandarin fluently.

Said Ms Tan: 'We just want our children to have as many opportunities in life as possible and be well-prepared for any challenges.'

Kor Kian Beng

This article was first published in The Straits Times.