I Almost Lost My Chinese Roots. And Then I Became a Mom.

I grew up in Singapore speaking both English and Mandarin, but English always felt like home. I loved it so much, I earned a degree in English Language and Linguistics. That eventually became a career, teaching English across Japan, Australia, and Singapore.

When I became a mom in New York, everything shifted.

I've always told my son that he is American and Singaporean, and I want him to grow up connected to every part of who he is. We started Mandarin immersion when he was two, and he resisted at first. Honestly, I wasn't even sure it was working.

Then one day, it clicked.

He started responding and engaging — and you would almost think he was enjoying it. He's eight now and fully bilingual, and jumps at every chance to speak Mandarin.

Watching that transformation changed the way I think about language, identity, and what we pass down to our children.

I went searching for a fun, simple Mandarin-English podcast for him and for others growing up between two cultures. I couldn't find what I was looking for — so I decided to build it myself.

I named it 小脑袋，大问题 Little Brains, Big Questions, because that's exactly what kids are: little brains with the biggest, most wonderful questions.

I'm just getting started. I'd love for you to follow along!

Find me on Instagram at @nihaonewyork and @xiaonaodaipodcast.