[justinrreay]

I have recently began tutoring a Chinese 2 year old boy (just turned 2), for 2 hours a lesson 3 days a week. While I know the time frame is ridiculous it pays well and was a favour to a friend. From what I can tell the expectations are low, the mother just wants me to speak english to him, as we play and do activities. The problem is that the boy is very poorly behaved, doesn't respond well to males, and has little discipline from his mother. Meanwhile, his mother wants me to try and speak more english to him where I don't think it is valuable to endlessly talk at him. I'm at a total loss for what to do with him, we go outside when we can and we'll do things like running, jumping, car, tree, sand, etc.... I have a book that he will sit with sometimes that has colour, and numbers, and such. We try to sing songs but he won't follow me as he doesn't want anything to do with me really. If he starts crying or fussing his mother will put on an English movie and wants me to sit there and explain the movie in English as he watches it.

If anyone has any suggestions, advice, anything I would be really grateful. I would like to make this work, and have it be something I don't dread to do 3 times a week. His mother doesn't speak English and I don't speak Chinese, so it's hard to communicate but I could use my friend. If you think I need to set up new expectations for the mother, discipline, change hours, activity suggestions, really anything. I'm usually great with kids and they warm up to me but this one is a real stumper. Thanks.

[Giv9]

Kids are really smart today and can learn anything easily. Teach him songs and rhymes, alphabets, shapes etc. using a tablet or a smartphone. Kids react positively to touch screens and it's an easy way to point and learn.