Cheryl is one of many middle-class Hong Kong parents who have high hopes for her children. Even before her son was born, she was determined he would speak English like a native speaker.
So ever since Daniel came along, she and her husband have been speaking to him in their less-than-perfect English, even though they realise their ability is limited. A native Cantonese speaker, she speaks passable English but is far from fluent because she hardly ever uses the language in her daily life.
Like many Hong Kong parents, they have little faith in the local education system and want their son to get into an international school and study abroad when he is older. So why not give him an early start in English?
'If Daniel's English isn't good, he will be disadvantaged in life,' the mother of one said. 'Kindergarten and school interviews - everything is so competitive these days. So we want him to get used to the language as early as possible.'
But her husband admits that talking to their two-year-old toddler in a foreign language can sometimes be frustrating. 'The other day I wanted to tell him off and I couldn't find the right words to express myself,' the father sighed, shaking his head. 'So I just lapsed into Cantonese.'
Emily's mother is equally adamant. She and her husband speak Cantonese to each other and to their relatives, but switch into English when they speak to their two young children, aged two and four.