LU: Hello again, 欢迎你们回到璐璐的小酒馆。Today we are going to have a very special episode, because we are going to launch a new segment. Since our segment before --Britain under the microscope 闲话英伦--has been so popular with our listeners, so we decided to launch a new segment called America under the microscope闲话美国。And I know some of you are interested in knowing a little bit more about what life is like in the United States, so I have here with me, my good friend James. Hello, James!
J: Hello, everyone!
LU: So James is going to be my co-host for this segment. We were talking about what to do for the very first episode of this new segment. James, you are a father of a two-year-old boy?
J: Yeah, that's right.
LU: So how about we talk about raising a kid in the United States?
J: OK.
LU: So, first of all, let's start with when the woman is still pregnant.
J: Alright.
LU: Do you find out about the gender whether it's a boy or a girl?
J: That really is a personal preference among the people in America. But in general, most people do like to find out the gender before the child is born.
LU: And they can decide whether they want to know or not?
J: Yes, the doctor will give you a choice, would you like to know, and you will say yes or no. If you say no, the doctor has no problem with that.
LU: And they will hide the fact from you?
J: Absolutely if that's your wish.
LU: OK. And do people have any preferences whether they want a boy or a girl?
J: Well, it depends from person to person. So yes, some people prefer boys, some people prefer girls, but in general, there is no real big preference.
LU: So on average, how many kids do American families have these days?
J: For a looking just at the numbers, most families have about 2 kids, but that can vary a lot from place to place. Where I am from, it can be a bit more, like 3 or 4, is pretty common.
LU: So where are you from?
J: I'm from a rural part of America, in Washington State, north-west part of the country.
LU: So because, you know, when you watch American TV show, usually see big families at least with 3 kids.
J: Yeah. That's not, that unusual on some part of the country. But if you go to a big city, that would be much less common than if you go to more rural countryside, town or things are less expensive.
LU: I think it's probably the same in China as well. So once woman has found out that she's pregnant, would she then go to a hospital?
J: Once you find you're pregnant, most women will then make appointment to see an OB/GYN—obstetrician-gynecological doctor, or basically what we call it women' s doctor.
LU: 妇产科. So they go to individual doctors, not a hospital?
J: Yeah. They are most likely first going to make appointment at a clinic. And then the doctor would then explain what's going to happen about all the upcoming check thing,all the things the woman needs to do to prepare for the upcoming baby.
LU: One thing I always wonder, while watching a lot of American TV shows, you always see this, something called a baby shower.
J: Yes. Baby shower. Well, the idea the baby shower is a way to take for two purposes, one to celebrate the pregnancy and the upcoming child and a way to share with the friends and family this happy moment.
LU: So baby shower takes place when there is no baby.
J: Yes. It takes place when women still pregnant.
LU: Ha-ha~
J: And there is actually a second purpose, it's a time that the parents can get some useful items as gifts, so things like diapers, highchairs, cribs and other things you might need to help a small baby.
LU: It's customary so if you are invited to a baby shower, this is what you should give the new parents.
J: Usually the parents will have, kind of, like a wish list and it's polite to provide gifts that on that wish list.
LU:所以baby shower你需要带这些给新生儿父母的礼物，比如像纸尿裤啊这些东西。
OK, women,when they actually give birth to the child, do they do it in hospital as well?
J: Most women do. There are a few of women do choose to give birth at home. But that usually much a smaller number. Most prefer the hospital environment to give birth.
LU: I don't really know that much about the whole environment in China,let along in the United States, what's that like giving birth in the hospital?
J: In general, when it's time to give birth, most women show up when they start feeling labor pains, then they'll check in to the hospital, they will be put into their own what's called birthing suite.
LU: A birthing suite?
J: Basically, it's a special hospital room for having babies.
LU: So they have a private room?
J: Yes. Cause it's like special equipment needed for the baby.
LU: Going into labor,就是进入产程了。So they are going to give birth. And some women talk about having a birthing plan?
J: Yes.
LU: What is that?
J: Birthing plan, it's a couple of things. First is the medical side,pay medication they want for the birthing process or whether they want to have a more natural birth or need to have a what's called C-section.
LU: C-section就是破腹产。The day when the baby is supposed to be born, it's called "due day".
J: Correct, the "due day" is when they expect the baby to be born, but the truth is it's a guess, and anything 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after is considered on time.
LU: So there is really no telling when exactly.
J: Like in my case,it was a bit of surprise.
LU: OK. But everything worked out obviously. "Due day" 是预产期。 So during the delivery, dads are allowed in the room,right?
J: Yes. Dads are allowed in the room, they can be there or either the natural birth or a C-section.
LU: 剖腹产也可以进吗？
J: Yes.
LU: OK. Sometimes you see them recording the whole thing.
J: Yes. There are some parents who like to record the event to share with family later.
LU: To share with family?
J: That's what they say.
LU: Is that a common thing for people to do?

J: Not that I'm aware of. It's mostly something they've shown on TV.I know people who going to do delivery with their wives but recording it, not so much.
LU: En. So after giving birth, when do women go home?
J: This is really depend on the situation. If it's a natural birth without complication, they will go home the same day.
LU: Well. Ok, so finally after giving birth, is about actually raising the kid. Do families help? Because raising kid, as we know, is very time consuming and also it costs a lot of money.
J: Yes. That's definitely true. In general, in America, it really depends on your personal cultural background about family involvement, cause Americans come from all over the world. But family does help to some extent. But many people when they have children, they are younger, their own parents are probably still working, so they might not be as available for help with taking care of new baby.
LU: And do moms get time? They should get time off, don't they from the work, even if they are working moms. 有产假吗？
J: Yes. United States' minimum they have to provide is 3 months maternity leave.
LU: That not very long. 3 months.
J: Unfortunately, it isn't a very long time. And many mothers do choose to back to work before the 3 months is over, because they might need the money to help raise their child.
LU: Well, in that case, who's gonna take care of the baby. A lot of listeners are probably a bit confused with the word "baby sitter", and also "nanny", what's the difference?
J: In general, if a family has a nanny, it's a good sign that they have money, because nannies are usually people who will stay with you in your home.
LU: Full time?
J: Full time to help you take care of the child. And they do more than just child care, they also do things like shopping,cleaning.
LU:就是有点育儿嫂加阿姨的感觉。
J:Yes. Well as a baby sister, it's usually just someone we hire to watch the child for a short period of time, basically gaps the day when mom and dad have to be at work. When mom and dad come home, the baby sitter will leave.
LU: You pay them by the hour?
J: En, usually yes, by the hour.
LU: And they are usually younger? Like neighborhood kids or family members?
J: It's elder children people might hire neighborhood teenagers or young people. But in general with young babies, most parent will still prefer to hire baby sitters that have experience taking care of little children. Well, lot of them might be retired people, that do part time, they might be a neighborhood parents who don't work, who are willing to help out.
LU: What about if you can't find a baby sitters?Then what you do both parents need to work?
J: Well, in America we have what called day care centers. They were look like a school where you can put your child during the day, once this place has people to watch, take care of your child, feed them, change the diaper, provide them a safe place while you are at work.
LU: It's like a baby school.
J: Kind of,yeah. But it's not really about teaching, it's more about just a safe place for your kids to be while you have to work.
LU: So sometimes companies provide day care?
J: If you are a lucky person that works for a company that has the service, then absolutely. Like big companies, like Google owned staff, but this is not uncommon.
LU: En.
J: But it's not the norm.
LU: Then as the kid grow a bit older, when did they go to…er..you have kindergarten.
J: We don't call it kindergarten in the United States.
LU: What do you call it?
J: It's called preschool in United States which is similar to Chinese kindergarten.
LU: 幼儿园
J: Yes.
LU: So it's not like 学前班。Preschool, when does it start?
J: Well, it really depends,in general kids will start between 3 and 4 years age.
LU: 3 and 4 years.
J: Yeah.
LU: Does every kid go to preschool?
J: In current generation, I would say it's pretty common. For my generation, it wasn't common. I never went to preschool, but my nephews and nieces,they went to preschool.
LU: So, you start, like normal elementary school at, what? Age 6?
J: I started at age 5. But, yes, 5, 6.
LU: 5,6, and before that, basically parents needed to take care.
J: Yes. That is fairly normal.
LU: Wow. And then about preschool, are they usually public or private?
J: We have both, honestly. Most people who go to preschool probably go to public schools for cost reasons, they are a lot cheaper than private ones.
LU: But they are not free.
J: That depends from place to place.
LU: En.
J: Where I'm from, in my state, it is free for low income families, if you don't have enough money, you can put your child into public preschool for free, but many places yes,you have to pay extra.
LU: And also some private preschool based on what I've seen, some of these are very exclusive private preschool, you need to be on the list the day that child was born, even earlier than that, is that true?
J: That is true for some really elite and highly expensive preschool. Most private school to most parts of countries, it's not that difficult to get into. But cost is a barrier to get in.
LU: I think we pretty much covered our first topic, and we are going to develop this topic in our advanced episode.
J: There is a lot more than we can discuss about this topic, more advanced and a lot more detail.
LU: Thank you, James.
J: Thank you for having me.
LU: See you next time.
J: Bye.

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