PA
Six-year-old Suri Cruise is said to be taking Mandarin Chinese lessons at her posh new school in Manhattan.
Despite being at the age when most infant school kids are just getting to grips with phonics, Suri has reportedly been enrolled on a Mandarin course by her separated parents, Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise.
A mole told Radar Online that 'Suri is going to be learning Mandarin. She is in the program for the Lower School which focuses on Chinese, and this is a great foundation for her.'
Suri joined the $44,000-a-year school this term, and has already caused a stir with other parents who were worried their own little girls might be mistaken for the famous youngster by paparazzi photographers skulking outside the school.
The Avenues School describes itself as 'a new school of thought' and its mission statement states that its pupils leave the school 'accomplished in the academic skills one would expect; at ease beyond their borders; truly fluent in a second language; good writers and speakers one and all; confident because they excel in a particular passion; artists no matter their field; practical in the ways of the world; emotionally unafraid and physically fit; humble about their gifts and generous of spirit; trustworthy; aware that their behavior makes a difference in our ecosystem; great leaders when they can be, good followers when they should be; on their way to well-chosen higher education; and, most importantly, architects of lives that transcend the ordinary.'
Hmm, no mention of their students being proficient in the wearing of red lipstick, cultivating an enormous shoe collection, or being able to brave the elements coatless no matter how low the temperature plummets... (though Suri is already a master in all off those skills...)
Would you love your child to start learning a new language at six?
More on Parentdish: