Dawn Lo

Don’t miss this week’s five excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox, or check the beijingkids website for full event listings online (www.beijing-kids.com).

Thursday July 30 – Piano Concert by the Wu Family A concert to showcase the talents of Wu Ying, dean of the Central Conservatory’s piano department, his wife Shao Dan and their daughter Wu Peixi, who has performed in Vienna since she was five. This might inspire a family concert of your own. For tickets, call 6417 7845 or visit www.piao.com.cn. RMB 10-100. 7.30-9pm. 

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Everyone living in China should be familiar with the concept of healthful eating to balance out body humors and improve your qi. In the same vein, eating certain foods can build up a stronger immunity to invading germs and bacteria. Although this is by no means as effective as medicine, the following wholesome foods can lower your chances of catching this threatening flu.

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Heads up everyone. In case you didn’t know already, the longest and most complete solar eclipse of the 21^st Century is happening tomorrow. While Beijing is not the best viewing grounds for this extraordinary event, you should definitely still try to see it. Here are some eclipse-watching gatherings happening around town.

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 Don’t miss this week’s five excellent events that are fun for the whole family. E-mail newsletter@beijing-kids.com to get each issue sent to your inbox, or check the beijingkids website for full event listings online (www.beijing-kids.com).

Thursday July 16 – Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Harry Potter mania! The much-anticipated sixth installment of J.K. Rowling’s magical series opens this week. Watch Harry, Ron, and Hermione swish their wands against the evil Lord Voldemort and his gang of Deatheaters. Showings every hour at Megabox at the Village. The Village at Sanlitun, 11 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District. Don’t forget: Dress appropriately for the chilly air conditioning.

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Afternoons spent at Tuanjiehu Park’s beach, lazy weekends poolside at the Splash Recreation Club, sweltering Beijing temperatures. It’s official – bikini season is here. Most women have, at some point or another, had the word “diet” flash in and out of their minds with every bikini season.

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We've all heard the age-old saying that caffeine stunts your growth and sage parents probably don't allow kids to drink coffee until they reach a certain age. And while everybody is aware of the presence of caffeine in foods that even your kids eat, it is easy to unknowingly eat more than you should.

Kids may not drink coffee, but they sure like their sodas. While not as high in caffeine as a venti iced-latte, how much caffeine is in soda and how much should your child be having? Canadian health guidelines suggest a limit of 45 mg for kids aged 4- to 6- year-olds, 62.5 mg for 7- to 9- year-olds, and 85 mg for 10- to 12- year-olds. Which means that drinking two cans of coke (at 35 mg of caffeine/can) is far too much for kids under 10. For families where soda is a regular mealtime companion, this might be something to think about.

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