June, 2010

In response to an increase in cases of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD), Beijing Children’s Hospital is expanding its clinic area. The hospital, the city’s only dedicated to children, currently treats 50% of the non-adult patients in Beijing. From the beginning of the at-risk summer season in May, Beijing Children’s Hospital diagnoses from 2,000 to 3,000 new HFMD cases each week. These numbers are even higher than last year, reflecting a 90% increase in total cases according to the Beijing Health Bureau.

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A new marketing campaign in the US is encouraging kids to eat their onions using everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek. With the recent release of the fourth movie in the series, “Shrek Forever After,” an association of onion growers who specialize in a sweet onion local to Georgia, the Vidalia Onion Committee, have found a way to get kids to eat their vegetables. Capitalizing on the movie’s connection between the layers of an onion and the layers of getting to know an ogre, Vidalia has experienced demand of up to 35% for their Shrek-packaged onions. Vidalia onions are now an exciting food for children, causing them to shriek with delight as they enter the produce section of the grocery. Who knew that all it would take to get kids to eat their vegetables was a friendly green ogre?

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If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with Beijing’s unique cultural history, the Wall Street Journal recently suggests a one day walking itinerary for some of the city’s most interesting hutongs. Whether you’re an old hand at hutong history or have yet to experience Beijing’s famous ancient neighborhoods, this travel article is definitely worth a read.

With all the technology that saturates our everyday lives, the most difficult part of handling the repercussions of prevalent non-verbal communication is the ease with which kids use it to bully, harass and alienate each other. One out of five middle-school students have been affected by “willful and repeated harm” as the result of computers and phones, according to a Cyberbullying Research Center study. Through texts, emails, and online posts, kids take advantage of the anonymity of digital technology to intimidate their peers at an age during which they are most vulnerable.

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If you are an avid Friends fan and have been longing to see the set of the coffee shop where all the fun antics, drama and romance went down, then you will be ecstatic to know that Beijing’s very own version of Central Perk is now open. the Beijinger recently sat down to have a chat with owner Du Xin about his homage to the long-running popular show that starred Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox Arquette.

If you’re interested in either reliving the glory days of the Ross-Rachel saga, or just intrigued by the prospect of a copycat television set, check out China Daily’s video.

Just a friendly reminder for those traveling to Shanghai this summer: check out CNReviews for their handy World Expo Kids Guide, Transportation Guide and Food Guide. They frequently update their coverage on the Expo so that you know what to expect, making the prospect of navigating the long lines and busy metros a little less scary.

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The Family Learning House sent this email to parents full of simple, easy ways to spend one-on-one time with your kids this summer.

We thought it was worth sharing:

Summer is upon us, school is out, conferences are over, and what many of you might be wondering is, “What do with my child all this free time he has?”

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In light of last week’s Fathers’ Day celebration, it seems appropriate to reassess why people decide to have kids and the actual benefits of parenthood. When thinking about the origins of human civilization, children were to contribute to family survival and care for their parents as they got older. However, for those modern couples firmly planted in urban environments, it would not be amiss to ask: What’s in it for me? A recent Wall Street Journal article investigates the potential benefits and pitfalls of choosing to have children and its findings may surprise you.

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Summer break for most Beijing students is just around the corner, which means kids will have to decide how they will spend those hot, sticky days. Some will while them away at the water parks, but others may find that they can’t afford the recreation fee, as their savings are nothing but linty pockets. If parents refrain from simply handing over money, they can teach kids how to manage their finances in a world of economic uncertainties.

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Sunscreen labels fill us with confidence, boasting offerings of “all-day protection,” but do you really know how effective your sunscreen is? We recently recommended parents check out Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) sunscreen guide before heading to the pool this summer, but a New York Times article from this week goes further into investigating the complexities of labeling sun protection products in the US.

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Summer time and it’s time for kids to put down their books and head outside. Parents often fear that this can cause a “summer slide” where children lose ground academically and their reading suffers. Pam Allyn, director of LitWorld, an organization that helps to send books to children all over the globe, recently wrote an article for the Huffington Post about how to keep kids engaged during the summer with some fun reading suggestions. With books that cater to a variety of age groups, her recommendations are definitely worth a read.

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 "I’m bored…” It’s a common phrase that starts the third day or so of summer vacation. It’s not quite the same as a session at the spa, but a trip to the park with a picnic blanket and lunch can make for a low stress if not relaxing day. Pack up the basics (toys, wipes, blanket) with a few interesting time-wasters (magnifying glass, clear plastic containers, small hand shovel, water spray bottle) and a good selection of snacks.

As always, location, location , location is the number one rule so case the joint before you go and get a lay of the land. Is there a shady spot? Can you buy drinks onsite or need to tote them from home? Is this a picnic-only park (hence just bring the minimum) or a run around all day kind of place (in that case, bring a foldable chair)?

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If you’re looking for an animal more playful than a cat and lower maintenance than a dog, then an Angora ferret may be perfect for you. A relatively new concept for Chinese pet owners, ferrets have been used as domestic companions for hundreds of years.  They are becoming increasingly popular in Beijing because “they are neat and quiet and need very little space,” according to Fu Shuming who owns an Angora ferret shop in Xidian. For busy city dwellers living in small apartments, ferrets may present a compromise between lifestyle and a yearning for  pet ownership.

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It is traditionally thought that women most keenly feel the struggle between balancing home-life and work-life. However, according to a recent New York Times article, it seems that men may be finally catching up to the stress levels experienced by working mothers.

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With the infinite amount of information available online comes the temptation to copy it rather than craft it into your own words and ideas. It seems that for an increasing number of kids feeling pressure to succeed, that temptation is too great. In response, a growing industry turning profit by selling essays or offering exam answers and cheating devices has risen up to meet the desperation of students who feel they need to cheat to achieve academic success.

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Mixing Chinese culture and classic storytelling, Sarah Brennan’s Chinese Calendar Tales is a collection of fun and mystical bedtime reads.

Brennan has completed four books thus far: The Tale of Chester Choi, The Tale of Run Run Rat, The Tale of Oswald Ox, and The Tale of Temujin. Each rhyming story follows the adventures of an animal from the Chinese Zodiac, covering plotlines spanning both the history and breadth of China. Aimed at kids in the primary school age group, Brennan’s books use the animal’s personality traits to create a fantastical view of Chinese culture.

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School administrators in the US have adopted a surprising strategy for discouraging bullying and social discomfort among young students: say bye-bye to your bestie. The New York Times reported that many teachers and parents prefer to advocate learning and playing in large groups to foster multiple friendships instead of isolated pairing.

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Get your kickboards, flippers and calendars ready to sign up for weekly summer lessons with the Dragon Fire Swim Team. The team, with more than 300 members, competes in Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong as well as in Beijing. Kids ages 5 and up can take beginner to advanced courses or choose to train for the competitions, and parents can brush up on their stroke skills in the masters course.

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A mosquito bite can be an aggravating addition to any holiday, hence the value of a decent insect-repellant. However, despite popular belief, it seems women can spare themselves a third application of bug-be-gone chemicals. A recent New York Times article claims that mosquitoes are more attracted to men than women.

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The US National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recently stated that parents need to enforce stricter limits on the number of hours their kids spend watching the tube. They consider this especially important for keeping children active and preventing the health risks associated with spending too much time in front of the TV. 

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With the commencement of the World Cup in South Africa, fans have found creative ways to support their favorite teams. Zany examples include an aquarium in Japan that uses colored fish to play out soccer matches and an enthusiastic German website that recreates matches using Lego pieces and stop motion animation.

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It happens to the best of us. You wake up one morning, look in the mirror and instead of that fresh faced, dewy-skinned collegiate staring back at you it’s the canyon creased, droopy-eyed Crypt-Keeper. Crow’s feet, liver spots, sagging bits and pieces; what are you going to do short of going under the knife?

Here are five ways you can look younger with a minimal investment of time and money.

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For the Dragon Boat Festival holiday we tagged along on for what turned out to be a frenzied, but fun, multi-family trip to Beidaihe organized by a group of parents who are members of the Beijing Running Club.

With our one toddler, we certainly had it easy by comparison – two of the families had twins and one of them came with five kids in tow. 

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When: Saturday, June 19

Where: The Westin Beijing Chaoyang

Time: Indoor Swimming on the 5/F: 9am - 12pm (the pool is reserved between 9am-noon only)
. Lunch buffet on the 2/F at Seasonal Tastes restaurant: noon-2pm

Price in RMB:
Adult: 250 (beijingkids Club Member: 200)
Child age 3-12: 150 (beijingkids Club Member: 100)
Free for children 3 and under

Advanced tickets required: order via Clarisse at events@beijing-kids.com or 5820 7700 ext. 866. Bookings close tomorrow Friday, June 18