Imogen Kandel
The Girl From Snowy River
Despite my strong, and I mean strong, preference for inner-city living and all that comes with it, my childhood was not that of your typical city-dweller. My first birthday was spent in a combi van in the northern rainforests of Australia. My holidays included trips to remote Buddhist monasteries and visits to my dad's hippy friends - who were then living a totally vegan lifestyle in a self-sustaining cottage hours away from anywhere.
Perfectly Professional
Beijing-born Nancy Ding divides herself between two very important roles: a business manager at Microsoft and a mother to her son Andy (3). A self-professed "workaholic," Nancy admits she finds juggling the two to be rather difficult. "It's very challenging - I don't have a work/life balance," she confesses. When Nancy's not taking 1am conference calls, she's devoting her time and energy to her son who attends Ivy International Kindergarten. It's high time this mom took a break from her hectic schedule to relax and unwind. Thankfully, London-trained stylist Tom from The Cut Culture was on-hand to pamper Nancy and force her to put her feet up for a whole afternoon.
Follow the Leader
Kathryn Tonges is everything you'd expect from a parenting expert and dedicated primary school teacher. Though relaxed and friendly, her attention to the intricacies of communication is flawless. Constant eye contact and a persistently calm tone of voice let you know exactly where she stands. No wonder her skills are in high demand. Tonges has spent the past three decades studying the Parent Effectiveness Training (PET) method of communication, using it to not only to advise others but also to raise her own children. We sat down with Tonges to find out why the onus is on parents to change and how listening to your kids is the first step to better behavior.
The Littlest Brother
Just over five years ago, my littlest brother came into the world. I must say, I was not prepared in the slightest. I watched my stepmother plod around the house, her weight steadily increasing along with her belly. I watched as she brewed batch after batch of foul-smelling Chinese herbs - designed to cure everything from nausea to back pain. I got so used to her being pregnant that I began to consider it a permanent state. Then Edward was born.
My father already had two adult children: me and my brother Huw. A baby sibling put us more in the position of aunt and uncle than elder brother and sister. Huw took to his new role like a fish to water. He was in the hospital when Edward was born; he was there when Edward was safely delivered home; he was the first to show the baby what a car radiator was (whether or not that sunk into little Edward's brain is another issue).
Football for Life
What happens when an NGO collaborates with a community sports organization? You get Football for Life, a soccer program that trains, educates and inspires some of Beijing's poorest students. CAI has a long history of providing educational services to migrant children in schools across the capital - courses focuse primarily on the arts, including photography, drama and music, as well as basic physical education. What they were lacking was exactly what ClubFootball (CF) specializes in: professional coaching that teaches children more than just a sport. In the autumn of 2009, the two organizations came together to establish Football for Life (FFL), now a thriving soccer program that has already touched the lives of hundreds of children.beijingkids spoke with Judy Shen, the founder of CAI, and Keith Bradbury, the general manager of CF, to find out more about the "beautiful game" and why it's more than just a sport.
Take Me Away
Boracay, Philippines
The Best Part
The kids probably won't care which particular patch of sand they're playing in, but parents will enjoy exploring the beaches around this beautiful island, especially Pukka, which is less frequented by tourists than the world-famous White Beach. We recommend hiring a boat to go snorkeling. If you're lucky, the little ones will eventually fall asleep and you'll be able to have some mom-and-dad snorkel time. The boat crews will be more than happy to watch over your kids.
Brazilian Beauty
After leaving her demanding position as an insurance actuary, Marina Sieh Ho is now a stay-at-home mom. Her two daughters, Sophia (6) and Allegra (3), keep her so busy that she barely has time to dry her hair in the morning, let alone apply any makeup. Brazilian-born Marina, who had never dyed her hair before, was convinced that adding a touch of color was a bad idea - until she met colorist to the stars, Cat from Salon Vajra. After a lengthy consultation she decided to give it a shot with amazing results. To cap off the day, Dragonfly Therapeutic Retreat generously supplied Marina with a 90-minute massage voucher.
Beach Baby
I don't mean to fulfill an Australian stereotype, but I'm a beach kid. I grew up by the beach, my summers were spent at the beach, and when my family moved to the city, we simply migrated to the local pool instead.
My father taught me how to swim the old-fashioned way: by throwing me into a pool at the age of one. Thankfully, I floated. With time and practice I was able to maneuver my way through the rough surf of Victoria's coastline. Now, I must interject that not all of Australia's beaches are of the tropical kind. Where I grew up, we were lucky if the waves were less than a meter high and the water didn't turn your toes blue. But I loved it nonetheless.
When I moved to Beijing, my bathers (that means swimsuit to everyone not from Melbourne) came with me. But alas, no water was to be found. No more sandy coastlines. No backyard sprinklers to run under. Not even a baby pool to sit in. I was gobsmacked. How could a city that hovers at 35 degrees Celsius for six months out of the year not be brimming with pools?
Simply Beautiful
Savvy Him, marketing solutions manager at Microsoft, manages to fit 6am conference calls and 10pm workouts around her little girl, Reina (3) and her school schedule. Savvy has an amazing life story. Adopted in her native Cambodia, Savvy and her family then moved to Portland in the US, which she now calls home. A passion for different cultures led her to live in France, Japan and Israel. Savvy speaks five languages, including Cambodian, and has plans to add Spanish to her ever-growing list. Juggling full-time work with full-time motherhood, this mom is used to pulling all-nighters. "I normally get five hours sleep," she says. Gavin Style Hair Salon in the Nalio Patio was there to make sure this super mom got the perfect makeover, and Taidian Massage Salon capped off the day of pampering with a blissful Japanese massage.
Single-Parent Dating
Beijing has been referred to as a "dating wasteland" by some of the capital's single residents. Rightly or wrongly, criticisms often revolve around the common stereotypes that all the men are looking for Chinese women, and all the women are looking to get married. Beijing's singles scene is unlike anywhere else in the world and it takes a lot of guts, perseverance, and hope to navigate it. Especially if you're a single parent.
