August, 2009
Articles from prior issues of beijingkids can be found by checking out the archive links below for the month and year you are interested in.
Top Picks For August 20th-23rd
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. Check the beijingkids website for full event listings,www.beijing-kids.com.
Thursday 20th August – Somewhere in Time: Concert of World Film Music
What do Gone With the Wind, Star Wars, the Sound of Music and Jane Eyre have in common? They’re all going to be played this Thursday by the China Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra as part of a concert dedicated to classic movie soundtracks.
The Circuit
The Circuit is a chance to sneak a peek at what’s been happening on the family and school scene. To get your event included, send an e-mail with the date of your past event and a brief description to imogenkandel@beijing-kids.com.
AmCham Independence Day Celebration
The entire AmCham community enjoyed the food, sun and fun at the annual AmCham-China Independence Day celebration. Festivities were held at Ch’ien Men 23 and drew over 1,000 attendees. beijingkids was on duty providing face painting and (temporary) tattoos for the kids.
Sending them Off
Sending Them Off
Adjusting to the first days of school
Many parents in Beijing are choosing to send their children off to school when they are as young as 2 years old - or even younger. Kaatje Harrison reached this decision a few months before she gave birth to her second child, Charlotte. Benjamin, at 21 months, was already a proficient talker and Harrison and her husband felt that with the new baby on the way, this was an ideal time to enroll him in the nursery class at the Children’s Learning House.
Reaching Out: Providing medical services to Beijing’s orphans
A baby lies on his side, his feet bandaged to flat boards. “It makes it easier when he needs injections; they’re administered through the feet,” says Ellen Luo, director of the United Foundation for Chinese Orphans (UFCO). Abandoned as an infant, this orphan is thought to be around 9 months old, but without birth records no one can say for sure. He has an enlarged heart that fills his entire chest cavity, placing pressure on his lungs and internal organs. Luo waits patiently for news from the Beijing United Family Hospital (BJU) staff about when they can operate. Surgery could kill this baby, but with every day that passes there is the possibility that he could die anyway.
What’s Fun In: Jingshan Park and Wusi Dajie
Jingshan Park and the National Art Museum of China can be visited in one outing (which takes around four hours, depending on how slowly you stroll and allowing for a one-hour lunch stop) and can be enjoyed with a leisurely promenade of historic Wusi Dajie along the way. Though some of the cultural and historically significant attractions in the area are more suitable for older children, the scenery, pleasant park areas and lao Beijing ambience makes this outing feasible for families with kids of all ages – and yes, this even includes parents pushing strollers around all day.
Dining Out
Family Outing: InspiRED brunch at Senses
An all-you-can-drink champagne brunch might not sound like the most appropriate place to take your little ones on a Sunday afternoon, but they’ll surely thank you for it. And that’s the best thing about InspiRED – the kids think it’s a treat especially for them, but you’ll have just as much fun. As they dash around dipping strawberries into chocolate fountains and mixing up teppanyaki ice cream, you’ll be busy pondering on whether to have tuna, beef or salmon tartar, and what to put inside your made-to-order sushi rolls. And when your kids have had their fill of spaghetti, pizza, nuggets and other favorites, they’ll happily head off to the supervised play area for arts and crafts, face painting, cartoons and Nintendo Wii action. There are even mini-sized “heavenly beds” for a nap when the jungle gym gets too much, leaving you free to sip champers and indulge in more of the international delicacies on offer. The buffet costs RMB 368 for adults including free-flowing champagne and cocktails, and RMB 148 for kids under 12, while kids under 6 dine for free. Tom O'Malley
Sunday 11.30am-2.30pm. 1/F, The Westin Beijing, 9B Jinrong Jie, Xicheng District. (6629 7810) 味,西城区金融大街乙9号北京金融街威斯汀大酒店1层
Model Parenting: A lesson in colors for one mother
Recently, Australian Caroline Francis hasn’t had the time to do justice to her luck in the genetic lottery – straight blonde hair, blue eyes, and smooth, fair skin. The mother of two (7-month-old Isaiah, who was born in Beijing, and daughter Emmerson, her 2-and-a-half-year-old born in Hong Kong) hasn’t had a proper haircut in years – unless you count sporadic trims with a pair of kitchen scissors courtesy of her husband. “I just haven’t had any time,” said Caroline, a former industrial designer turned full-time mom. Kristoffer Liu and Maya Geng of C.de France Beauty Salon treated the bubbly, charismatic mother to the works – a color test to see if her skin tone was better suited for warm or cool colors, a hair trim and blonde highlights, a full makeup overhaul, and hair-styling. A voucher to the romantic Mediterranean restaurant, Taverna of The Hidden City 1949 completed the day of indulgence. By the end of the day, it was apparent to all(including the staff at the salon and bystanders) – Caroline had transformed from mom to bona fide model. Jessica Pan
Ask Ms Nutrition
Bottle Battles: Learning to let go
Getting some toddlers to let go of their beloved bottles can be a real battle. A bottle starts out as a nutritional necessity, but in time it can come to represent all the good things in life: nourishment, comfort and parental bonding. Giving a bottle for more than regular mealtimes can be an easy way to make your little one happy, but it can also very quickly become an unhealthy habit that can affect sleep and cause dental problems. Unfortunately, for some families, doing away with the bottle can turn into an epic battle that lasts months and even years.
Beijing Mamas Talk Summer Fun
Han Zhou
Where are you from?
The United States.
How many kids do you have?
Two. Alex is 11 and Emily is 9.
What does your family do for the summer?
Usually, we travel but not this summer because of my work. Also, Alex trains two hours a day with his swim team.
What do you like to do as a family?
We like going to the movies. We also go see the kids’ grandparents for family get-togethers.
Where do you like to shop?
Solana is a fun place for my family to hang out. I like Zara. But I am a working mom so I don’t have much time to shop!
How would you describe your style?
Casual and comfortable.
Cloning Cross Talk: When does science go too far?
The cloning of animals for purposes of medical research presents many difficult ethical and philosophical questions. Highly divisive debates swirl around the issue, sparking spirited debate in religious and governmental centers around the world. The discussion inevitably touches upon the very value of life and the laws of nature. Four students from Yew Chung International School of Beijing dauntlessly tackle some of the issue’s mind-bending controversies. Gabriel Monroe
Leopold Waldersee, 15, Germany, has lived in Beijing for four years
Beijing Buzz: TCM, The Kung Fu Kid, Post-Gaokao Blues and Michael Jackson
Super TCM
RMB 10 million will be spent on researching possible traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cures for H1N1. The doctors and researchers in charge hope to find a cure before autumn or winter of this year, when chances of catching the flu are higher. Dawn Lo
Post Gaokao Blues
Even for those who passed with flying colors, the stress leading up to gaokao has left an impression. Students are recuperating before university begins – that is, sleeping, eating, watching TV, going online and generally overindulging. DL
The Karate Kid in Beijing
A remake of the 1984 classic is being filmed in Beijing starring Will Smith and his son Jaden as the new “Kung Fu Kid.” Jackie Chan will play the legendary Mr. Miyagi. The film is expected to come out in June 2010. And what role will papa Smith play? The bad guy. DL
Seeking the Perfect School: A guide to navigating the school scene
One of the most difficult parts of relocating to a new country with a family is finding the perfect school that suits your children’s needs, has a minimal commute and provides the ideal learning atmosphere. Below are answers to common queries from families new to the Beijing international school scene.
I Want To Be A Jujitsu Master: Chet Quint explains the fighting arts to IAB students
A former police officer and soldier, American Chet Quint is as close as Beijing will get to its very own G.I. Joe. After 2,500 hours on the mat and a year of full-time training in Brazil under Gracie Jiu-Jitsu master Rilion Gracie,Quint earned a coveted jujitsu black belt, bringing his black belt total to five. Quint started his martial arts training at the tender age of 13; at 17 he became a taekwondo teacher. He now teaches jujitsu to kids as young as 4. “Anyone can do it, big or small,” says Quint. He answered questions from the Grade 5 class at the International Academy of Beijing and revealed why jujitsu defense is better than kung fu fighting. Imogen Kandel
The Home Advantage: Why some parents choose the home-schooling route
Most expat families who are new to Beijing are faced with two options when it comes to enrolling their children in schools: international schools with tuitions that they might not able to afford or local Chinese schools taught exclusively in Mandarin with a curriculum completely foreign to their children. These limited options led Americans Geoff and Wendy Lewis, who moved to Beijing five months ago with their three children, Garrett, 10, Brendan, 9, and Aubrianne, 7, to a third alternative – home-schooling. Home-schooling suits many families for a variety of reasons: flexibility to accommodate children that learn at a faster (or slower) pace, a lack of an intimidating classroom environment, and the luxury of being able to spend more time with their children.
And Then There Were Two
Louise Carr is well-versed on how to introduce members of her brood to the concept of a new baby brother. With three boys - Callum, 8, Connor, 4, and Cameron, 17 months - Carr has had to deal with gently breaking the news of a new arrival twice. Being the oldest child, Callum was more aware of the adjustments he’d have to make upon the arrival of his first brother, Connor. The Carr family used a book about the stages of pregnancy to illustrate how the baby was growing and what was really going on inside mommy’s body. “I’d say, ‘This week his hair is growing, and this week his nails are growing,’” said Carr. Many parenting experts recommend this as a good method of not only preparing older siblings for a baby, but also making them feel connected to the experience. Carr found other techniques useful, such as letting her children feel her tummy when the baby was moving, showing them the ultrasounds, and discussing baby names.
Expat Connections: Navigating the network abroad
When you move to a new country with a family, the number of things to do is vast – find the perfect apartment, search out the school that suits your children’s needs, become acclimatized to your surroundings, and more. At times, it’s easy to forget about your own social needs. But for expat families to thrive, they need to build and maintain a strong support network. When you relocate to a foreign place, these personal connections can stave off loneliness, isolation, and help you on your way to finding work as well as your passion.
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