Calla Zhou – Beijing Kids

From Our Archives: China Science and Technology Museum

Nimo_Wanjau — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 05:00:17 +0000

After hours of combing through our archives, we feature some places worth a visit over the holiday period to get the most out of Beijing before the cold has us shuddering at the thought of having to go outside. These place are action packed and hopefully the weather and air quality index permit a day out. Avoid the crowds at places like Tiananmen as even walking 200 meters will take an eternity.

Enormous not only in size, but also in educational fun, the China Science and Technology Museum 中国科技馆 will satisfy the thinker in children and adults alike. You can easily spend up an afternoon walking through four themed floors and nine different galleries. Once you’ve had your fill of the museum itself, check out the massive children’s play center Science Paradise. Containing countless hands-on exhibits and displays, the museum provides children with a healthy mix of information and entertainment that will leave them wanting to know more. Mind-boggling exhibits and topics on the third and fourth floors can even kindle the Einstein in parents as well. Perfect on cold and dreary winter’s day, the museum is a fun indoor haven for the whole family.

After emerging from the Olympic Green subway exit (Line 8), make your way northeast through the Olympic Green park towards the museum, a rectangular white building. The west entrance of the China Science and Technology Museum lies just off Datun Beilu. Purchase your tickets at the outdoor ticket booth or opt for the automated ticket machines (in Chinese only) once you enter through the main door. If you have young children, make note of the neon sign reading “Science Paradise” to your left, as you may want to return to this immense play center later.

he busiest gallery in the museum is The Glory of China (1). Check out ancient Chinese technological innovations, taking in the technology of looms, plows, iron casting and more. Kids can turn a life-size waterwheel and watch the powerful effects. While en route, admire the sailing ship commandeered by legendary Chinese admiral Zheng He. Take the small wooden set of stairs adjacent to the ship up to the traditional Chinese medicine exhibit. There, inspect models of diseased tongues and acupuncture charts. Head back down the stairs and keep looping around the circular path to discover the astronomy exhibit, where kids can gaze upon the stars. After fulfilling their astronomical aspirations, head to the age of ancient scientific exploration. Experiment with Pascal’s Triangle, Tangram puzzles, and blocks. Don’t spend too much time puzzling these conundrums though, as you have three more floors to scale.

Continue to find out what’s in store you here.

Check out the museum’s cinema review here.

Photo: Oscar Holland

“Oh Crap! My Mom Just Joined Facebook”

The apparent phenomenon of parents joining the ranks of Facebook to be in on their children’s lives (or perhaps just to be “in”), has been largely criticized by members of the tweenage/teenage Facebook community.

A website devoted to the cause, named ‘Oh Crap! My Parents Joined Facebook’, features parents in computer screenshots of embarrassing Facebook conversations courtesy of submissions from their children. A Youtube video called My Mom’s on Facebook, opening with “You used to be a special place for all my college friends/a sanctuary in cyberspace, but every love story ends/Why did you have to go and lose your exclusivity?/Now all my nightmares have come true…my mom just friended me!” as starting lyrics.

A few days ago, we blogged about the popularity of this social networking site and offered tips on how you can integrate yourselves into your children’s Facebook lives. However, a recent revelation may prove that you are distancing the potential dangers of Facebook further from your children than you originally intended.

As announced in a Los Angeles Times article, Facebook is losing some of its younger fans due to the sudden surge in parent pages. According to a survey of 600 teens on online gaming site Roiworld, 1 in 5 are losing interest in the site. 16 percent of those teens claimed to be leaving Facebook because their parents are now fellow ‘contacts’ and 14 percent said the site is now overrun with "too many adults and older people."

Photo by m.klynstra of Flickr.

C-Section Rates On The Rise

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:00:00 +0000

On Wednesday, Reuters reported on a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology that examined the possible reasons for the increase of the number of women giving birth by caesarean section. The 1 in 5 rate of women giving birth by c-section in the mid 1990s has risen to 1 in 3 as of 2008

After looking through over 200,000 records of women who gave birth by c-section, researchers believe that a cause of this increase could be that women are switching to a caesarean section regardless if there is a medical cause. Doctors are also performing c-sections sooner than recommended.

In addition, c-sections were more prominent in mothers over 35 years old in comparison to younger mothers. Researchers observed that women who had c-sections for their first birth were likely to have them again for following births.

Both Dr. Marian MacDorman of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and Dr. Mark Landon of Ohio State University College of Medicine think that doctors may be “intervening too soon and not allowing an adequate period of labor” before performing a c-section. MacDorman, who was not involved in the study, said, “Maybe doctors are more comfortable doing caesareans more regularly.”

A c-section is necessary in many births, but it poses needless health risks for both the mother and baby if performed unnecessarily. MacDorman said that there is evidence that babies are more likely to develop breathing problems and mothers are at a higher risk for future pregnancy problems. Furthermore, researcher Jun Zhang said that mothers are at a risk for bowel and bladder injury or requiring a hysterectomy. Additionally, the price tag of an average caesarean section is 5,000USD more than an average vaginal birth.

Researchers believe that aiming at educating first-time mothers in when a c-section is necessary is a key step in diminishing the climbing rate of c-sections.

Photo by mahalie of Flickr.

About Over The Counter Medicine

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:26:07 +0000

You may want to look at the packaging twice the next time you take out Over The Counter (OTC) medication for your child.

A group of researchers from University of Sydney reported that the results of testing close to 100 adults including moms, dads and day care workers, on their ability to give children the correct OTC medication in the case that their children fell ill. They were tested on their ability to use a suitable measuring device to determine the correct dosage. As redOrbit reports, 44 percent of those tested were unable to measure out the correct dosage.

In addition, the results showed that 15 percent of the adults would have given the medication to the child without first checking the child’s temperature. Researcher Rebekah Moles said, “one parent said to us that if [a brand of medicine]is available over the counter, administering a double dose couldn’t do any harm and asked: What could be the worst that could happen?” She added,”We were surprised and concerned to find that some people thought that medicines must be safe because you can buy them without prescription.”

The New South Wales Poisons Information Center’s reported that 48 percent of 119,000 emergency calls received regarded cases of accidental overdose in children. 85 percent of those calls involved children under five years, 80 percent involved children under three, and 15 percent required a trip to the hospital.

OTC Medicine Safety gives you tips on how to decide which type of medication to give your child depending on the scenario. Keep a close eye on the dosage tool that comes with the medication but also be aware of teaspoons vs. tablespoons if you need to use a kitchen measuring spoon.

Designating Chores for Little Ones

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:35:14 +0000

“How many of you have to do chores now, or had chores when they were younger?” my teacher asked in discussion of a book the class was reading.

Out of the twenty four students in my class, only two hands went up. Some students went on to say that they never had to do chores, because there was always a maid to do the work for them. Others added that their parents never asked them to.

The benefits of children doing chores include letting them understand responsibility, as well as developing the habit of completing a task that has been assigned. Your children are also likely to respect how others have cleaned up after them. This is one mom’s account of her decision on whether or not to hire a maid or introduce chores to her sons.

Asking your children to complete chores is not an easy task. One method is to offer an exclusive weekly allowance only after chores were completed for that week. Another method after the routine of doing chores kicks in is to offer money after “bigger” jobs such as vacuuming, as opposed to putting dirty clothes into the laundry hamper. Younger kids are relatively easier to coax into the habit of doing chores as compared to the tweens and teens of the house (who are also admittedly busy with school work). Teaching Responsibilities and Chores features an excerpt from “Teenagers Suck: What to Do When Missed Curfews, Texting, and "Mom Can I Have the Keys?" Make You Miserable” that has tips of how to get older kids to help out around the house.

Kids’ Excuses To Get Out Of Chores decodes the meanings behind some of the excuses your child may be using to skip out on chores, as well as offers advice on how to get your child back in the working mode.

As for jobs to get started, here you can see a mom’s top ten chores for her preschoolers, including making the bed and watering the household plants. This list contains appropriate chores for kids of all ages.

Dog Diseases Seen In Beijing

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 02:45:00 +0000

Reposted from theBeijinger forum:

In the last month, two cases of Erlichia and one case of Babesia have been diagnosed. These are sub-tropical infections that should not be seen in Beijing. The most likely explanation is that with increased dog mobility, be it within China or from overseas, the parasite has been brought to Beijing’s warmer summer climate in the last 2-3 months and is re-cycling through the tick population.

Ehrlichia is a type of bacteria that infects different blood cells in various
animal species and in humans. In dogs the bacteria are Ehrlichia canis and
Ehrlichia ewingii. This organism is primarily transmitted by ticks.

Dogs may present with variable clinical signs but bleeding tendencies are the
most consistent presenting complaint in both the acute and chronic stages of the
disease. Other clinical signs include non-specific multi-systemic disorder with the
primary complaints being depression, lethargy, mild weight loss, vomiting,
diarrhea, and anorexia, with or without hemorrhagic tendencies.

The chronic condition is commonly suspected when there is excessive bleeding
during surgery. Treatment is usually routine over a minimum of 3 weeks but the Ehrlichia can rarely re-occur.

Babesia species are protozoal organisms that parasitize red blood cells causing
anemia. Many different species exist with varying host specificity. B. canis and
B. gibsoni are two organisms commonly known to infect dogs. Both organisms have tick vectors. Infection by B. gibsoni is increasing in frequency, particularly in North America.
There also is evidence that some direct animal-to-animal transmission may occur,
as when an infected dog with oral abrasions bites a naïve dog.

Cases of canine babesiosis may present with a wide variation of clinical signs,
ranging from collapse, severe bleeding and shock to a chronic sub-clinical
infection presenting with signs of general ill-thrift and depression.

Unfortunately treatment for Babesia is highly complicated, can be dangerous to
your dog and not always effective with recurrence being common.

If you are worried for your pooch, contact your vet for further information. Looking for vets in Beijing? See our Directory at: www.beijing-kids.com/directory/Family-Life/Veterinarians

Photo by Kara Chin.

Back To School (For The Parents)

Back to school.

This simple phrase will most likely trigger reactions in your teen. Some may be excited to escape the general sluggish atmosphere of summer break, while others are quite content to be living in the moment. I can say that I know as well as anyone the feeling of going back to school as a teenager. In a week, I’ll be heading back to perhaps the most demanding year of my high school career.

The SAT, SAT IIs and keeping up your grades are just some of the obstacles most 11th graders must face as they are just a few paces from stepping into the inevitable shadow of college applications. The pressure is on, and parents are worried.

An article from The Globe and Mail gives an “inside look” at the attitude of a teen bound for school. Speaking for myself, it definitely heads home with the advice to parents. A New York Times article narrates the attempt of a mom trying to help her daughter cope with her junior year of high school. High School: What to Expect In 11^th Grade offers advice to both parents and their teens on the year that matters.

Bottom line: Let your child know you understand what they’re going through and prompt them to do their best. Be in the know with how your teens are doing but stay away from augmenting the ample amounts of pressure that’s already there.

Photo by Dean Terry of Flickr.

Facebook Frenzy

Sun, 29 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0000

These days, the Facebook Initiation looms over just about any middle schooler’s head. New students are ‘friended’ by the second day of class, friends met through summer camp are ‘added’ immediately after they return home; and friends introduce other friends to more friends through the far reaching hold of Facebook.

I was assimilated into the craze back in ’07 when I entered a new middle school. As I neared a couple hundred friends in a few weeks, Facebook’s widespread grasp on my peers (and myself) was apparent. Pictures from “hang outs” and birthday parties were uploaded and ‘tagged’ that night for others to view and comment on. The inside jokes and memorable moments of the day were made personal statuses followed by a chain of other friends’ names who also in on the joke. Forgotten homework assignments were inquired about on other students’ ‘Walls’. Said Walls were seemingly preferred over Instant Messaging as friends chatted and posted messages in one minute intervals on each other’s pages. (I soon came to find out that the more posts on your Wall, the cooler you seemed). After a month of Facebook, I could hardly imagine my thirteen year old "social life" before I got an account.

Whether your child wants to join or has already made a Facebook page, an article from the Los Angeles Times gives parents advice on how to deal with your child’s Facebook aspirations. Though Facebook is indeed blocked by the Chinese government, your child will know better than you that there are various online proxies or VPNs allowing thousands of middle schoolers in China access the Holy Grail of their social life. Editor in chief of Common Sense Media, national child-advocacy and education organization, Liz Perle says, “This [Facebook] is part of parenting today.”

Though I admit my early Facebook endeavors were borderline frenetic, my friends and I were able to stay away from some of the more serious concerns of social networking sites. Even through our more-friends-is-cooler mindset, we were all aware of the basic tips like making your Facebook account private and deferring completely unknown friend requests.

In any case, take a look at the article linked above to read about how some moms have integrated themselves into their children’s Facebook life.

Photo by Franco Bouly of Flickr.

A Million Misdiagnosed

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 03:38:00 +0000

So your child is young? He can’t sit still? Do adults call him immature? Your child might have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Or not.

Last week, a Los Angeles Times article expressed doubt over the accuracy of diagnosed ADHD cases in young children. Research conducted by Michigan State University suggests that 1 million children in the United States could be misdiagnosed with ADHD. The study shows that a main cause for this is simply because of age. Younger children in the classroom tended to be more frequently labeled with ADHD.

MSU is not alone in their findings. A study carried out by North Carolina State University shows similar results. Researchers examined the number of ADHD diagnoses in children born just before the kindergarten date in contrast to children born right after the cutoff date. With just a few days apart in age difference, the number of children diagnosed with ADHD shouldn’t have a large variation right? However, findings showed the youngest children in the class (ie. the children born just before the cutoff date) were 25% more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Researcher Dr. Melinda Morrill said, “We believe that younger children may be mistakenly diagnosed as having ADHD, when in fact they are simply less mature.”

The implications are strong. If a million children could be misdiagnosed with ADHD, a million parents are also spending millions on ADHD medication and treatment right now. MSU researcher Todd Elder said that such inappropriate treatment is particularly worrisome because of the unknown impacts of long-term stimulant (such as Ritalin) use on children’s health.

For parents, here is a suggested advice column about differentiating between ADHD and immaturity from Parenting.com. Another guide to looking out for ADD/ADHD is available here.

Photo by stevensimbox of Flickr.