Welcome back! We all have secrets and this is where we spill them. This weekend, in light of Father’s Day, we wanted to honor all the dads out there. So sit back, relax, and see what Beijing babas are really thinking.

Does this smell clean? Before having a child, my wife was always complaining that I had too many T-shirts. We have a 7-month-old… and now she complains I never have any clean shirts.

Future Bartender: My 4-year-old opened a tall boy for me at a party, brought it over, and said, “I got this for you daddy because it makes you happy!”

It was the sweetest thing, and odd because of course, it’s my 4-year-old getting me a beer. But everyone at the party was like, “Excellent parenting!”

She Gets it From Her Mother: My 6-year-old made me a Father’s Day coupon book at school filled with vouchers for things like getting to sleep in for an entire weekend and washing a car that I don’t have. The last one in the book was for ten free hugs with ten little checkboxes at the bottom.

I enthusiastically thanked her and scooped her into my arms. She returned the bear hug, looked at me with total love and sincerity, and announced, “That’s one, cross it off so we don’t lose count.”

That’s Cold: We were on assignment in Russia. It was the middle of the winter and my son and I fought about him wearing a coat to wait at the bus stop. Eventually, he capitulated and stood in stony silence bundled up in his parka. As the bus approached he looked at me, motioned me to lean down so he could tell me a secret. I eagerly stooped over, thinking it would be an “I love you” or “I’m sorry” to put the argument behind us. Instead, in his most intense little voice, he whispered in my ear, “You are the worst parent ever!”

Well played little man…That one stung.

The Memory is the Second Thing to Go: My wife and I were reminiscing with my mother-in-law about our wedding day. We were glossing over the list of all the people who were there and the funny things they had done or speeches they had made. All of a sudden, I said “I don’t remember where our boys were that day.” They hadn’t been born yet.

And that moment made it clear to me how much being a dad changes you. I literally couldn’t remember what life before them had been like.

KEEP READING: Tell Me You’re a Teacher Without Telling Me You’re a Teacher: Part 2

Photos: Unsplash, Pixel

In the last of our series on different ways that teachers can make the most of their summer break – even if they can’t travel – I wanted to focus on volunteering. Whether we are on a one-year contract or have been in the capital for decades, Beijing is our home while we are here. Finding ways to give back to the community is not only important for those who receive our assistance, but it is good for the soul and can deepen our expat experiences in some surprising ways.

Different programs have different requirements and time commitments, but choosing something that you enjoy not only facilitates a positive impact, it can also connect you to new friends both in the local and expat communities, all while helping you develop new skills. Below are three local volunteer opportunities to get you started.

Roundabout – The Retail Store: This expat-founded program is the first charity retail store in China and helps support 48 different charities across China. They provide support to causes ranging from disaster relief to the mentally disadvantaged through the power of upcycling. All donations of clothing and home goods either go directly to those in need or are resold in their Cathay View Plaza Retail Store, with profits directly benefiting the various charities they work with. The website includes an appeals page listing current needs across China, a donation page if you wish to donate money or home goods directly, and a get-involved page for those wishing to give their time and energy to sorting, cleaning, or helping with the website.

www.roundaboutchina.com/the-retail-store/

The Library Project: This program first came to my attention while writing an article about Maovember, an annual fundraising drive that successfully helped open two reading rooms with 2020’s donations. As both an educator and a lifelong book worm I am in love with this project. The goal of the Library Project is to bring safe, well-stocked reading spaces to students in remote areas and provide teacher training and support to those same communities. Their numbers are truly impressive. According to their website, they’ve built 1,372 reading rooms, 3,225 classroom libraries, and conducted 38,000 teacher trainings to date! If you have a summer to spare and want to share your love of literacy, contact The Library Project via their website to learn about internships and volunteer opportunities.

www.library-project.org/

2022 Winter Olympics: If you plan on staying in Beijing for another year or two, applying to be a 2022 Winter Olympics Volunteer could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only will you have a front-row seat to one of the most iconic sports events in the world and have an opportunity to meet a lot of really interesting people from all over, but you will also be adding a pretty cool line item to your resume. Time is running out on this one! You only have until Jun 30, so get going!

https://vol.beijing2022.cn/indexEn.html

KEEP READING: Stranded Nomad: How Expat Teachers Can Use a Summer in China to Their Advantage

Images: Unsplash