SLab CNY Camps, Jan 28 – Feb 22

The SLab is seriously fab! Their CNY workshops for kids ranging from 8 – 12, offer an eclectic mix of cool and inspiring courses in fashion, film, and photography. Students will be given the opportunity to learn about a plethora of industries and have a go at building on their knowledge through practical, creative, and fun activities.

Sewing 101, Weeks 1-4 (Ages 8+)

Their most popular course introduces students to the world of sewing: how to use a sewing machine, and independently tackle basic troubleshooting tasks. Kids at the end of the course will walk away with a drawstring bag, made by their own sweet hands!

Metalsmithing 101, Weeks 1-3 (Ages 12+)

Students will learn how to pierce, saw, and finish metal pieces. This is a unique experience for kids to work with brass or silver to create their own jewelry or accessories to welcome in Chinese New Year.

Moviemaking, Weeks 1-3 (Ages 8+)

Lights, camera, action! Using the tools available to low-budget filmmakers, this camp will take students on a 101 moviemaking expedition. Using everyday digital devices and professional cameras, students will produce their own short movies under the supervision of fully qualified instructors. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind joining this workshop without the kids!

Movie Editing, Week 4 (Ages 12+)

This workshop is all about the seemingly mysterious planet that is post-production! Using iMovie, students will learn the foundational skills and techniques of editing, to create coherent and visually imaginative movies from footage shot by the previous moviemaking camp.

Digital Photography, Weeks 2-3 (Ages 8+)

The SLab’s latest program has been developed for students to understand the ins-and-outs of photography. Students will learn about composition and how to use a camera correctly. Students will be encouraged to capture stories of the world that they see all around them.

To find out more information and register WeChat: JenPohland.

Sewing 101 RMB 1888. 10-3pm, Jan 28 – Feb 1, Feb 4 – Feb 22.

Metalsmithing 101 RMB 1,888. 10-3pm. Jan 28 – Feb 1, Feb 11 – Feb 15.

Movie-Making RMB 2,888. 10-3pm. Feb 4 -15.

Editing in iMovie RMB 2,888. 10-3pm. Feb 18 – 22.

The SLab, 2/F, Building 2, 7 Xinzhong Street, Dongcheng District 北京东城区新中街7号2号楼2层

Photos: courtesy of The SLab

Parenting is about the hardest thing I have ever done. No, it is by far the hardest thing my husband and I have ever done. Some days I wish I could go back to bed with that newborn baby, that is now my five-year-old, crawl back under the covers, and savor that newborn that could not move around or talk to me. Things where easier then, however, I did not realize this at the time. Each day I wake up striving to be a better parent and learn from each mistake my parents made, and the mistakes I made myself along the way. I find a lot of information on the internet, and having a support system of friends that believe in the same parenting styles is also very important. But many times, all of this is not enough and we parents crave more information to equip us to be a little bit better at parenting than we were the day before.

Titi and Ben Hill have founded Hill Dynamics, an organization where they can provide support and training to help people grow in their personal and family lives. One of the main training programs is Good Enough Parenting (GEP). GEP focuses on parents understanding the core emotional needs of their children and learning how to meet them.

Ben Hill tells me; “Titi and I love teaching about GEP and spending time with parents, educators, and other professionals who work with children. The training we provide encourages people to reflect on their own lives in order to connect more effectively with others. Our experience as counselors and educators, combined with our own journeys as parents, has created a great passion for helping people grow in their most precious relationships.”

“The program is grounded in research and is based on Schema therapy, founded by Dr Jeffrey Young. The key message is that we don’t have to be perfect parents, but only ‘good enough’ to prevent ourselves from passing down maladaptive schema to our children,” Ben Hill explained.

The course explains four different core emotional needs of children.

-Connection & Acceptance
-Healthy Autonomy
-Reasonable Limits
-Realistic Expectations

On Wednesday, April 25, Beijing parents have a chance to sample a small bit of the course and meet Ben and Titi Hill at an introductory course at The Bookworm. For more information about the Hills, visit their website here.

Pictures: Pixabay and the Hills