There are some new appointments this fall, with new physicians joining the team at Beijing United Family Hospital’s Shunyi Clinic. Hilton Beijing Capital Airport has welcomed on board a new General Manager. The hotel is not only a place for airport travelers, as I can highly recommend their Sunday Brunch, which serves a fabulous selection of fresh food (their seafood stations are impressive), and with a great kid’s play area too. Speaking of kids, Naomi Taylor’s Parent Effectiveness Training course begins again at MSB towards the end of the month. If you’re looking for a friendly and fun mom and baby group, then join in with Tea Room Tots every Friday.

New Physicians at BJU Shunyi
In the pediatric department, BJU welcomed a new physician over the summer. Dr. Balinas joined the Shunyi team, replacing Dr. Goldman who has returned home to France. Dr. Balinas has worked as a senior pediatrician in the Philippines, and completed research and case report studies in the field of pediatrics. She speaks English and Tagalog. The clinic will also be welcoming another obstetric/gynecologist physician. Beginning in September, Dr. Marriott will be joining the team every Friday. Dr. Marriott is board-certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and brings with her a wealth of experience. She speaks English and will work alongside Dr. Li, who will continue seeing patients on Wednesdays. Dr. Li speaks English and Mandarin.

New General Manager of Hilton Beijing Capital Airport
Tony Marrinan has been announced as new general manager of Hilton Beijing Capital Airport. Marrinan has extensive international management experience, in both resort and city properties. His career has taken him around the world, through an extensive and impressive list of hotels, including Hilton Dalian and Conrad Dalian, InterContinental Danang Resort, InterContinental Sanya Resort, Mirvac Hotels, Resorts in Australia, and Forte Hotels in Europe. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Hilton Beijing Capital Airport, and will guide the development of the hotel, its service and facilities for travelers and visitors alike.

Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T)
The International Montessori School of Beijing (MSB) is hosting a P.E.T course on Saturday afternoons from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. The course starts on August 30 and consists of 8 sessions, all of which are to be attended. The sessions will take place on August 30, September 6, 13, 20, October 25, November 1, 8, and 15. P.E.T is one of the only parenting courses, which looks at the needs of both the parent and the child. The training equips you with skills to listen, show understanding, respond in an honest and non-judgmental way, and to be heard. The course can only be presented in English, without interpreters, and is only for adult attendance. Childcare is not available. All places must be booked and deposit paid in advance of the course starting.For further details or to book a place contact naomitaylor2010@hotmail.co.ukor visit the website www.counsellingwithnaomi.com

Tea Room Tots Resumes
On Friday August 8 Tea Room Tots started once again, and takes place every Friday from 10.30am to noon at the English Tea Rooms. Come along and join other moms, dads, and babies for play, songs, lunch, and of course tea. Children of all ages are welcome, but the group is most suitable for under-5s. The Tea Rooms kindly offer all Tea Room Tots families a generous 15 percent discount on food as well as providing fruit for the kids’ morning tea. Singing time and fruit starts at 11.15am, to cater for those families who need to be home for lunchtime naps. Check the website for directions in English and Chinese www.englishtearoombeijing.com

beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent Sally Wilson moved to Beijing in 2010 from the UK with her husband and son. Her daughter was born here in 2011 and both her kids keep her happily busy. In her spare time, Sally loves to stroll through Beijing’s hutongs and parks. She is a (most of the time) keen runner and loves reading: books, magazines, news, and celeb websites – anything really. Sally is also a bit of a foodie and loves trying out new restaurants.

Photos: courtesy of BJU, English Tearoom, Hilton Beijing Capital Airport

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Spring has definitely sprung, and we are all the happier for the warmer weather and more frequent appearance of blue skies. Spring also sees students’ and families’ calendars filling up with things to do and ways to enjoy the warmer weather.

Although the schools in Shunyi have their Spring Break at staggered times this year, once everyone comes back in to start the new term, everyone will be buckling down to academic work and a variety of activities until the run up to the summer break.

Here is this week’s compilation of things to look forward to beginning next month.

Parent Effectiveness Training Beginning April 10
Another round of Parenting Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) sessions will be offered by Naomi Taylor in Shunyi. This time, the eight-week course will be hosted by the International Montessori School of Beijing. The schedule is Thursday mornings, 8.45-11.45am. Dates are April 10, 17, 24, May 8, 15, 22, 29, and June 5.

Join Taylor to learn a new way of communicating effectively with your children. The lessons on interrelating can also be applied outside of parenting situations because the emphasis is on mastering a manner of expressing what is important to you.

As a parenting training programme, P.E.T. does not revert to using punishment and reward methods. Instead, P.E.T. will equip you with skills to listen show understanding, and respond in an honest and non-judgmental way.

To make your reservation or to ask for more details, email Taylor at counseling with naomi@hotmail.co.uk

AoFan Sailing Resumes Courses on April 12
‘Tis the season for sailing, and AoFan Sailing Club is preparing to put their boats back on the water on April 12. Sailing is a fun way to learn new skills and socialize with friends.

Six-week sailing courses are held on Saturday or on Sunday at the Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Park in Shunyi. Level one training is from 10am-12nn, and level two training is from 2-4pm. Fees are RMB 1,800 for 12 hours.

A special three-day course will be available during the Labor Day weekend from May 1-3.

The AoFan summer camps will be held in five-day courses beginning from June 16 all the way to August 29. Camp hours are 10am-4pm, and include sailing, kayaking, rafting, paddleboarding and team-building games. Participants should pack their own lunch, and drinks and snacks are available for sale at the club. Fees are RMB 2,500 for a five-day course.

AoFan will be sending students to represent their club at the QingDao Youth Camp. This runs from June 16 to 21, and from June 23 to 28. The fee is RMB 7,500 and includes accommodation, transportation to and from QingDao Olympic Sailing Center, coaching fees and other activities.

See their website for more information, or call 139 1046 5950. Online registration already available for both the spring sessions beginning April, as well as the June to August camps.

Dance Classes for Kids with Dulwich Community Programme
Dulwich Community Programme classes are open to the entire community and are an opportunity for children to pick up a new skill while having fun. The Summer Term will run from mid-April until June.

Two new dance classes are being offered for the Summer Term: Bollywood and ballet.

Bollywood Dance, the dance form used in Indian cinema, is a mix of western contemporary, Indian classical, folk dance, belly dance, jazz, ballet, and even a bit of hip-hop. The class will be taught by Arunima Prajapati, Bollywood choreographer and trained Kathak dancer.

Two classes will be held:

• Ages 4-7, Mondays at the Riviera Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 14.
• Ages 7-12, Fridays at the Legend Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 18.

Fee for eight weeks for either class is RMB 1,200.

Ballet classes will also run for eight weeks, and will be available at both the Riviera Campus (taught by Shi Yuzhong) and Legend Campus (led by Ms. Bradbury, following the syllabus of the Royal Academy of Dance Pre-Primary Level).

• Ages 3.5-6.5, Thursdays at the Riviera Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 17. Fee is RMB 1,040.
• Ages 4-7, Mondays at the Legend Campus, from 3.40-4.30pm, starting April 14. Fee is RMB 1,200.

Other classes available are off-ice figure skating and hockey, Incy Wincy yoga, swimming, basketball, football tag rugby, benchball, science club, clay modelling, and individual lessons for a variety of musical instruments.

Registration ongoing at the Legend Garden Campus Sports Club. You can email camilla.ojansivu@dulwich-beijing.cn or call 6454 9127 for information.

British School of Beijing Activities
The British School of Beijing is gearing up for several community activities over the next two months.

On Tuesday, April 15, a Year 6 Open Morning will be held for families who are interested in starting Secondary school at BSB in August.

Another Open Morning is set for Friday, April 25. This will be an opportunity for prospective families to see both the Primary and Secondary schools as they carry out a regular school day.

Email elisabeth.puttock@britishschool.org.cn for inquiries and to register for the Open Mornings.

Finally, BSB’s big Summer Fayre will be on Sunday, May 25, from 10.30am to 3pm. This event is open to the entire community, with indoor and outdoor games, craft activities entertainment from different groups of students and teachers, lots of picnic food for sale, and a sale of books, educational games, jewelry and gift items.

Interested vendors have until April 25 to fill in a booking form and pay the table fees. Please email elisabeth.puttock@britishschool.org.cn or anna.jin@britishschool.org.cn to obtain booking information and forms.

Photo by Dana Cosio-Mercado

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It is always challenging to throw ourselves back into the daily grind after a well-deserved break. Shunyi was practically deserted as the locals celebrated Chinese New Year last week. Though there were still fireworks nearly every night, this year seemed quieter than previous ones. And just as we thought we were heading into spring, Beijing finally saw its first snow of the season.

At my house, there was definitely some dragging of feet on the first day back to school. If your family is like ours, you may already be counting down to the next holiday.  In the meantime, here are some things to check out in our neighborhood.

Parenting Effectiveness Training
Another Parent Effectiveness Training (PET) course starts today. This is great for adults who want to learn how to communicate better with their children. The module will run over eight weeks and touch on topics like doing homework, back chatting, messy bedrooms, sibling fights, moodiness, being late, adjustment issues, and more.

The course takes place on Wednesdays from 12.25-3.25pm on the following dates:

• February 12, 19, 26
• March 5, 12, 19, 26
• April 2.

All classes will be conducted at the British School of Beijing Shunyi campus by PET trainer Naomi Taylor. For more info, contact her at counsellingwithnaomi@hotmail.co.uk

Workshops by AMS President Dr. Joyce Pickering
Dr. Joyce Pickering has been a Montessori educator for the past 40 years and is the president of the American Montessori Society (AMS). She will be in Beijing to give workshops to parents and teachers. She is also a speech and learning pathologist and learning disabilities specialist.

Her talk is entitled “Respecting the Individual Learner in Every Child” and will take place on Thursday, February 13 at 7pm at the International Montessori School of Beijing. The registration fee is RMB 500. This talk is appropriate for all parents, not only those whose children attend a Montessori school.

A separate workshop for teachers on the topic “Montessori Applied to Children at Risk” will be held on Saturday, February 15 from 10am-4pm. The venue is 688 Glory Palace, 2 Shunfu Lu, Renhe Town.

RSVP required. For more information, contact Snow Zhang at 186 1134 4852 or snowzhang@imti-china.com.

Song and Dance Classes for Children
River Garden Clubhouse is hosting new dance classes for children taught by an internationally-qualified and experienced British teacher Becky Bradbury.

• Tap classes for children aged 5 and above. Wednesdays, 4.30-5.30. Teacher is qualified by the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD).
• Song and Dance classes for children aged 5 and above. Wednesdays, 5.30-6.30
• Ballet classes for children aged 7 and above. Thursdays, 4.30-5.30pm. Teacher is qualified by the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD).

For information and registration, contact beckybradbury@gmail.com or call 131 2105 8134.

Fitness Classes for Adults
Also at the River Garden Clubhouse, Kari is offering classes for adults of all fitness levels: vinyasa yoga on Mondays at 10am, and step class on Tuesdays at 8.45am. Fee is RMB 100 to drop in, or RMB 300 for five classes. For more information, email inshapewithkari@gmail.com.

Market Tour with STARAfood
Stacey and Sara of STARAfood Beijing are offering market tours for the aspiring cook:

• Monday, February 17: Trip to the Hotel Equipment Corporation (HEC) and the restaurant and hotel supply market in Wangjing.
• Monday, February 24: Trip to the Indian food market in Sanlitun and Sanyuanli Market

Both tours depart from Shunyi at 10am with an estimated return by 3.30pm. Market tours also include lunch at a local restaurant.

The market tours complement the cooking classes offered by STARAfood. Contact Stacey and Sara to reserve your slot at starafood@gmail.com or by texting 186 1170 1730. You can also request to be put on their mailing list. Class descriptions and schedules also available on their website (VPN required).

Valentine’s Day Bouquet Delivery
Flowerley can deliver Valentine’s Day bouquets. They have a limited number of signature “Wild at Heart” bouquets available and you can place your orders up to today, so hurry. The bouquets cost RMB 650 and payment can be made online via Alipay, Chinese bank transfer, Visa, MasterCard orPayPal. For more info, contact Lyndal at 186 8843 5274 or hello@flowerley.com.

Share the Love Bazaar
Today only at Shayne’s Teasures and Clicia’s Designs, there is a special Share the Love for Valentine’s Day bazaar until 5pm with a variety of items from Tai Tai, Pretty Little Things, Image Optics East, Vera Bradley, Solo Per Te and more.

Shayne’s Treasures and Clicia’s Designs is at Lake View Place, Dragon Bay Villa. Phone 8042 2203 for more information and driving directions.

ISB Charity Fashion Show and Girl Scout Cookies
The ISB Charity Fashion Show is a student-led project that takes place this Saturday, February 15 at 6pm at ISB. Cool clothes, food, and gifts await. All proceeds will go to the New Hope Foundation, which cares for abandoned, physically-handicapped babies.

If you are a fan of Girl Scout cookies from the US, they will be on sale this Saturday at the ISB Charity Fashion Show. Hurry – there are only 100 boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas at RMB 50 each.

Admission to the fashion show is RMB 70 for adults and RMB 50 for students. For more information, email isbcfs2014@gmail.com.

Openings
One of the most recent additions to the Shunyi restaurant scene is Blue Elephant, which serves Thai food. The interiors are reminiscent of family restaurants we’ve visited in Bangkok. Service is efficient and friendly. Owner Lisa and her husband speak good English and personally check on diners’ needs. The menu is extensive, and while the food is not cheap, portion sizes are decent and a lot of thought goes into presentation.

We ordered jelly fish salad (very spicy, RMB 40), seafood tom yum soup (spicy but flavorful, RMB 78 for a small serving), stir-fried chicken with mango sauce (tasted too much like a Chinese sweet and sour dish, RMB 58), chicken wrapped in pandan leaves (very well done, RMB 45), and roasted eggplant with minced meat (this was quite similar to the Chinese glazed eggplant dish, but a generous topping of basil leaves gave a Thai twist to the flavor, RMB 48). Dessert was sago in coconut cream (RMB 38, available hot or cold) and sticky rice with mango (RMB 38).

After such a big meal, we decided that dessert was best shared. Both desserts were good and heavy on the coconut cream, which may not be to everyone’s liking but it was exactly the kind of tropical flavor that our family enjoys.

The bathrooms were clean, with western toilets. For a family dining place, I was a little disconcerted that there were three giant TVs airing the Winter Olympics during dinner. Even with the TVs set on mute, I would have preferred not to have my dinner companions distracted by skiers and skaters. Overall though, it was a good dining experience and we would definitely go back.

Blue Elephant is located at Pinnacle Plaza beside Laker’s Cafe. Open daily from 11am to 9.30pm. Telephone number is 151 2277 9935.

Closings
A family craving for Malaysian food led us to Europlaza right before the Chinese New Year. We discovered to our dismay that one of our favorites, The Yard, had closed down. We hope they will resurface soon in another Shunyi location. In the meantime, you can still get your sambal, beef rendang and other Malaysian favorites from Malacca Legend by Roma Lake (Luoma Hu) in Houshayu. Call 8049 8902 for directions.

Also at Europlaza on the third floor, Chinese restaurant Li’s Imperial Cuisine has also closed down. To get your Chinese food fix, try South Beauty for Sichuan cuisine, Treescape for Yunnan specialties, or the hotpot restaurant on the third floor. For more casual dining, there’s Mr. Kong’s Table for noodles and a Shanghai xiaolongbao and dim sum place, both located on the ground floor.

We’d like to hear from you! What are your Shunyi favorites? Any recommendations or bits of news you’d like to see here on Shunyi Happenings, please feel free to send it on to us via email to: danamercado@beijing-kids.com

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.

Photo by Dana Cosio-Mercado and courtesy of muffet (flickr)

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• Capital Paradise Clubhouse: Tue and Thu, 10-11am
• Chateau Regalia Clubhouse: Mon and Fri, 9-10am and Wed, 10.30-11.30am
• Lane Bridge Clubhouse: Wed, 9-10am
• Rose and Gingko Clubhouse: Tue and Thu, 10-11am

• Lane Bridge Clubhouse: Tue and Fri, 8.45-10am at the Dance Studio (2/F)
• Cathay View Clubhouse: Wed, 8.45-10am, and Sun, 4-5pm at the Dance Studio (2/F)

 

• Farmers’ Market showcasing the best organic produce Beijing has to offer. Once only in Shunyi this month. 10am-2pm
• Kids’ activities hosted by Daystar Academy to keep the little ones busy while you shop and dine. 10am-4pm
• Modern Chinese dining experience at the Bath House Residence. 11.30-2.30pm (on the festival day and daily)
• Afternoon T., stunningly presented selection of finest Chinese teas served with traditional tea and snacks. From 11.30am (on the festival day and daily)
• Art Exhibit of selected works from the collection of Red Gate Galleries. From 10am
• Mooncake making classes for the entire family. RMB 250 for a family of four, including tea. 2-4pm. Other dates available: Sat Sep 14, and Sun Sep 15. Reservations required via email at  t.classes@green-t-house.com or by calling 6434 2519.
• Family Mid-Autumn Festival Dinner (five courses). RMB 558 per guests (+15% service charge). Only from Sep 19-21. Reservations required via email at t.classes@green-t-house.com or by calling 6434 2519.

Wow, didn’t the new school year just start? I can’t believe we’re already facing the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which is just over three weeks away. Everything will grind to a halt from September 19-21, so signups for activities are beginning in earnest now. From fitness and sport activities to Mandarin classes, parenting courses, and activities you can do with your kids, there’s something for everyone. Don’t delay!

Books, Books, Books
This is a one-off event but bears mentioning because it is one of the biggest Beijing fairs and takes place right here in our ‘hood. The 2013 Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), now in its 19th year, brings together over 2,000 publishers and vendors in a 53,000sqm exhibition space. (No, the Chinese are not big on modesty.)

BIBF aims to “introduce excellent books from around the world into China and leading Chinese books to the world.” Despite the number of printed books on display, this year’s edition of BIBF will highlight its Digital Publishing Zone. Other areas to look out for are the Children’s Book, Cartoons and Animation Zones, Periodicals Zone, Publishing on Demand Zone, the Rights Center, and the Library Acquisition Zone.

We love books, but we don’t love the heavy traffic that will inevitably descend on the China International Exhibition Center. Both Pinnacle Plaza and Europlaza attempt to deter vendors and fair attendees from hogging their parking lots (and rightly so). In the past, parking fees at both malls cost as much as RMB 200 per day – and this for normally free parking zones. This tends to keep away not only potential long-term users, but also regular customers. Shunyi residents can usually plan around this by going to both places in the evening whenever possible.

The 2013 Beijing International Book Fair will take place at the China International Exhibition Center from August 28 to September 1. Admission is free; you just need to fill in a registration form at the gate to get a ticket. I recommend walking over!

China International Exhibition Center
88 Yuxiang Lu, Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone, Shunyi District (6586 6995) 顺义区天竺开发区榆祥路88号

Ladies’ Golf Program
This five-week golf program combines fitness, professional coaching, and socializing in a relaxed environment. Each group is limited to six ladies and offers two make-up lessons (30 minutes each) if you miss a regular class sometime within the five weeks.

Programs run from 10 to 11am. There are two groups; the Wednesday group begins on August 28, while the Thursday group begins on August 29. All equipment is provided. The cost is RMB 2,200 for five weeks.

Direct Link Golf
89 Capital Airport Highway, Shunyi District (136 9150 5009, agagolf@live.com) 顺义区机场高速路89号

Junior Golf Coaching Camp
PGS Professional coaching is in full swing (no pun intended). Pitching, chipping, putting, golf rules, golf etiquette and life skills will be covered in the five-week clinic. The sessions will be held over five Saturdays, with courses divided between different age groups:

• 9-9.45am (age 6)
• 11am-noon (ages 7-10, beginner)
• 1-2pm (ages 7-10, advanced)
• 2-3pm (ages 11-18)

Register and pay the course fee of RMB 1,400 before August 31 to secure your child’s place. For address and contact, see above.

Tai Tai Tennis
The fall 2013 Tai Tai Tennis season will soon begin. Signups will take place from 10 am to noon on August 29 at Jamaica Blue in the Yosemite Clubhouse. Look for Mary Kate and Johanna at the coffee shop and they’ll help you register for the club’s 14th season.

Tai Tai is a player-led doubles league with players of all levels. It’s fun, social tennis and a wonderful way to make new friends while keeping fit. Even if you don’t have a partner, Mary Kate and Johanna will find you someone of your level to play with.

RMB 200 per person to register
Includes cost of the end-of season lunch and prize-giving
Season runs from mid-September to mid-November
Call 136 5134 6314 or email beijingpennant@yahoo.com if you have any questions

Mandarin Classes
A little knowledge of the local language is essential for getting around and getting things done. But beyond giving simple instructions or buying fruit at the local market, speaking Mandarin can also give you a richer experience in China.

Sign up for group or one-on-one lessons at HLCC within Capital Paradise. Class sizes are small (maximum six students per class). The teachers are qualified to teach Chinese as a foreign language, friendly, and make good culture coaches for your day-to-day questions.

A variety of Chinese classes with a strong grammar base are available for adults, with or without Chinese characters. Beginner and intermediate classes are open for enrollment and take place twice a week from September to January for a total of 70 hours (excluding Mid-Autumn Festival, the National Day holiday, and Christmas break in accordance with international school calendars). Prices start from RMB 4,900.

Private lessons can be arranged for RMB 150/hour at the school or RMB 160/hour at your home or workplace. Other courses include daily conversational Chinese, Chinese characters, business Chinese, training for the HSK (a standardized Chinese proficiency exam), and after-school tutoring for kids.

Call Halida at 135 0115 3524 or send an email at halida@hlcc.asia for more information on schedules.

Scouting Groups
Enrolment for the First Beijing British Scout Group is now open for girls and boys aged 8-10 (Cubs) and 11-14 (Scouts). They may restart a Beavers section (ages 6-8) if there are enough children interested in joining and volunteers interested in running it. UK Scouting is co-educational, which is different from the US scouting model. The group meets at Dulwich College’s Legend Garden campus on Sunday mornings. Children of all schools and nationalities are welcome to join. For more information, check out their website.

Cub Scout Pack 3944 welcomes boys aged 6-11 and their families for a US scouting experience. They meet weekly at ISB and all kids regardless of school are eligible. Check out their info at the following sites: pack3944beijing or their Facebook page (VPN required).

The Open House for Girl Scouts USA Beijing will be held at 10am on August 31 at the Western Academy of Beijing’s Elementary School Lotus Lounge. You’ll be able to learn more about the program, as well as how you and your daughters can get involved. Girl Scouts is a volunteer organization that relies on adult volunteers to lead the program. That means parents can join their daughters for activities like hiking, camping, completing badges, earning awards and doing service projects. There are also travel opportunities for older girls. For any questions, email girlscoutsbeijing@yahoo.com.

Parent Effectiveness Training
Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) is a popular course that educates parents in effective communication. It has been around for some 50 years and is now taught in over 40 countries. The approach is based on looking at the needs of each individual and learning the appropriate skills to reduce and resolve conflict, which in turn creates warmer relationships. P.E.T. has been shown to be effective for children of all ages, and in turn, parents are able to model invaluable skills that can be passed on.

The 24-hour course is broken down into eight sessions of three hours each. There are weekday early afternoon and weekend late afternoon classes to choose from. This module begins in early September and runs through to November (with breaks for the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays). Courses will be hosted by The British School of Beijing, Shunyi campus.

12.45-3.45pm, Wed, Sep 4, running 8 sessions until mid-Nov
4-7pm, Sat, Sep 7, running 8 sessions until mid-Nov
Read more about Naomi Taylor’s P.E.T. courses on her website.
Email counsellingwithnaomi@hotmail.co.uk to reserve a slot.

Dragon Bay Fitness Activities
Antje’s fun fitness classes at Dragon Bay are back! In addition to Step Aerobics and Body Balance, fall is the perfect season for an outdoor circuit boot camp. The workouts offer a variety of movements to rev up your metabolism. Each session begins with a warm-up followed by dynamic stretching. Props such as balance board, resistance bands, dumbbells, kettle bells, and TRX bands are combined with movements that use your own body weight to your advantage. Whew!

Boot Camp – Outdoor Circuit – Functional Training – Athletic Training
9-10.30am, Mon and Wed
Call Antje at 150 1100 4538, or email her at antjepfeiffer@ymail.com for more details

Photo by flickr user vbecker

Dana is the beijingkids Shunyi Correspondent. Originally from the Philippines, she moved to Beijing in 2011 (via Europe) with her husband, two sons and Rusty the dog. She enjoys writing, photography, theater, visual arts, and trying new food. In her free time, she can be found exploring the city and driving along the mountain roads of Huairou, Miyun and Pinggu.

“But mom, it’s so much fun!”
“It’s only a game.”
“I just have to finish.”

Sound familiar? This typical chorus of retorts resounds in homes around the world when parents chide their children for being online too long or playing violent video games. The seductive power of digital media has left parents and teachers conflicted about how best to navigate a wise path with children.

Feeling overwhelmed, adults often resort to power and threats or passive acceptance to keep the peace. Neither is an opportunity for learning self-discipline, fostering respectfulness, or developing closer relationships.

Parents need to be informed and proactive: Firstly about the effects of screen media, and secondly about using effective communication to build strong relationships so that they influence children to use screen media wisely.

Research on the effects of screen media
Karen Dill, author of the single-most-cited study on the effects of video-game violence, delivers on how parents and children can move from “the passenger seat to the driver’s seat” in her book, How Fantasy Becomes Reality: Seeing through Media Influence.

In his presentation “The Impact of Screen Media on Children: A Eurovision for Parliament” for the Quality of Childhood Group at the European Parliament, Dr. Aric Sigman contends that “screen time has now become a medical issue. Research published in the world’s most reputable medical and scientific journals shows that the sheer amount of time children spend watching TV, DVDs, computers and the internet is linked with significant measurable biological changes in their bodies and brains that may have significant medical consequences.”

What must be noted is that these concerns are purely based on the premature use or overuse of screen media in children whose brains and bodies are not yet fully formed. Dr. Sigman lists recommendations for the amount of exposure time according to age; children under 3 should have no exposure at all.

However, there are benefits when used in moderation. Just watch cognitive neuroscientist Daphne Bavelier’s TED talk. She studies the effect of action games at Switzerland’s University of Geneva and the University of Rochester in New York, and has shown that playing video games can improve eyesight, increase concentration, develop multi-tasking skills, and have positive effects on learning and attention span.

So how can you leverage children’s attraction to screen media in reasonable amounts to create long-lasting educational and healthful effects. Along with your children, you can become discerning media users and competent citizens by:

1. Establishing respectful relationships. Children won’t listen to your concerns if you have not listened to theirs. Build your relationship by getting to know their media likes and dislikes, and showing interest in their online games without taking over. Share what you enjoy about screen media. Listening and sharing is the foundation of a healthy relationship.

Parent example: “My husband plays my boys’ favorite video game with them, on the same team of five against other cyber teams.  My boys have voiced that they are so lucky and that the other boys think it’s so cool that their father plays too. Even I have expressed interest and they are delighted to explain some of the terms to me. Then, when they are playing and I make a comment on their player or strategy, the other team members who can hear me, giggle in delight and awe. It really is a chance to become closer because my boys feel accepted rather than demonized."

What not to do: “During these five player games, everyone is privy to what goes on in other households. According to my oldest son, his good friend (15 years old) has been yelled at and criticized for a ‘full 30 minutes, no joke!’ and been forced to quit his game because his mother ‘decided he had to help them choose a family movie to watch.’ (My husband confirmed this.)  Not only was his friend embarrassed in front of others, but there was little chance he was going to enjoy that ‘family’ movie."

2. Be a role model. Model self-discipline in the use of your own screen time. Do not have the TV on as background noise. Model respectful, effective communication skills. Complete Parent Effectiveness Training. Have eye-to-eye conversations.

3. Maintain regular family fun time. Brainstorm alternative ideas together: sports, a picnic, board games, cooking, etc.

4. Meet individual needs in a variety of ways. Support children in brainstorming alternatives to screen media to meet their individual needs for significance, belonging, fun, freedom, and self-competence. Young children often cry if they are asked to finish a screen game. Acknowledge their upset and need. Help them choose an alternative.

Parent example: “My 3-year-old often cried when asked to finish playing a game on the iPad. I now prepare her a few minutes beforehand and what we will do next to help her transition. She might still cry but now I actively listen to her need and say, ‘You really wanted to keep playing. You were having so much fun. It’s time for a new activity so you can still have fun and your brain and body can do different things.’I show her alternatives to select from.”

5. Provide unstructured play time without electronic media. This is especially important for the young child’s developing brain.Children need an opportunity to create and have physical release. They need time to use their bodies, sensory self, and time for inner reflection.

6. Develop self-discipline. Encourage children to draw up a plan that balances their free time, homework time, and physical needs time, with a range of options.

7. Become discerning media consumers. Have discussions when there is no problem and at a time that suits you both. Talk about online safety, gender and racial stereotyping, social identity and self-image, and pornography and sexual predators. Then discuss healthy sexuality, cyber-bullying and the importance of assertiveness, and narcissistic “look at me” trends that are inherent in social media.

8. Use media to send positive messages to your child.

9. Share values and concerns respectfully when there isn’t a problem. Your children’s ears will be more open to hearing your ideas. Become a consultant who influences by sharing observed concerns, facts and research rather than controlling through threats and nagging. Discuss and listen to your children’s perspective.

10. Use assertive communication skills when you have a problem with your child’s behavior. Use “I-messages” rather than threats or judgmental “you-messages” e.g. “I am concerned that you are playing longer with your games than the time we had agreed and I’m concerned you will run out of time for your homework” rather than, “If you don’t stop playing you won’t be going to the movies with your friends.” Listen to your child, then reassert your concerns.

11. Problem solve conflict. Use conflict as an opportunity to resolve it the P.E.T. “no-lose” way.

• Identify your needs and listen to your child to help identify their needs. Your child might identify their need for fun or to complete a level once started. Perhaps they’ve miscalculated how long they needed on a particular level.
• Brainstorm mutually acceptable solutions to meet those needs so they’re not up late finishing homework. For example, start the game earlier or choose games that don’t take so long on weekdays when there is homework.
• Problem solving without first identifying needs is the surest way to prolong conflicts. Children who are invested in coming up with solutions to their needs and others are more likely to follow through.

What not to do: Some years ago I was visiting a home when the mother informed me that she had once again banned her teenager from using the computer for a week because she had been online chatting too much. Imagine the potential for resentment, possible retaliation, an “I’ll get back at you” attitude, or telling lies by going to a friend’s house and going online there. How will this teen ever learn self-discipline if she has always had discipline imposed? I wondered what would happen when the teen leaves home to attend university with no parental control.

Digital media amplifies good and bad. The rise in the last 10 years coincides with a decline in empathy. On the other hand, some games show how to get healthy and express creativity; heroic activities in virtual reality make you more helpful in the real world.

Writing this blog, I became so absorbed that I forgot the time. Instead of berating children when they forget, be understanding, be a consultant about the effects of too much, and support their problem-solving on how to remember time limits.

Your role is clear. Use digital media with children as an opportunity for learning about life.

Kathryn Tonges is an author, Parent Effectiveness Training (PET) expert, and former beijingkids board member. To get in touch with her, email kathryn.tonges@gmail.com.

There is an old saying, “Richer than I you’ll never be, for I had a parent who read to me.” The benefits of reading can never be doubted, however I would like to rewrite this saying and state, “Richer than I you’ll never be, for I had a parent who told stories to me.”

In our highly visual world, it is vital that children have an opportunity to listen and imagine. My passion is to encourage parents and teachers to include oral storytelling on a regular basis.

photo by Flickr user: woodlywonderworks