If there’s one thing that schools learned last year, it’s to have many contingency plans to choose from in the event we need to shut down and move to e-learning. Part of those plans includes the possibility of shifting school vacation dates as needed or eliminating some breaks entirely to compensate for missed time in person. In fact, when it was announced that Shunyi schools would start online, many chose to extend the Chinese New Year break and forego spring break in an attempt to maximize how much time students will spend together in the classroom. Other schools are keeping this option in their back pocket.

School vacations, and especially the Spring Festival, are usually times that families travel out of Beijing. But with guidelines discouraging travel and most people staying put, it’s possible that school breaks aren’t as necessary while we still have Covid outbreaks, even small and controlled ones. Rather than seeing a school year as starting on a fixed day and ending at a set time with scheduled breaks, maybe it’s time to consider a more flexible timeframe.

Summer vacations, after all, evolved mostly out of convenience over the years. In some areas, it was too hot during those summer months to even be inside a classroom. Summers have since come to mean downtime, summer jobs, and a chance to see family or go on vacations, or for some students, it’s considered a forth semester to continue studies elsewhere.

What do you think we should do? Take this year a few weeks at a time or rethink our idea of vacations entirely? Scan the QR code to let us know!

KEEP READING: Growing Up In a Gentler World: Encouraging Kids To Be Kind

Images: Canva

Well, it’s official. The deep silence of summer break has set in. The fridge has been cleaned, and even under the beds.  Furniture has been moved to the horror and occasional surprise of moms everywhere, who finally can proclaim “Oh! That’s where that thing got off to!” Piles of school papers and missing socks have been sorted and dealt with, and perhaps even some thrilling trips have come and gone, leaving half unpacked suitcases to decorate hallways and bedroom floors.  And then, from the depths of the sweltering haze, comes the universally dreaded children’s cry: “Mom, I’m boooooooooored!”

For many moms and dads, this is uncomfortable enough to hear. What to do? How to solve this intractable issue? In China, this is even more problematic.  Many parents opt to overcrowd their children’s daily schedules with pre-organized activities.  Extra English classes, sports, musical instruments and specialty camps fill many of China’s urban  children’s school year calendars. They often get more packed in the summer.  eachers do their best to plead with parents to give children down time, to “let them be kids”. But the pressure to get to the top and distinguish one’s child is daunting.

However, there are plenty of reasons to simply let your child be bored and research is there to back up the idea.  Children need time and space to find creativity – it’s not something that can be imposed. A child who has access to painting tools, various papers and art supplies will eventually crack them open in the absence of scheduled activity. They will find little items and dream of inventions to create, often reflecting back on work done during the past school year. They will plan, make lists of supplies, make models, experiment, try new things, fail, and try again.  This is what true creativity looks like. The creation of something new. It’s the antidote to boredom.

Children must learn to take responsibility for the satisfaction of their needs. Finding solutions to boredom is a skill they will need in adult life. Turning away from screens and prescheduled activities makes room for self-discovery.  Boredom can help children identify their interests and passions. When we allow boredom, we open space for this. Perhaps they have culinary aspirations, and if let loose in the kitchen, will discover a new recipe or science experiment. They can learn to care deeply for pets or dive into such joys as washing a car, a scooter or a bicycle.  Yes! To many children – especially young ones – these activities are a joy.

They can explore the natural world and find not just one kind of cicada – but many – and learn to classify them.  They can begin to notice patterns in wind fluttering through a willow tree.  If one were to dig deeply into “ordinary” experiences, they would find a trove of science and mathematical algorithms that underlie the simplest of daily occurrences. Perhaps even poetry. But … for this truly rich complexity to take wings in the cognition of a child’s developing mind, it simply takes time, space, and the emptiness that comes from the gift and magic of stillness … and of boredom.

So, this summer take heart, oh road-weary parents. Be brave and strong.  And let your children be bored!

Photo: Pixabay

When we think of summer, we think of lots of outdoor fun. There’s nothing quite like the great outdoors during the summer break: pool parties, nature walks, hikes, and alfresco dining are all awesome summer activities for the family to enjoy. However outdoor fun is not always feasible in Beijing.

When the sun is high, sometimes it’s just way too hot to venture out with the kids. I have found that waiting until the weather cools during the late afternoon to head out for some air or go for a walk is best. There’s also the matter of smog. Families are sometimes either contending with poor air quality or stifling temperatures in Beijing, so what to do with the kids when staying indoors is the only option?

There are plenty of exciting indoor activities that involve more than just positioning yourself comfortably in front of the TV. Prepare for some indoor fun with the following activities and yield some incredible keepsakes and memories of time with your little ones.

Fun Indoors

Set up a tent and snuggle with night lights

You may not have room for an open tent indoors, however crafting your own tent out of blankets, sheets, and comforters is way more fun anyway! I used to love rummaging through the airing cupboard when I was small, tugging away at sheets that were old enough to be given the seal of approval by mom to be used as a play item. Make a fort and play with dolls, cars, or whatever your kid’s favorite toys are. Alternatively turn the lights off, get the night light out or a torch, and snuggle up with some good short stories.

Make frozen ice-pops together

This is perfect for those stifling hot days most of us will never become accustomed to here in Beijing! Who doesn’t like a cool, refreshing frozen ice-pop? You can make a sweet but healthy ice-pop using your favorite fruit and yogurt, it’s as simple as that – for a frozen strawberry pop, mash strawberries, add Greek or another plain yogurt, and scoop into ice-pop molds or cups with sticks. Freeze until sold, and enjoy. Watermelon or coconut water on its own works well, too!

Write and illustrate a book together

You don’t just have to read books to your little ones. Get creative and get the kids’ imagination flowing! Why not try writing a short story with your kids? You can start by crafting the first sentence and then have your child continue with the next. Keep going until you have a full story. Once complete get the colored pencils out and start illustrating your book. Gather the family and have an author’s reading session in your living room!

Have a treasure hunt

I can’t wait to do this with Lux. Gather up some toys or treats, such as lollipops, mini bags of popcorn, or your child’s favorite fruit, and hide them from your kid to find. Play music in the background and when the time is up, turn the music off to indicate that the treasure hunt is over and give hints to help your kid find any undiscovered items. Place new treats in new places, and repeat!

Have a movie party

If you do like the idea of getting comfortably settled on the sofa, make it more exciting by having a movie theater day. Pop popcorn, close the curtains, get the pillows out, and be creative by preparing a pick and mix the kids can select from and purchase using chocolate coins! To make it even more exciting, prepare a movie trivia session as a post-viewing activity to liven things up again.

Photos: Pixabay

The summer break is in full swing, however before you know it the new school year will be upon us and the rush to stock up on school supplies will be the call of the day. For many families, pressing the reset button for another year of ensuring that the kids have what they need to start their new academic term at school can be full of angst.

When schools open up their gates once more, there are a lot of expenses to expect. I am nowhere near that stage with my little one but have friends who, no matter how well they try and prepare for the new school year, still sometimes get overwhelmed with the impending rush to fill school bags with fresh stationery supplies. However with a little creativity and savviness, not to mention common sense, we parents will be able to save on these costs.

Ways to save on school supplies

Make an inventory and reuse non-consumable school supplies

Salvage whatever you can from your kid’s school bags, study table drawers and shelves to find what is still usable. You will be impressed and surprised by how much you can save on unused notebooks, pencils, pens, and other ad hoc stationery. Encourage your children to re-use non-consumable items like staplers, ruler, sharpeners, calculators, and pencil cases, to name but a few.

Buy from the wholesalers

This you can easily do via online platforms such as Taobao. You can find just about anything on the Taobao website, where wholesalers offer a number of bulk items for purchase, from cereal to canned goods, and what we parents need for the kids and their next term at school. If you really want to score low on school supply prices, go directly to wholesalers for those extra items for the following year. You may have to purchase in bulk but you can set aside surplus items for the following year, or better yet, make your bulk purchase with other parents, save on cash and split supplies between the kids. You will be able to save a ton!

Do not follow the crowd 

If I try and revisit some basic economics, the law of supply and demand comes to mind. Usually when there is a high demand for school items because it’s the beginning of the academic year, prices tend to hike. Given this, you can be purposeful and creative in the timing of buying school gear as well as school supplies. Try and purchase school shoes, socks, and other clothing items off-season. Avoid making these kinds of purchases during the school opening because you may hit the crowds and the prices will hit your pockets.  Check out clearance and inventory sales during term time in preparation for the following year.

Go for quality

It’s simple but effective. You may find a steal when it comes to some items, but usually you get what you pay for and when making a purchase that seemingly saves you on cash, if the quality is not up to par, you will be making another purchase too soon after your initial buy and spending double if not triple on school supplies and clothing you have to repeatedly replace. Pay that little bit extra for a quality purchase that will save you money in the long run.

Wishing you and the family well! Don’t leave your school supply shop to the last minute, plan ahead and help your kids start their new term at school the way they mean to go on.

Photos: Pixabay