The sound is subtle, almost imperceptible in a room filled with chattering kids and cartoons. But my mom ears are tuned to it. It’s the soft, persistent nibbling that means my daughter is biting her nails again. I look over, and there she is, focused intently on her fingertips, a look of concentration or maybe anxiety on her face. UGH! We’ve been here before.

Nail-biting, or onychophagia if you want the fancy term, is one of the most common nervous habits in kids. My daughter had a very brief phase when she first around 3 years old, and recently (at the age of 5) she picked up the habit once again.

She doesn’t gnaw at them ALL day long. It happens more when she’s thinking or watching TV. This time, it seems like she chews her nails the same way I snack – when I’m bored.

Since she’s older this time, we started with the explanations and (constant) reminders, but after a few weeks, it’s only gotten slightly better. She even admits it herself: “I know it’s bad, but sometimes I forget.” So, here we are again, dealing with the same gross habit, but this time, I’m not trying grandma’s “back in my day” tactics. This time, I’m going straight for what I know works – the bitter melon oils!

Multiple brands make these for kids, and the main ingredient is pretty much all the same: bitter melon extract. The only differences that I’ve found (after testing out multiple brands) are whether the design is easy to use or not. Here are my three recommendations with their pros and cons:

The Heavy-Duty One

NileX is so bitter that when I tried it on myself, I almost threw up right then and there. It’s absolutely the essence of BITTER melon, and you will have a hard time getting the taste out of your mouth. The design is easy to carry and also apply. It’s also so bitter that it’s difficult to wash off, and the taste stays on your skin and nails for hours (which is great). The only downside that I found to this one was that after a few uses and leaving it untouched for a while, I had a hard time checking if there was still liquid inside or if it had dried up.

*If your kid is going to kindergarten and you’ll need their teacher’s help reapplying throughout the day, this is a better choice.

The Cheap One

This one is easy to see how much you’ve got left because of the glass bottle. But to be frank, you really shouldn’t need to use it long enough for this entire bottle to run out. The application is not as convenient as others, and the taste doesn’t last long. The only upside to this one is that it’s cheap.

The Value-for-Money One

Bodorme uses the easy clicker cuticle pen design. It’s easy to see how much bitter melon extract has come out, and it’s easy to carry around and reapply. I’ve also tried this one for myself, and it definitely tastes bitter and disgusting, but unlike NileX, you can get the taste out of your mouth with a swish of water. The taste lasts for a few hours, but with constant hand washing, you’ll need to reapply once every two to three hours.

We’re not 100 percent there yet. Some weeks are great; others see a few nails get chewed down. I’ve learned that progress isn’t linear. The most important thing I can do is be patient and consistent, and to assure my daughter that my love for her isn’t chipped away with every bitten nail. If you’ve got other ways of getting them over the habit, don’t gatekeep that info! Share in the comment section below.

Images: Taobao, Freepik

We all know Taobao is a treasure trove. You can find anything from a vintage-style dress to a year’s supply of spicy noodles or a life-sized animatronic dinosaur (really). But sometimes, you stumble across something that isn’t just a product but an experience. Our latest purchase fell squarely into that category: a box of six butterfly cocoons.

Yes, you read that right. Amid the countless listings for clothes, gadgets and home goods, there exists a niche world of nature vendors selling the promise of metamorphosis. On a whim, and in a bid for a unique activity, I clicked “buy now.” A few days later, a small, carefully packaged box arrived, holding what looked like six little dried-up pistachios.

What followed was one of the most fascinating at-home, play-based learning experiences we’ve ever had. The first step was a family project: building a habitat. The kit came with the tools we needed to build a case and sticks to build a place to safely house our new cocoons.

Then came the waiting and the caring. The anticipation was a lesson in patience all on its own. And then, one day, it happened. One night, after dinner, while no one was paying any attention to them, one butterfly emerged. We watched, utterly mesmerized, as it patiently pumped fluid into its wings, transforming them from wrinkled paper into vibrant, sturdy sails.

The real magic, however, wasn’t just in the hatching. It was in the questions.

“Why are they so wobbly when they come out?”
“How do they know how to be a butterfly inside the cocoon?”
“Where did they get their beautiful colors?”
“How often do they eat?”
“Are they attacking each other?”
“Do they remember being a caterpillar?”
“Is that butterfly poop?”

I’ll admit, I was stumped. My daughter’s curiosity went far beyond my basic elementary school knowledge of the butterfly life cycle. Together, we dove into research. I was learning right alongside her, fascinated by the complex biology I’d never stopped to consider. She wasn’t just memorizing facts; she was engaging in genuine scientific inquiry, driven by a direct, emotional connection to the creatures in our makeshift habitat.

The next day, the rest of the group emerged, and we brought the habitat to her school to share the magic with her class. Then, as we had already discussed, we set the butterflies free so that they could live out their butterfly lives in the wild. We watched as they took off, a little unsteady at first, and then soared on the breeze. It was a powerful, quiet moment of letting go and celebrating the cycle of life.

Taobao is famous for its strange and wonderful items, from the practical to the bizarre. But sometimes, the strangest purchase can lead to the most normal, and most profound, of human experiences: a parent and a child, huddled together, sharing a sense of wonder at the natural world.

Click on the link below to get yourself a kit. Enjoy the wonders!

Images: Mina Yan

My daughter loves playing with puzzles. Ever since she was about 3 years old, we noticed that she could sit there for an hour working on puzzle sets that are way beyond her age. A year and a half later, that hasn’t changed. But here’s the problem: She doesn’t like doing the same puzzles over and over, so over the years, we’ve collected almost 100 different sets of puzzles, and the collection just keeps growing.

Recently, I came across a seller on Taobao who seemed to offer the perfect solution – something that combined her love for puzzles with her other love for drawing. Our home is filled with her colorful masterpieces, and wouldn’t it be great if I could turn her favorite ones into puzzles?

Here’s how it works. The process was incredibly simple:

1. Choose the size and number of pieces you want for your puzzle. The seller I chose offers puzzles between nine pieces and 1,000 pieces. The price ranges from RMB 5.2 for the nine-piece puzzle to RMB 79.9 for the 1,000-piece.
2. Once you’ve placed your order on Taobao, send them a message through the app and upload your artwork. You can take a picture of the artwork with your phone, but use a scanned copy if you want better results.

They’ll usually send you confirmation within the hour, and in a few days, you’ll receive your custom puzzle in the mail.

When the puzzle arrived, I wasn’t that impressed by the quality. The wooden puzzle did have a few pieces that didn’t cut all the way through, but for how little I paid, I was happy with what I got. But the best part was seeing my daughter’s reaction when she realized the puzzle was her own artwork!

She immediately wanted to put it together, and it was so much fun watching her piece together her own creation. Now, every time she finishes a new drawing she loves, she asks, “Can we make this one into a puzzle too?”

If you’re looking for a heartfelt and fun gift, I highly recommend trying this Taobao service. It’s affordable, easy to order, and brings so much joy to my little artist. Now, we have a growing collection of one-of-a-kind puzzles – each one a beautiful memory of her imagination at work.

Alternatively, if getting them printed isn’t what you’re looking for, Pinduoduo also sells completely blank puzzles that kids can draw on directly.

These come as a pack of ten puzzles for just RMB 15.

If you want more toy recommendations, join our Toy Reviews and Recommendations WeChat group.

Images: Taobao, Mina Yan

In case you’ve missed the big news, last week Taobao started rolling out WeChat payment options for a number of its merchants. This makes shopping so much easier for those who have yet to set up an Alipay account. And with the annual 11.11 holiday coming up – China’s biggest shopping fest of the year – it’s time to learn all the ins and outs of shopping on Taobao and also how to return the inevitable regretted purchases.

Click here to check out our step-by-step guide to setting up your Taobao account on your computer or on your phone.

Click here to learn how to return those impulse buys and purchases that didn’t quite measure up to their descriptions.

Images: Pexels, Taobao

Parenting is filled with joys, challenges, and countless life-lesson moments. For new parents, it can feel like jumping off a cliff, head first, without any protective gear. However, reading the right books can provide valuable insights and guidance and help you navigate the new chapter in your life.

Check out these five highly recommended parenting books. To order, scan the QR code that’ll take you directly to a seller on Taobao.

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

This book offers a profound understanding of how a child’s brain develops and how parents can help nurture it. It provides practical strategies for dealing with tantrums, emotions, and building healthy relationships. By learning about the brain’s functions and how to connect with a child on a neurological level, parents can better handle various situations and promote their child’s emotional and cognitive growth.

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish

Effective communication is the cornerstone of good parenting. This classic book equips parents with the skills to have meaningful conversations with their children. It teaches techniques such as active listening, using empathetic language, and giving choices instead of commands. With these tools, parents can avoid power struggles and build stronger bonds with their kids.

There’s also a version called How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen that’s got more specific examples for kids ages 2-7.

The Wonder Weeks by Frans X. Plooij and Hetty van de Rijt

New parents often wonder about the sudden changes in their baby’s behavior and mood. The Wonder Weeks explains the predictable leaps in a baby’s mental development. It details the approximate ages when these leaps occur and the accompanying changes in behavior. Understanding these patterns helps parents to be more patient and responsive during these transitional periods.

Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel J. Siegel and Mary Hartzell

This book emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in parenting. It shows how a parent’s own past experiences and emotional baggage can impact their parenting style. By reflecting on their own upbringing and emotional history, parents can make conscious choices to break negative cycles and provide a more nurturing and loving environment for their children.

Baby 411: Clear Answers and Smart Advice for Your Baby’s First Year by Ari Brown and Denise Fields

As the name suggests, this book is a comprehensive guide for the first year of a baby’s life. It covers everything from breastfeeding and sleep training to common health issues and developmental milestones. It is like a handy encyclopedia that new parents can refer to whenever they have questions or concerns about their baby’s well-being.

Images: Taobao, Pexels

There’s a whole lot to know if you’re going to celebrate Chinese New Year properly, and this year I plan on doing everything by the book and sticking as close to tradition as possible, partly to teach my little girl this side of her heritage and partly to finally satisfy the curiosity I’ve had for it all these decades. So, join me as I explain every Chinese New Year tradition that’s about to take over the city.

Search #JingkidsCNY to find more articles on this topic.

At first, this one didn’t seem that cool. It looks like a box that’s shaped like a gold brick. But to get the money out, you roll it on a flat surface, and the money gets laid out in front of you like a neat stack of poker cards.

Hey Beijing newbies! This one’s for you.

If you haven’t learned how to use Taobao yet, you’re in for a treat! You can find anything your heart desires on the app and it’s super easy to use, even if you can’t yet read Chinese!

Let’s start by getting you started. Here’s how to download and register for your Taobao account. The information below is in part reproduced from one of our previous Taobao guides.

On the Computer:

First, enter taobao.com into your browser. It’s a busy and confusing homepage, but don’t panic! In the top left-hand corner, you’re looking for 免费注册 (miǎnfèi zhùcè, “free registration”).

Click on this, and you’ll be asked to agree to the terms and conditions. Click the big orange button to do so:

Now comes the bit that’s going to make everything much easier. In the top right-hand corner, you’ll see the lovely word “English.” Click on that…

…and all becomes clear!

You’ll also need to create a password, which needs to include letters, numbers, and at least one special character (punctuation, etc.), and to find a username nobody has used previously. This can be a challenge to your creativity…

On Your Phone:

Open up your AppGallery and enter Taobao. Then click download and proceed to follow the same steps to set up your account.

Taobao Shortcuts:

Now that you’ve got your account set up, check out these features that’ll make searching on China’s largest e-commerce platform super simple.

On the homepage, you’ll find the search bar at the top.

Once you click on it, you’ll have multiple options for searching for whatever you’re looking for. If you know the Chinese characters, type it in. If not, you can either speak into the app by clicking the microphone icon at the bottom or take a photo of what you want by clicking on the camera icon at the top right.

For example, by taking a picture of my stapler, it’ll automatically show me sellers for the product.

If you don’t have the item in front of you, don’t worry. You can access your photo gallery from the app as well. Instead of letting the app scan whatever is in front of your camera, click on the photo gallery icon on the left, then browse through your photos until you find what you want to purchase.

Worried about accidentally purchasing the wrong thing or changing your mind? Don’t worry. Here’s how to get a refund or exchange on Taobao.

Images: Andrew Killeen, Mina Yan, Pexels

It’s happened to us all before. We get lured in by the call of Taobao and purchase what we think will be a great product, but when it shows up it’s either not what we expect, broken, or in a hundred more (or less) pieces than we thought we were getting. However it happens, we’ve all ended up making a purchase before that we’ve regretted on Taobao. So how do you go about getting an exchange or refund?

In the Taobao app, go to your account by clicking the bottom right option.

You can see all your orders here.

Click on the order you want to request a refund/exchange for. Then scroll down and choose the rightmost option, which refers to “after-sales service” 申请售后 (shēnqǐng shòuhòu).

This brings up a few options, from left: “merely refund” 仅退款 (jǐn tuìkuǎn), “return the goods and get a refund” 退货退款 (tuìhuò tuìkuǎn), and “exchange” 换货 (huànhuò).

Click on the option you prefer and you’ll be given a list of options for expressing your reasons for requesting this service. Depending on the goods and services provided by the seller, there are a litany of options here, ranging from even “I don’t like it” to “It’s fake.” It’s best to use screen capture and a translation service to help you pick the option that best fits your case. After that, you just have to hit submit.

With a return/exchange, you will also have to choose the option of having a courier come and pick up the goods from you or for you to mail them back yourself. But who would really choose the second option, right? Do note, however, that returns and exchanges are usually subject to a delivery fee you usually have to pay. Expect a call from the courier within the day for them to arrange a pick-up time.

Most refunds and exchanges are performed promptly within a day or two, but some may take up to seven days. You can check on the status of your refund by going to your Taobao account and clicking the option which reads “refunds/after-sales service” 退款/售后 (tuìkuǎn/shòuhòu).

Bookmark this article to keep it handy for whenever you shop on Taobao!

KEEP READING: Taobao’s Most Interesting Valentine’s Gifts

Images: Pexels, Vivienne Tseng-Rush

In today’s day and age, it seems like every week there’s a nifty new app that will gives you the lowest price on groceries, access to better shared cars and taxis, and translates languages more quickly and accurately. But there are some true essentials that lead the pack, which are pretty indispensable for maximising life here in Beijing.

JSS
Designed with expats in mind and focusing on high-quality English customer service, JSS offers same-day grocery and food delivery from expat-friendly restaurants and grocery stores like Jenny Wang’s. JSS truly tries to connect with its customers, which is why it launched its Brand Ambassador program.

Sherpa’s
Sherpa’s provides a food and grocery delivery service but only works with top-quality restaurants, which means a less wide range of options compared to its Chinese-language counterparts but mainly consists of western-friendly selections. Sherpa’s couriers are trained to ensure a quick, courteous, and correct delivery.

Meituan
Meituan is one of several local food and grocery delivery apps that gets the job done when you’re in a pinch. They generally deliver within the hour and offer a much wider range of restaurants and grocery stores than the earlier two expat-friendly English language apps, if you can navigate its Chinese interface. Plus, you can also rent the yellow Meituan shared bikes using this app!

JingDong (JD)
In the realm of shopping, JD is great for household products and groceries, where you can find almost everything from spinach to stereos. It’s a Chinese-language app but if you can figure it out, it could save you lots of time and effort searching for a brick-and-mortar store for what you need.

Weidian
This is WeChat’s answer to TaoBao, which offers listings by small local business owners with artisanal crafts, foodstuffs, or supplies. Sustainable brands started by expat entrepreneurs such as The Bulk House, KIYANI Botanics, Greeniche, Dancing Yak Handicrafts and The Green Room are some examples of stores you can find on it.

TaoBao
TaoBao is so ubiquitous that it needs no introduction. And if you were first introduced to BaoPals – the English language expat-friendly version of the local app – you really should try TaoBao because of its easy image search function, which we explain in this article here.

Xianyu
A sister to TaoBao, Xianyu is the secondhand version of the popular shopping app and offers plenty of gently-used, practically new clothes, furniture, and other goods. This is great for kids’ stuff which they tend to outgrow quickly. This article tells you all about it!

Dazhong Dianping
Dazhong Dianping or simply Dianping, is essentially what I call the Chinese Yelp, which offers guides for lifestyle and entertainment including restaurants, hotels, cinemas, through business listings, ratings system, and comments section. You can check the app for reviews and recommended specials before you choose a restaurant, helping you and your family to avoid unpleasant surprises. Additionally, paying through the app usually grants you a discount.

Dear Translate
This is editor Mina Yan’s pick of all the free translation apps that are out there right now, and there are a lot. It has a camera translate function that quickly translates the text in front of you and also has an awesome conversation translation function. Best of all, of course, it’s free!

Pleco Chinese Dictionary is probably the best offline Chinese – English dictionary. It integrates dictionaries with an amazing amount (over 110,000) of frequently-updated entries and example sentences with Pinyin, document reader, flashcard system with fullscreen handwriting input, and a live Optical Character Reader (OCR). It also includes audio to help your pronunciation and displays stroke order diagrams showing you how to draw each character.

Tell us which apps you can’t live without here in Beijing (aside from WeChat and Alipay…) in the comments below!

KEEP READING: 5 Free Learning Apps to Help Level Up During Summer

Images: Pexels, Vivienne Tseng-Rush