Parenting/Family
Weaning Kids Off Screen Time Post-COVID
Screen time was a hot topic before 2020, but now it is everywhere. Since school went online last winter, screens became a necessity and not a preference. In fact, computer sales rose between five and 17% for the biggest companies according to Forbes, although they don’t expect the increases to continue as it was just for the short-term needs of online learning.
I lived in Beijing for 2 years. These are the differences in parenting in the US and China.
In 2019, I, my husband, and our two kids moved to Beijing for my husband's job, and we stayed for two years. I devoured everything I could read about family life in China, but some things I had to experience for myself.
For one, seniors have no problem telling you their parenting opinion.
Teach Your Kids About Consent: The Cat in the Hat
We’ve all heard the phrase “She asked for it” in relation to a girl getting assaulted because of how she was dressed. But rarely do we hear why it’s up to the girls to control how their peers react to them, and rarely do adults address the real issue: kids who feel like they are allowed to assault a girl because she likes spaghetti straps, and the unspoken rule that they’d be justified in doing so. “Boys will be boys, after all.”
Navigating a Rare Illness in Another Country
When my husband was six years old, a tonsillectomy almost killed him.
It should have been routine, as it is for most kids. Except his tonsils weren’t removed that day. Instead, his jaw went rigid and his temperature shot up to 109 degrees Fahrenheit (42.7 degrees Celsius). In fact, he is extremely lucky that one of the doctors performing his surgery had seen a case like his once before.
How “The Bad Guys” Can Teach Kids Empathy
I will never forget when we first watched “Frozen”. My oldest was three and loved the ice, the sisters, the songs.
Sometime after Elsa loses control of her powers and runs away, he turns to me all concerned and asks, “Is Elsa the bad guy?”
Quarantine With Kids? Tips From Parents Who Lived to Tell the Tale
If you’re lucky enough to obtain a PU letter and special visa so your family can return to Beijing, the next step is preparing for quarantine. When I returned in July, we still quarantined for two weeks outside of Beijing.
But two weeks in a hotel room with kids is two weeks in a hotel room with kids, and no one expects to be happy about it.
Steps for a Successful Co-Op (and the Legalities That Might Scare You Off)
Many, if not most, expat families in Beijing either have their kids in school or an ayi to look after little ones. There are some excellent homeschooling communities as well, but when kids are younger – coupled with the incredible costs of daycare centers – the idea of a co-op becomes that much more tempting.
Baba’s Not a Buffoon: Dads Play a Big Role in Early Childhood DevelopmentMake it stand out
Dads really get a bad rap, especially in TV and films geared towards families. The trope of the absentee or deadbeat dad is so pervasive that it often seems like a lazy way to motivate your protagonist. Think of your top five movies and then try to name one whose dad is a good influence, or even alive.
A Major-General in Space Saved This Earthly Child From Bullying
My childhood playmates were Gilbert & Sullivan. My family and I saw every one of their operettas performed within a 4-hour drive, singing along to the soundtracks all the way.
You can imagine how popular this made me at school.
Beijing Made Me a Better Mom: Reflections After Repatriation
We moved back to the US last July, and everyone asks the same questions about living in Beijing. They want to know what it was like (wild), how we liked it (a lot), how the kids liked it (they loved it, it was their home), do they know any Mandarin (basics), and are you happy to be back (not at first).