beijingkids's blog
Refreshingly Empty Calories
The Beijing summer heat will make anyone reach for whatever drink is cold and handy, but as the New York Times recently reported, we rarely stop to think about what we use to quench our thirst. Sodas, energy drinks and even antioxidant filled tea beverages can be packed with sugars and empty calories. The US’s depressing dependence on soft drinks is illuminated by one statistic: at 7.1%, “sweetened sodas are the single largest source of calories in the American diet.” An innocent-looking 20oz Mountain Dew can set you back 290 calories and an incredible 77 grams of sugar.
Hiking for Humility
For wealthy Chinese who amassed their fortunes by taking advantage of the government’s support of private enterprise in the 1980s, it is a harsh reality that of their children and heirs, an impressive 95% have no interest in continuing the family business. However, not to worry. Starting on July 16, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and the China Association for the Promotion of Non-Governmental Sci-tech Enterprises are co-sponsoring a three day training class that will whip their children into shape by teaching them how to be as successful as their parents.
Beijing Children's Hospital Combats HFMD
In response to an increase in cases of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD), Beijing Children’s Hospital is expanding its clinic area. The hospital, the city’s only dedicated to children, currently treats 50% of the non-adult patients in Beijing. From the beginning of the at-risk summer season in May, Beijing Children’s Hospital diagnoses from 2,000 to 3,000 new HFMD cases each week. These numbers are even higher than last year, reflecting a 90% increase in total cases according to the Beijing Health Bureau.
Connecting Ogres and Onions
A new marketing campaign in the US is encouraging kids to eat their onions using everyone’s favorite ogre, Shrek. With the recent release of the fourth movie in the series, “Shrek Forever After,” an association of onion growers who specialize in a sweet onion local to Georgia, the Vidalia Onion Committee, have found a way to get kids to eat their vegetables. Capitalizing on the movie’s connection between the layers of an onion and the layers of getting to know an ogre, Vidalia has experienced demand of up to 35% for their Shrek-packaged onions. Vidalia onions are now an exciting food for children, causing them to shriek with delight as they enter the produce section of the grocery. Who knew that all it would take to get kids to eat their vegetables was a friendly green ogre?
Hutong Walking Tour
If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with Beijing’s unique cultural history, the Wall Street Journal recently suggests a one day walking itinerary for some of the city’s most interesting hutongs. Whether you’re an old hand at hutong history or have yet to experience Beijing’s famous ancient neighborhoods, this travel article is definitely worth a read.
Cyberdetective and Principal?
With all the technology that saturates our everyday lives, the most difficult part of handling the repercussions of prevalent non-verbal communication is the ease with which kids use it to bully, harass and alienate each other. One out of five middle-school students have been affected by “willful and repeated harm” as the result of computers and phones, according to a Cyberbullying Research Center study. Through texts, emails, and online posts, kids take advantage of the anonymity of digital technology to intimidate their peers at an age during which they are most vulnerable.
Beijing's First Friends-esque Cafe
If you are an avid Friends fan and have been longing to see the set of the coffee shop where all the fun antics, drama and romance went down, then you will be ecstatic to know that Beijing’s very own version of Central Perk is now open. the Beijinger recently sat down to have a chat with owner Du Xin about his homage to the long-running popular show that starred Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox Arquette.
If you’re interested in either reliving the glory days of the Ross-Rachel saga, or just intrigued by the prospect of a copycat television set, check out China Daily’s video.
An Easy Guide to Food and Fun at the World Expo
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Just a friendly reminder for those traveling to Shanghai this summer: check out CNReviews for their handy World Expo Kids Guide, Transportation Guide and Food Guide. They frequently update their coverage on the Expo so that you know what to expect, making the prospect of navigating the long lines and busy metros a little less scary.
Simple Ways to Fill Summer Days
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The Family Learning House sent this email to parents full of simple, easy ways to spend one-on-one time with your kids this summer.
We thought it was worth sharing:
Summer is upon us, school is out, conferences are over, and what many of you might be wondering is, “What do with my child all this free time he has?”
What's in it for me?
In light of last week’s Fathers’ Day celebration, it seems appropriate to reassess why people decide to have kids and the actual benefits of parenthood. When thinking about the origins of human civilization, children were to contribute to family survival and care for their parents as they got older. However, for those modern couples firmly planted in urban environments, it would not be amiss to ask: What’s in it for me? A recent Wall Street Journal article investigates the potential benefits and pitfalls of choosing to have children and its findings may surprise you.
