March, 2008
Articles from prior issues of beijingkids can be found by checking out the archive links below for the month and year you are interested in.
Classically Chic
Vintage furniture designed for kids
A car is considered a vintage car when it is at least 20 years old. The same goes with furniture. Vintage furniture may have the aesthetics of the colorful and playful ’70s or arouse a serene feeling from another time – one that was simpler, perhaps. Regardless, vintage can always be à la mode!
Desks
1. Desk from the ’50s with chair by Bianca and Family
EUR 200 (ships to China for an additional EUR 100)
2. Green school desk and chair by Artso (available at Pacific Century Plaza) RMB 1,600
3. 1960s school chair and desk with drawer by Casala
EUR 250 (ships to China for an additional EUR 100-150)
Brother Knows Best
Role models can come in all shapes and sizes. For some, they are movie stars; for others, they are athletes. They can be historical figures, someone old and wise, or even a youngster living right here in Beijing. For me, my role model was my brother.
My friends used to always envy the fact that I had an older brother. Little did they know what a nuisance it was to me. He was always bossing me around, telling me what to do, tricking me out of my allowance, not letting me play video games “just because.” Or, worse yet, kidnapping Wrinkles, my favorite stuffed dog, and torturing her before my very eyes.
10 Great Things to Do in March
1. tbjkids Birthday Party
It’s amazing to think, but tbjkids is a year old! From humble beginnings, we’ve matured and expanded to become the unstoppable family magazine that we are today. And we couldn’t have done it without your help! So help us celebrate by joining us at American Steak and Eggs in Shunyi on March 15 from 4-7pm for birthday cake, fun activities and dinner. Best of all, it’s free! Space is limited to 100 people, so please e-mail marketing@tbjkids.com to get an invite. American Steak and Eggs, next to Mingduyuan Residential Complex, Xi Baixin Zhuang, Houshayu, Shunyi District (8046 7118) 喜来中北美西餐,顺义区后沙峪西白辛庄名都园旁边
Panjiayuan
Hidden treasures in Beijing’s favorite antique market
For five days a week, Panjiayuan is a sleepy shopping spot with a handful of calligraphy stalls and jewelry stores dotted around the perimeter of a forgotten square. But come the break of dawn on Saturday until early Sunday evening, people arrive from all corners of China, it seems, and head to this famous marketplace to pore over its curios and obscure objects of desire. You can easily spend a day sifting your way through the trinkets and “antiques,” and get a glimpse into one of Beijing’s oldest and best-known cornerstones.
Emptying the Nest
Preparing your kids for college
Congratulations! You’ve made it past the potty-training phase, the learning-to-read phase, the first crush, maybe even driver’s ed. However, now is not the time to rest – you’re about to face that mother of all challenges: It’s time to get your child ready to go off to college. We talked to experts in Beijing and overseas to figure out just what you can do to help your child find the way to the right college.
Choosing the Right School
First, according to Hamilton Gregg, the high school counselor at ISB: Back off. “We want kids to be in charge of the college process,” he says. “It’s the first time in a child’s life when he makes his own choice. He needs to choose his own college and find his way to success. We try to eliminate parents, relatives and friends from the process.” In other words, even if everyone else in your family has attended Yale, don’t expect your children to want to go there, and don’t push your own choices on them.
One, Two, Three
Learning to count in the Forbidden City
When I arrived in Beijing, the only words I knew were “ni hao,” “zaijian” and “xie xie,” which I found were enough to navigate Jenny Lou’s. After a week, however, I had to venture out, and so I went to the Forbidden City, simply because it was one of those places on our list of things to see.
We piled into a taxi, my husband up front chatting in Chinese with our driver, and me in the back with 1-year-old Kyra in my lap between our two boys, each at a window. I sat there, alternating between worry that I couldn’t grab all three seatbelt-less kids in case of an accident and annoyance that I couldn’t understand what was being said up front.
Climbing the Imperial Ladder
The origin of the China’s historic examination system
For thousands of years, a select few in China would spend their entire life struggling to do one thing: pass the Imperial Examination (科举, keju). Organized by the imperial government, this exam could open key doors for those wanting to enter the state’s bureaucracy, especially for those who lacked wealth and high-level contacts.
Schooling All Over the World
Understanding the educational systems of different countries
The concept of school is pretty much universal: Kids in most countries start going to school from a certain age until they reach adulthood. But not every country abides by the same system.
In the United States, kids start attending school when they are at the age of 5, and are required to complete 12 years of primary and secondary education prior to attending university or college. The first year of school is called kindergarten and is followed by a second year, which is considered the first year of primary school and usually goes up to Grade 6. Middle school, or junior high school, usually consists of 7th and 8th Grades (but sometimes also includes 9th Grade), and high school finishes with Grade 12. After high school comes college, for which students will need to take their SATs when they are in their third year of high school. “The SATs are the closest to intelligence and aptitude that can be achieved in one test,” comments Michigan resident and mother of two, Debbie Angle. “When considered with school performances and other aspects of a student’s academic life, it is the best way to assess a student.”
The Mighty Brush
The writing of Chinese characters dates back almost 4,000 years and around 40,000 characters exist. Chinese children in the fourth grade are expected to know around 2,000, and the knowledge of 3,000 symbols is required for everyday living. In order to read a Chinese newspaper, you’ll need to know about 7,000 characters. China’s first books were made of bamboo slips sewn together, side by side, and characters were written in columns down each piece of bamboo.
Seeing the Right Angles with Zori Zlatinova
Teaching math at Beanstalk International Bilingual School
Even though math wasn’t Zori Zlatinova’s favorite subject in school, she decided to become a math teacher after college and has remained one for 23 years. For the past 14 years, she’s been teaching in Beijing. tbjkids sat down with her to talk about the magical power of math, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and her love for mapo doufu.
Where are you from?
I’m from Bulgaria. I came to Beijing in 1991 with two young children because of my husband’s job. The plan was to stay one year, but the kids went to local Chinese schools and they benefited a lot from this bilingual environment, so we stayed on for their education. I’ve been living in Beijing for 16 years now and I think I’ll be staying on for a while, because I love teaching in Beijing.
I Want to be an Author
By day, Sydney-native Peter Osborne is the Senior Trade Commissioner of the Australian Trade Commission of China. By night, he spends his time consorting with fortune-tellers, mingling with temple dwellers, and chasing dragons in between. Peter is the author of the The Golden Dragon, a children’s fiction book about two kids, Aaron and Elly – based on Peter’s two eldest children in real-life – who must solve a series of riddles in order to save the last golden dragon. Between traveling across China for business and working on the sequel to “The Golden Dragon,” Peter sat down with LeeAnn Hicks’ Grade 3/4 class at Kinstar International Bilingual School to answer questions from students.
Ethan Liang Zheng, 8, New Zealander
Why did you want to write a book?
I wrote the story as a present for my kids as a way of remembering what is was like to live in a Chinese culture as a foreign kid, so when they got older or had kids of their own it would be a great way to remind themselves of living overseas.
Learn
学
xué
Learn
Learning can happen both inside and outside the classroom, and it never stops.
无论是在课上还是在课下, 学习从未停止.
wúlùn shì zài kè shàng haíshì zài kèxià, xuéxí cóngweì tíngzhǐ.
March 2008 Around the World
Mar 12 Wed
International Women’s Day
Established in Copenhagen in 1910, International Women’s Day strives to promote “liberty, equality, and fraternity” for women. It is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men.
Mar 17 Mon
St. Patrick’s Day
Celebrated throughout the world in honor of the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a day when people don emerald clothes and march in the street bearing shamrocks and singing Irish ditties.
Mar 20 Thu
Big Bird’s Birthday
Who needs an excuse for a piece of birdseed cake? Sesame Street’s favorite feathered friend celebrates his birthday today. He may be only six years old, but he is 8 feet, 2 inches tall!
The Book Report March 2008
A Chinese proverb proclaims, “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” These two entertaining books about the joys and tribulations of learning will be sure to inspire your kids to seek treasure!
Paper Lanterns
written and illustrated by Stefan Czernecki
(Ages 6-8)
When Little Mouse meets aging master lantern-maker Old Chen in a small Chinese village, Little Mouse wants to become one too. But no matter how hard Little Mouse begs to be his apprentice, Old Chen will only say that he already has two. And yet Old Chen allows Little Mouse to sweep up the workshop. Eventually, through hard work and perseverance, Little Mouse learns the secrets of crafting beautiful lanterns and becomes Old Chen’s heir.
Conclusion: If your kids are having trouble in school, Stefan Czernecki’s charming picture book of an aspiring lantern-maker will inspire them to keep trying.
RMB 58 at Beijing Books
Taking Flight
Spread your wings with the Rainbow Model Aircraft Club
Rainbow Radio-controlled Model Shop and Club may not look much from the outside, but ever since it opened in 1997, it has been a haven for many RC aircraft lovers. Not only can you find various types of model aircraft and radios here, but you can also learn how to build, fly and repair your model plane with other RC plane enthusiasts in Beijing.
Zhao Jianliang, co-founder of the Rainbow RC Model Club, has been a fan of radio-controlled model vehicles since he was a child. “Flying model aircrafts is a wonderful hobby,” says Zhao, “it gets me out of the city every weekend. Plus, it combines knowledge of physics, mechanics, even chemistry, and it also gives me an opportunity to learn about aerodynamics.”
Exceptions to the Norm
Parental cheering-squads are vital, but peer role models are priceless, for a little bit of healthy competition and inspiration allows children to witness achievements in their own sphere of competence and hone their own desire to strive for excellence.
The following group of kids are already achieving contentment through strong commitment and a passion for what they love. May their achievements inspire your own kids to become all that they strive for.
The Musician
Name: Hannah Brock
Nationality: British
Age: 8
School: British School of Beijing
School Year: 4
Hannah Brock can play four instruments, and she’s just 8 years old. Hannah was only 3 when she heard someone playing the drums at her nursery school; she was instantly hooked and begged to learn. It took only an afternoon for her to figure out the basics, and nowadays she can perform a full drum solo. “My dad says, ‘If you start playing something, you have to commit to it.’” And so she did.
When Hannah turned 3-and-a-half, she started playing the piano. At the age of 4, when most girls her age were obsessing over Barbie dolls, it was the Chinese guzheng that entranced Hannah. “I liked the sound of it,” she says. “Whatever you play on it sounds nice.”
Beijing's Smallest March 2008
Michael Anthony Talkington
Chinese-American. Born to LeLe Wang and Daniel Talkington on October 5 at Shunyi Hospital For Children and the Aged.
The Lowes
New Zealanders John Lowe and Guergana Guermanoff have their hands full. Guergana is the Education Counselor for the New Zealand Embassy and John manages websites from home while looking after Gabi (4) and twins Alex and Nikki (nearly 1). But this doesn’t stop them from throwing themselves into a fun Beijing life! Here are their family favorites.
Would you like to share your Beijing Favorites? E-mail editor@tbjkids.com.
Restaurant for Kids
Xiao Wang Fu is our local family restaurant of choice. No amount of food hitting the floor seems to upset them.
When Feeling Homesick
We like living in Beijing and don’t really get homesick.
Way to Burn Off Steam
The Chaoyang Kosaido Golf Club and the Huatang International Golf Course along the Jintong Expressway are great. Nothing like smashing a few golf balls to burn off a little steam.
Catching the Copycats
Problems with plagiarism in the digital age
Tugsoo Enthtaiven from Mongolia is in Grade 10
American Anthena Zhu is in Grade 9
Tom Zeng is from China and in Grade 9
South African Nebrashka Veltman is in Grade 10
The Internet is perhaps the greatest resource for information available to children and is an essential part of their education, but with this wealth of information comes the temptation to attribute other people’s hard work as their own. Plagiarism is rife at all levels of the education system, and with increased pressure to get good grades and secure placement at a good university, the temptation will most likely only continue. tbjkids sat down with four students from the Beijing City International School to talk about their feelings on Internet cheats, the pressure of deadlines and the importance of your own ideas.
Au pairs – a special form of child care
How to maintain your kids and their Chinese-language skills
If you’ve spent enough time in Beijing that your children can say more than “ni hao,“ you might have thought about different ways to maintain their Chinese-language skills after you leave China for your home country, when the ubiquitous ayi will no longer be available. One option is to hire a Chinese au pair.
“More and more families are becoming interested in getting an au pair from China nowadays,” says Wu Chenggang, founder of China Au Pair International (CAPI). “The economy is growing, and people want their kids to start studying Chinese at a very young age.” CAPI was established in 2003 and enables young Chinese men and women to travel to Europe or America to improve their language skills while staying with a family and working for them as an au pair. “An au pair will be more than just a nanny,” says Wu. “They also act as a kind of a teacher.”
Meeting Jane Goodall
A heroine comes alive
One of my most thrilling memories during high school occurred last November, when an older woman with tidy grayish hair wearing vivid orange-colored knits came to visit my school, WAB. She was Dr. Jane Goodall, the eminent environmentalist.
I had pictured her to be peaceful, calm and quiet, but she was much more energetic than I had expected. I will never forget her nimble steps going down WAB’s stage after her presentation to the school. She was vigorous yet graceful, and she looked just like someone who would want to help save wild chimpanzees.
Although I have been part of the Roots and Shoots group since 2006, I didn’t really know who Dr. Jane Goodall was until October of that year. I learned a little bit about her after watching a Korean current events program, in which a reporter visited Beijing to interview Dr. Goodall. I was already in the Roots and Shoots group and concerned about the environment and animals, but watching Dr. Goodall speak about her work inspired me quite a lot. It was then that I became truly passionate about what I was doing and what I was involved in. Even if I wasn’t really sure what I, as an individual, could do to make a difference, I was still willing to give it a try.
Tender Touch
Baby-friendly cosmetics for new moms and moms-to-be
Most women like to look their best, and new moms or moms-to-be are no exception! But pregnancy – which brings an expanding figure, stretch marks, and even blotchy skin or acne caused by hormone imbalance – can be tough on a woman’s confidence. What’s more, when it comes to using cosmetics and skin products, moms should be extra cautious, because many of these products contain chemicals that may be harmful to the baby. Here are a few beauty products that Song Yang, professional beauty stylist at Jimmy Studio, recommends as pregnancy- and nursing-mom friendly.
Year of the Rat
MP3 players, accessories, clothes – all in fun rodent shapes!
The rat gets a bad rap for being sneaky, squeaky, and generally unclean, but the rodents on this page are nothing except cute and clever.
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For days stuck inside the house, Pixar’s Ratatouille – about a rat named Remy who dreams of becoming a world-class chef – is a perfect way to keep the kids occupied. Available at DVD stores.
Oh-so-cute hair accessories for little girls – all featuring Mickey Mouse or rat figures. The Adaptable Egg
A well-rounded food
Eggs are the perfect food to get kids eating healthy. They can be cooked in umpteen different ways to create umpteen delicious dishes. And despite all the bad press they’ve received in past years, eggs are extremely good for you! They are high in protein and iron and packed full of vitamins.
Yes, raw eggs can sometimes contain salmonella bacteria, but only the careless (or unlucky) cook stands a chance of suffering its adverse effects. Meanwhile, the tried-and-true method for testing the freshness of an egg is to plop it into a cup of cold water: If it sinks horizontally, it’s fresh. The older an egg gets, the more air it absorbs and stores in its fatty end, so an egg that’s around a week old will lie semi-horizontally in the water. A stale egg, however, will float in a vertical position. Also, when you crack an egg open, you can tell right away that it’s fresh if it has a rounded, plump and pert yolk and the egg white (albumen) is thick. A stale egg, meanwhile, will have a flatter yolk and a thin, watery albumen.
Now that you’ve got the facts straight, get cracking!
