School Fu China expat parenting blog

Parenting isn’t easy. Parenting in China can be even more challenging. Beijing expat Janie Butler talks about how sometimes it’s quite all right to put “me first”.

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For those who have been wondering about that giant cube on the edge of Wanghua Park in Wangjing, wonder no longer. Called Family Box, the mysterious cube is finally open and is offering a variety of educational, recreational and athletic programs for kids between 0-12 years of age.

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On January 27th, 2010, Bumps & Babes, a support group for pregnant women and women with infants (<1 year old), convened for a discussion on Organic Eating and Shopping in Shanghai. May Bizri, from Shanghai Toy Club, offers a recap of the discussion.

The talk was led by Julie Meyer, a registered dietitian from New York and founder of East Well Shanghai. Overall, 34 women with bumps or babes met at Paulaner to hear the talk. Julie Meyer spoke about the difference between conventional and organic farming, the benefits of organic eating, labeling and regulation in China, when it is worthwhile spending the extra money as well as resources of organic foods in shanghai. The following points provide more detail as to what was presented:

- Conventional farming can use modern synthetic and non-synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers as well as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) that are deemed as safe by the government. Their yields are high to very high. It is on those main points that organic farming differs where yields are much lower as no synthetic or non-synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers or GMOs are allowed to be used. The nutrient content of produce yielded by both methods is however the same.
- The benefits of organic eating are health and environment related. Organic foods are healthier as they contain less to no carcinogenic and harmful chemicals. Organic farming is also safer and gentler on the soil and the environment. Organic foods are also often more tasty as they are not mass-produced.
- Organic foods however do not contain less calories or fat, they don’t have more nutrients or necessarily a lesser carbon foot print.
- Organic Farming is highly regulated in some countries, with most stringent regulations in Europe then the US. It is however, unfortunately much less regulated locally, where organic, green and pollution free labeling is awarded on the basis of more lenient claims.
- Splurge on organic when buying the following fruits and vegetables which typically contain a higher residue of unwanted chemicals: peach, apple, peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, kale, lettuce, grapes, carrots and pear.
- No need to splurge on the following as they naturally contain less residue: onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato and sweet potato.
- Also not necessary to splurge on packaged organics as not really worth the cost and often containing a high carbon footprint.
- When choosing an organic brand or farm, get to know it, research it, visit it, to find out if the on ground practices are in sync with the claims it makes.
- In shanghai, grocery shopping can provide organic options for fruits and veggies, meats, grains and milk at the following locations: Carrefour, City Shop, the Living Shop (Gubei) and the Organic Food Store.
- Online shopping and delivery of organic produce, dry goods. meats, wine, juice and skin care products etc, can be found at Helekang (www.helekang.com), Shanghai Organics (www.shorganic.com) and Greenlife Organics (www.organic-shanghai.com), FIELDS (www.fieldschina.com.cn) and BIOFarm (www.biofarm.cn).
- For prepared foods, OMG Bakery (www.omgbakery.com), Organic Kitchen (www.organickitchenshanghai.com), Qimin Hot Pot “From Farm to Table” (www.qimin.com) and Ming Tang Organic Cantonese (www.mintang.com).

Bumps &Babes ~ Supporting expectant mothers and mothers of infants; 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month at Paulaner from 9.45 am to 11:45 pm; 150 Fenyang Lu near Fuxing Lu (French Concession); Sponsored by Shanghai Toy Club ~ Providing parents with quality & hard to find products for sale & rental ~ Please note that Shanghai Toy Club has moved its website to www.shanghaitoyclub.net

Wishing to build a community in the city that fosters healthcare-oriented dialogue across sectors and cultural lines, two Fulbright scholars, Ray Deng and Jared Glanz-Berger, founded the Beijing Healthcare Forum.

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“Udderly” Silly

When a group of babies’ mamas get together, we suddenly start speaking a foreign language- and it’s not Chinese. Instead, it’s the new vocabulary many women (and men!) start to build when they’re expecting a baby or planning on getting pregnant. There’s talk about nursing pillows, bouncy chairs, carriers, pumps, cover-ups, and more. The new vocabulary itself isn’t as unfamiliar as the new meanings behind common words.

For instance, when new moms ask each other what they use to “cover up” they are probably not talking about a sweater but are likely referring to the large swaths of cloths moms can drape over themselves for privacy when nursing.

Some of the brand names of these products are even stranger. “Udder Covers” and “Hooter Hiders” are brands of cover-ups. “Boppy” and “My Brest Friend” (that’s not a typo!) are brands of nursing pillows.

Silly as some of these names may sound, these words quickly become part of everyday vernacular when you’re actually using the products. The challenge is figuring out the Chinese for these words. How do I ask Ayi whether she’s seen my Hooter Hider?!

(Shopping tip: There’s a great promotion going on at Udder Covers. Pay $9.95 for shipping to USA or Canada and get a free cover-up! Click on “Shop Now”, select the product and enter promo code FAMILY2010.)

Everyone worries about air quality in China. It’s a fact of life. But most of the time we just try to ignore it, but when you’re cooped up all winter, it pays to know which places have the worst indoor air quality. So we sent Dr Richard Saint Cyr from MyHealthBeijing and the International Medical Center – Beijing armed with a ParticleScan Pro portable monitor from IQAir. Below are the results.

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On Saturday January 23, 2010, Bumps & Babes, a support group for pregnant women and women with infants (<1 year old), held its first meeting for Working Mothers (& Dads) at Mesa Manifesto (www.mesa-manifesto.com) on Julu Lu. Shanghai Toy Club sponsors this support group that usually meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. For more information please visit www.shanghaitoyclub.net/bumps-babes.

In this opportunity, Mei Ka Chin (MK), the well-known and respected midwife from United Family Hospital-Shanghai made a presentation about First Aid for Infants with a special focus on prevention/first aids. Overall, 64 women with bumps or babes (or both) and their husbands joined the presentation.

Some key points made my MK during her presentation:

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On January 13th, 2010, Bumps & Babes, a support group for pregnant women and women with infants (<1 year old), convened for a discussion on immunization. Shanghai Toy Club sponsors this support group that meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. The talk was led by Dr. Celese Beaudreau, pediatrician at Parkway Health.

Overall, 17 women with bumps or babes (or both) met at Paulaner on 150 Fenyang Lu to participate in the discussion. Dr. Beaudreau talked about essential and optional vaccines. In additional she explained how local vaccines differed from imported or joint venture ones in terms of testing. Finally, she gave important advice on the flu and H1N1 vaccines and answered questions from the floor. The following points provide more detail as to what was presented:

- Vaccines can be given separately or as a combination, the later is done to give fewer injections to the baby, and is not harmful.
- Vaccines contain very small doses or inactive bacteria and viruses that stimulate the production of anti-bodies that will protect the child from subsequent exposure. This is a form of active immunity (the body produces the antibody itself).
- During breastfeeding, the mother gives passive immunity to her baby by passing her antibodies through the milk. This is a transient form of immunity.
- In China, we have access to local, joint venture and imported vaccines, the later are the only ones recommended by the expat clinics. The others are deemed safe by tests done locally and by WHO.
- BCG protects against Tuberculosis, it is typically given during the first two months and is the only vaccine that leaves a scar.
- Hepatitis B, protects against the virus strain that is transmissible through blood, it is given in a series of three vaccines, given at birth, two and 6 months.
- Infanrix 5 in 1 vaccine, is a combination vaccine protecting from diphteria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hemophilus influenza and polio. It is given in a series of 3 injections (2, 4 and 6 months) and is followed by two booster shots (15-18 months and 4 years).
- Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), is another combination vaccine given between 12 and 15 months of age with a booster at 4-6 years.
- Hepatitis A Vaccine, protects against the virus strain that is transmitted through food/drink ingestion. It is recommended for all living in Asia and is given in 2 shots at a 6 months interval.
- Prevnar, a “newer” vaccine that protects against pneumococcus bacterial infections which cause meningitis, pneumonia, blood infections and some ear infections. It is given at 2, 4 and 6 months with a booster dose after the first birthday.
- Rotavirus Vaccine, protects against rotavirus infections which is the leading cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. It is an oral vaccine given as a 2 or 3 dose series before the age of 6 months.
- Meningococcus Vaccine, protects again Meningitis, bacterial infections causing inflammation in the protective membrane covering the brain and spinal cord. Outbreaks are common throughout the world. This is a single injection vaccine typically given at one year of age.
- Japanese Encephalitis Virus Vaccine (JEV), a mosquito born virus with virulent consequences on the central nervous system. This vaccine is optional as it is associated with a high rate of side effects and is only recommended for travelers who spend more than 30 days in rural areas where mosquitoes are problematic.
- Rabies Vaccine, protects against rabies being transmitted though animal bites. Most cases are remote from Shanghai but there are cases here. A series of 3 pre-exposure vaccines is recommended to significantly decrease the post exposure treatment needed. This is an optional vaccine however strongly recommended.
- Flu Vaccine, is optional and available every fall at most International/Joint Venture Hospitals and Clinics. It is strongly recommended by physicians for children over the age of 6 months, pregnant women and senior citizens.
- H1N1 Vaccine, this is a new vaccine and it is optional. Widely available at local hospitals as only accessible as a local vaccine in Shanghai and China. As of recently, tests done by local health authorities have found it safe for children under three and pregnant women. Pediatricians and doctors around town recommend that children above the age of 6 months (especially those less than 2 years old) and pregnant women get the vaccine as those are high risk groups. The only caveat is that the only vaccine available in China is the local vaccine and it is the family’s decision whether or not to get it here. In terms of the vaccine given abroad, doctors definitely recommend it for pregnant women and those under 2 years of age. Some Foreign Consulates have made it available for their expatriates in an imported form. Find out from your Consulate if they are scheduling vaccination programs.
- Vaccine side-effects, most commonly include mild fever (1 of every 4 children) and mild local skin reactions such as tenderness and redness or swelling. Side effects usually subside within a day or two of the shot. More severe reactions may occur such as allergic reactions occur immediately. The risk of serious harm or death is extremely small compared to the risk of harm associated with the diseases the vaccines prevent.

- Herein is the 2010 CDC schedule: CDC Inmunization Schedule

Bumps &Babes ~ supporting expectant mothers and mothers of newborn + young babies; 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month at Paulaner from 9.30am to 12pm; 150 Fenyang Lu with Fuxing Lu (French Concession). For more information please visit our website: www.shanghaitoyclub.com.cn/bump-babes.

Sponsored by Shanghai Toy Club (www.shanghaitoyclub.com.cn) ~ Providing parents with quality & hard to find products for sale & rental

Strollin’

Buckle Up!

In the months leading up to our son’s birth, much of my husband’s conversations with his friends were about strollers. Many higher-end strollers are marketed towards men because they’re basically seen as cars for the little ones. You have to study features like steering, engineering, hydraulics, passenger safety, how the vehicle handles terrain, 4-wheel versus 3-wheel “drive”, and even passenger capacity. It also matters how you’ll use the ride–city trekking or suburban sauntering?

We were able to “test drive” our friend’s tried-and-true Phil & Ted’s stroller and ended up purchasing one just like it. Thinking ahead, we decided to consume wisely and invest in one that had the capacity for two should the time come to add the additional seat to the bottom.

Although we thought we were being prudent in purchasing a buggy that we can use for years to come, we realized that our stroller was not going to be a very good traveler. It’s already proven great for rambling on uneven sidewalks and carrying shopping loads, but it isn’t really small enough or light enough to lug around for air travel.

We decided to do what many of our stroller-set friends have already done—buy an additional umbrella stroller for those quick trips and for taking along during travels. We heard about the voluntary recall of certain Maclaren models that have posed a danger when being unfolded, but we were already set on one of the Maclaren models because it’s known for its durability, light weight, and ease of use.  We feel confident with our purchase since the company is providing free kits containing hinge covers that will prevent fingertips from being accidentally amputated during the unfolding process. Who would have thought that “driver safety” was another stroller feature to be concerned about as well?

Eating right is the foundation for health (after genetics, I suppose), and there is a real dearth of China-specific nutrition info out there, especially now that Shanghai Family is currently inaccessible without a VPN (who knew parenting websites could be so subversive?). Aside from MyHealthBeijing which often runs nutrition stuff (most of it selected off the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety site) there is now also Nutritioneer. It’s run by Olivia Lee who has an MSc in nutrition. She is also a regular writer for Beijing Kids. Hopefully she will continue to update her site frequently.

My husband gave me an iPhone for Christmas and I have to say while I was very reluctant to give up my good old trusted Nokia and resisted the iPhone for a long time, I was wrong and the iPhone really truly indeed is as good as the hype. The best reason I love the iPhone the most is because it has given my son countless hours of pleasure while sitting in Shanghai traffic. The educational applications you can download are just right for his little toddler brain. Enough stimulation and interaction to keep him occupied on the Gao Jia when trying to exit Maoming Lu.

That being said, I have often sat and looked at him and wondered what his future life will be like. If he’s able to play games on the iPhone now at the age of 2, what will he want by the time he’s 3, 4, even 5! Funnily, I came across this great article on the New York Times application on my iPhone. It’s an interesting read for parents of toddlers today.

After promising Shanghai a Disneyland Theme Park in 2014, entertainment empire Disney is bringing more goodies to the city this winter. A Disneyland Adventure (part of the Disney on Ice skating series) opens on Jan. 20. The show is produced by Feld Entertainment–the company famed for adapting Disney stories to live performance.

Mickey and Minnie come to Shanghai

Hit the skating rink with your family to see classic Disney characters spin, jump and do heaps of dazzling footwork. The story follows the Parr family from Disney’s The Incredibles as they vacation in Disneyland. Of course, the day doesn’t go as planned. When an evil fairy shows up, the Parrs use their superpowers to save their pals Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy.

Adding to the quirkiness, the story has been rewound to the ’60s, so you’ll no longer need a time machine to see what the theme park was like back then. Every element of the show, from the amazing lighting to the vibrant costumes, has been designed to capture the fun atmosphere of that decade. Tickets are RMB180-700.

A Disneyland Adventure at Shanghai International Gymnastic Center, Jan. 20-25, 7:30pm (weekdays), 12:30pm, 4pm & 7:30pm (weekend), Tel: 5150-9000, 400-610-3721

What’s In A Name?

My in-laws gave Toby his Chinese name a few weeks after his birth. We could have known this name as soon as he was born, but his grandparents were waiting for us to reveal his English name first so that they could “match” the meanings. Meanings in a name are very important in the Chinese culture and Grandma and Grandpa Yip had been working on it since we announced our pregnancy! Our policy, however, was not to disclose our chosen name to anyone until Toby was in the world, so he was without a Chinese moniker when he first joined us.

I had known for a long time what I wanted to name our boy. I loved the meaning of Tobias and I loved the way it sounded. I also liked the fact that it was not too common of a name, valuing significance over popularity.

When we thought Tobias might be a girl though, we were tortured by our indecisiveness over a name. My husband was especially fond of a particular name that we soon realized ranked too high on BabyCenter.com’s 50 Most Popular Names of the Decade for our taste.  Should we go ahead and give her a name that many other little girls might have? Would she be upset later on if she had to “share” her name with several of her classmates? Lucky for us, we didn’t have to make that decision when we found out Toby was a boy. We’ve now bought some time to think of another name in case Toby has a little sister in the future!

P.S. Tobias means “God is good” and Owen means “noble warrior.” Toby’s Chinese name is  葉 尚 榮 Ye Shang Rong which means “Noble, Glory to God.”

Every Sunday, award-winning pastry chefs at the JW Marriott Hotel Shanghai lead classes unveiling the magic of chocolate. Each week covers a different topic, from chocolate fondue to chocolate cakes to chocolate molds. For ¥400, kids get to partake in all six sessions, earning a stamp in their “choco passport” for each course. Four stamps qualifies mini chocolateurs for the final competition where they stand to win a family trip (including flights and accommodation) to the Chocolate Factory in Belgium. Enrollment is open now and limited to 50 children. Courses begin in February. Tel: 5359-4969, angelina.yue@marriotthotels.com

Ye Olde Christmas Cards

Before there were photo postcards, printed newsletters stuffed in envelopes, and mass email updates/links to family websites, there was the humble Christmas greeting card. When I was growing up in Florida, the arrival of Christmas cards in our mailbox from the four corners of the world signaled the beginning of the Christmas season.

My parents, having resided in several places before moving to Miami, had friends everywhere. Their friends and relatives seemed to be the migrating type too and lived in places from Malaysia to London. From about late November on, I looked forward to checking the mailbox for the most exotic postage stamps and interesting cards.

Each card that came in the mail was dutifully placed on twine that ran from the top of the staircase to the bottom. When we ran out of room on the staircase as we always did, my mother would tack more twine to the wall of the living room and start hanging the cards there, in rows. It wasn’t pretty, but it was festive!

The heyday of the Christmas card has passed and most people have more efficient and interesting ways to relay their greetings and family news. This year, being a new “family”, my husband and I put together our first photo-newsletter to share the year’s highlights. Even though it’s a fun and simple way to recap lots of information, I still like sending Christmas cards to some choice recipients who relish the written note as much as I do.

I found beautiful cards made from recycled materials at Cards from Africa this year, which ships worldwide.  All their cards are made by Rwandan youth who, as heads of their orphaned households, are given a chance to break the cycle of poverty by receiving fair wages for their work and learning valuable life skills. Perhaps there is a case to be made for sending Christmas cards after all.