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Our bags are packed and the anticipation is high. The plane leaves at 3 pm today and we're off for 7 weeks of family, fun and sun (most likely mixed with Danish and Belgian showers). This will be our second summer holiday in Europe since we moved to China and it would be fair to say that we've done a "copy paste" of last year's plan! First Denmark for 3 weeks and then we're off to Brussels, Belgium. Our home for 13 years and home to the majority of our closest friends. Next stop is my husband's native island of Sardinia. Then one week to Tuscany and we'll end with 3 days in Rome where both our sons were born. Getting ready and organised in Beijing On Friday I sat down with our fantastic Ayi (househelp) in an attempt to explain the "timeline" of our holidays. It was complicated. Not only because it had to be done in Chinese but also because I could hardly remember the details of our plans - let alone explain them to the poor woman! Our talk went something like this: "We leave on the 19th ["6th month, 19th day" in Mandarin] - or rather only the kids and I leave that day. My husband stays 2 weeks longer! There will be painters in the house and there'll be a lot of ...erm duì buqĭ *fumbling with the translation app* dust. Do as much as you can but don't worry if you have to skip some hours. As long as you remember to feed the cat those 3 weekends - ah no wait! not that weekend because our neighbour's son will do that...I think...let me just double check *typing message on WeChat*. And when you have time, please....erm duì buqĭ *fumbling with the translation app* vacuum clean the airconditioning.....erm duì buqĭ *fumbling with the translation app* filters." Yes we're privileged to have someone to look after the apartment and our cat Pumba. We can leave with peace of mind. Bring on the koldskål! Life in China is good but there are, inevitably, things we miss in Europe. Number one of course being family and friends! But here is list of what the different members of our family miss at home. Home being 3 different countries in our case.
When the seven weeks are up, I will, like last year, write a post about what we miss and look forward to coming back to Beijing for. Off we go. Thank you readers and I'll be in touch over the summer Xx  Our sweet Ayi with her notes after our chat ?  Goodbye for the summer Beijing. One last drink at Migas, Sanlitun!  Everything at the center in order to clear the walls before painting
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(Published on Beijing Parents + Kids June/July 2017. All rights belong to City Weekend) Morning after morning, as I blearily regain consciousness my right arm independently reaches for the nightstand where my phone has been charging. My face is lit not by the warm touch of sunshine but the artifcial blue glare of WeChat and Facebook as I scroll through my messages and newsfeed. Smartphone addict Social media is especially important to me as an expat mom, giving me the chance to share my life in Beijing and proudly document the confidence with which my children have taken to this foreign land. However, as a self-confessed Facebook addict, the perils and positives of smartphone use and etiquette have floated at the periphery of my mind for years. During the day (and night) my smartphone is very rarely out of reach. If I forget my phone at home I feel anxious. I’m convinced someone is trying to get hold of me or that something has happened with my kids at school. I return to get it — to find silence. Only the number of red dots from WeChat notifcations have increased drastically during the 15 minutes my phone and I were separated. I decide to switch off for a week; to discover what effect a smartphone-free life would have on my family and myself. The rules are simple — I can only use my phone to make and receive calls, all other functions (and 4G) are out of bounds. Digital families While much of the handwringing over excessive smartphone use focuses on the amount of screen time our kids are getting, we, as parents, need to consider the effect our own digital lives have on our children. Studies show that when we stare at our phones in front of the kids, we make them feel unimportant. A little girl interviewed for Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair's book The Big Disconnect said “I feel like I’m just boring. I’m boring to my dad because he will take any call, any text, any time. Even on the ski lift.” We’ve all experienced that stab of insecurity when a friend surreptitiously glances at their phone during what you thought was an amusing anecdote — imagine that gnawing feeling of inadequacy stemming not from your friends but your parents, your family. We moved to China with the noble intention of strengthening our family ties and spending more time together. It worked out well during the first few weeks in Beijing when we supported each other through the challenges of relocation. But as the time flew by, we settled in, our lives got busy and the card games, daily episodes of The Office and Chinese character quizzes were replaced by evenings spent in our own rooms, wrapped up in our individual digital lives. A device-free dinner is the only rule we’ve (sort of) managed to implement. Although I like to think of myself as a conscientious smartphone user, switching off fully for a week allows me to give my undivided attention to my family. On the fourth day my daughter and I make candles together while we chat and listen to music. I can tell she enjoys the activity and attention, and without the distracting bleeps of WeChat or interruptive compulsion to take photographs, I also feel at peace. Doctors orders On the morning of my seventh and last day of smartphone detox, I am on my way to interview Dr. Nicole Bush at Oasis International Hospital. I get completely lost. With sweaty palms, already 15 minutes late and having called twice to ask for directions, I start to realise that I might have to give in and switch on 4G so I can receive a location pin by WeChat. But by a small miracle, I notice the hospital further down the road. It is a close call. Dr. Nicole Bush has 13 years of experience as a pediatric occupational therapist and a chat with her reveals that children’s excessive use of electronic devices can affect not only their emotional balance but also their social interaction with others. Children tend to isolate themselves when on their devices and in small children, excessive exposure to devices can also increase the frequency of melt-downs and tantrums. The quality of sleep is often compromised when children get too much screen time and from a physical point of view, looking down at a device several hours a day can have a long-term effect on your child’s posture. As a common-sense tip for parents, Dr. Bush suggests that we treat any device in the same way as the treat cupboard in the kitchen. If you wouldn’t give your kids access to that cupboard at any time of the day for as long as they want, then don’t give them free access to electronic devices. A phone free future? While I did not get my family on board for a smartphone detox, they supported me throughout the week — even when I failed to transfer pocket money or had to deny access to my Taobao app. Through my experience — especially my almost-missed meeting with Dr. Bush — and discussions with friends and family, I have come to the conclusion that living without a smartphone, particularly in China, as a parent and someone who depends on social outlets, is simply not realistic. But a detox is still something I would recommend to anyone. I have accomplished much more in this week, from the flow of my writing to getting all my Chinese homework done. Best of all, my family had my undivided attention and it was liberating to enjoy quality moments with them without the distraction of my phone buzzing. It turns out I might not be suffering from nomophobia (no-mobile-pho- bia) after all. Lise Floris henwestare at our phones, we make our kidsfeel unimportant  |
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