A Cautionary Tale
Anyone who lets their teenage son or daughter use their cellphone might think again, after hearing about the 13 year old from Shanghai who ran up a bill of a quarter of a million kuai on a “live-broadcast” app. These apps allow performers to stream their shows directly to the phones of their fans, and to receive payments from them. It appears the girl had developed an obsession with a karaoke singer who uses the name “Yang Guang.” She was giving the singer gifts for two months before her mother realized what was happening. Tencent, which runs the app, have said that if she can show that the payments were made by a minor without consent, they will arrange a refund. Parents of teenagers, however, should take note.
Congrats to Jin and Jennifer
Congratulations to Jin Chan Yum Wai, who just got married! Jin is the genius artist behind our comic strip, Harmony and Steve. He and his beautiful wife Jennifer Li (쟀勸) got hitched in Jin’s hometown of Canberra, Australia, and her family came over for the big day. They had a few days on the beach in Queensland before returning to Beijing, and tell us they’re saving for a proper honeymoon. All of us here at beijingkids wish them many years of harmony and happiness to come.
Open Book at Our Little Library
Young children develop so fast, they get through a lot of books. And finding new material at the right level can be a challenge in Beijing. Now one Sanlitun mother has come up with a solution – she’s turned her living room into a library! Aldith Gauci, a mother of two, opens Our Little Library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 to 11.30am, for storytelling and craft sessions. Attendees can also browse and borrow books. To find out more, and to register for sessions, visit our website www.beijing-kids.com and search for “Our Little Library.”
Fab Five Bring Beatles Tunes to Babies
There’s another musical treat for little ones at the China Millennium Monument Theatre, as four musicians and a dancer perform Beatles favorites in an interactive child-friendly concert. The instruments used are violin, clarinet, cello and percussion, so it promises to be an interesting interpretation. Performances run from 4-5.30pm on 9-12 March, and tickets are available online from en.damai.cn.
A Musical Voyage with BICO
This month Beijing International Chamber Orchestra (BICO) will present a concert of music aimed at children, with a theme of “All About the Sea.” Suitable for children aged three and up, with an early start time of 4pm making it easier to get home by bedtime, the concert will take place on 18 and 19 March at Canadian International School Beijing (CISB). As well as familiar music by Wagner, Mendelssohn and Rimsky-Korsakov, the concert includes the world premiere of a symphonic suite by the orchestra’s conductor Maria Nauen, and a piano concerto by Joachim Raff.
Harmony and Steve
by Jin Chan Yum Wai
This article originally appeared on p 8-9 of beijingkids March Issue. Download a copy here.
