Dad Xiao He is a Private Investor and Mom Yiner Ya has a Masters in Psychology from the University of Chicago and is currently working as the Parent and Alumni Relations Coordinator at Keystone Academy. The couple has two kids Jack (16) and YaoYao (12) who are both students at Keystone Academy.
Dad’s favorite restaurant is Jiang Hu He Feng ( 江户禾) in Housahyu. The food is overall decent and it is close by.
Mom’s favorite restaurant is Mei Zui Tang (美醉堂) a Japanese yakitori restaurant in Sanlitun.
YaoYao’s favorite restaurant is My Crib, a new fusion brunch restaurant in Shunyi.
On the weekend we usually cook and enjoy a meal together as a family.
The one thing we can’t live without is humor. We like funny people.
The first thing that dad does when he comes home is to relax in the automatic massage chair.
According to YaoYao, the best thing about having Jack as a big brother is not feeling lonely.
The thing YaoYao admires the most about her parents is how Dad can remain calm even in the most irritating situations and how Mom can help her express her feelings when she doesn’t know how to.
The thing Jack admires the most about his parents is Mom’s ability to balance her work and life while caring for him and his sister, and Dad’s interesting and critical view on life.
Our favorite thing to do as a family is to travel to different parts of China and around the world during vacations.
Dad’s favorite place to go in Beijing is Long Tan Hu Park (龙潭湖公园). We started our family in a compound near the park. When the kids were young, we used to take long walks there, rowboats in summer, and enjoy snow sports in winter.
According to Jack, the best thing about having YaoYao as a little sister is her outspoken personality, which is annoying at times but otherwise admirable.
The first thing that Mom does when she comes home is to check out what is in the fridge and start cooking.
Mom’s favorite thing about Dad is his patience with the children.
Mom’s favorite place to go in Beijing is the Houhai and Shichahai area in downtown Beijing where there are old hutongs, lakes, restaurants, and shops to explore. That is where her high school was located, and it is eye-opening to see the great changes that have occurred over the past 20 years.
KEEP READING: Family Favorites! Meet the Cadiou Family
Photos: Uni You
This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 September issue
