Our expat community thrives on connection, and here at jingkids, we’re all about our readers, and what they need and want in order to maximize their time here in Beijing. In honor of Father’s Day this June, we’re featuring expat dads who are rocking it in their parental roles!
Ross Parsonage made Beijing his home in 1999. After an accomplished 20-year career in the legal industry, he now manages Kaivalya, a well-being consultancy, and Sanlitun’s Taozi Tree Yoga with his wife Theresa. As a loving father of three young children and another bundle of joy on the way, Ross knows the importance of balancing work and family life.
So, you have quite the brood of kids (three of them!) at home and another in the oven! You must really enjoy being a dad! Were you always keen on parenthood?
It was not something I really considered. I guess I started later than most, probably because it took me time to find ‘The One’, my wife, Theresa. I couldn’t imagine raising children with anyone other than Theresa. She is an amazing mother, and we complement each other so well. Fatherhood has been a gift and the most transformative thing in my life. It’s made me a better person. Adding an extra one isn’t going to faze us. I just need to keep fit and healthy, so I have enough energy!
What are some of the best parts of being a dad?
It’s all good but the best times are when I can be fully present. It’s difficult to field the questions, shouts, complaints, tantrums, etc. when I am distracted with work or other things. So, the best parts are when I consciously put down the phone and the computer and carve out time to just be with them. It’s even better when I can create time to just be one-on-one with them. Theresa and I routinely have individual dates with our kids so that we can spend some quality time with them all.
I work best when we go outside, so I am a big one for out-of-house adventures. It doesn’t really matter where we go, albeit it’s nice to have a plan or a destination to aim for. There is always something interesting to observe and do. I love walks and moped rides in particular because they love to talk, open up and ask questions.
Reading with the kids in bed in the evenings is also a lot of fun albeit can be exhausting at the end of a long day. I love to see how their imagination works, to cuddle, and to plant little seeds of interest.
Watching them sleep is also great. I used to crave their nap time in the middle of the day as much as they did!
What are some of the hardest parts of being a dad?
As most parents can attest to, the hardest times of the day are the mornings, trying to get them out of the door to school, and in the evenings, trying to get them bathed and to bed. We try to follow routines and we have completed a six-week positive parenting course. It’s challenging to be kind, and patient when “rushed”. I will admit that I am not at my best in the evening when the kids are playing up and I’m tired. Need to work on that.
What helps keep you sane?
Theresa. She is my rock. It helps that she is my yoga guru and has the patience and resilience that comes with two decades of dedicated practice. She keeps me centered and calls me out on my BS.
Additionally, finding time for myself is key. I get up at 5am every day to read, meditate and work. It’s nice to be able to get a couple of hours of ‘me time’ in the morning, that is quiet and with no distractions.
I also make time to catch up with friends, or enjoy ‘me activities’ (i.e.. football, running) away from the family, in order to recharge and refocus.
What are some of your favorite activities to do with your kids here in Beijing?
I like to take the children out on the weekends. Go for walks, camping & hikes, visit parks, and museums.
The Beijing Zoo is a top draw. It might not be the best zoo in the world (from the animals’ perspective) but it is a beautiful park with lots and lots of meandering paths through trees and around lakes. Very green. And the zoo is so big that you can continue to return again and again and find something new and exciting to see.
On Sundays, I take the kids to Theresa’s Yoga In The Park. I organize an informal Kids Club so that parents of kids aged 3-10 can find their Zen while someone is looking out for their kids. So even though it’s Theresa’s work, it’s also a fun family morning out.
Taking a boat out onto one of the many lakes (Houhai, Tuanjie Hu, Chaoyang Park, etc.) is super fun, especially around sunset with a picnic and some music. And the kids get to drive the boats while I sit back and relax.
Finally, a hidden gem. The China Ethnic Museum near the Olympic Park. It was built in the 1990s and so all of the trees and landscape are fully grown and beautiful. It is a bit pricey, but few people go there so it’s very tranquil. There is so much to see. A green oasis in the heart of the city.
