National Palace Museum

Yesterday, my two kids (6 and 8) visited the National Palace Museum.  I hadn't been there since their major renovations, and was amazed by the changes.  My children didn't LOVE the main exhibit areas, but they did still get a lot of out of it.  If I had done my research, I would have gotten them the headsets with children's introduction to the main museum.  It's designed for kids aged four to eight years.  You can download it, or borrow the headsets for TWD50.  AND, I would have downloaded the worksheets... oh, well, next time...

We decided to have lunch before entering the exhibits, and ate at the cafe at the museum's entrance.  It was pretty good.  Inexpensive food, bilingual staff and menu, healthy food options, and sturdy chairs and tables, made it a good option for us.

Enjoying a Pearl Milk Tea and Ham Sandwich.

In the calligraphy room, there is a section with lots of multimedia to keep everyone entertained and educated.  You can also use the museum's educational web pages at home.

There are several gift shops in Exhibit Hall 1.  I picked up a 10-book set of children's book for just TWD270!  They are clearing them out, and only have about 20 sets left at the time of writing.  If you live near the museum, they are definitely worth picking up for gifts. They are in Chinese with ㄅㄆㄇㄈ.  Published by the museum, they introduce some beautiful pieces from their collection.

I'd be lying to say my kids fell in love with the exhibits upstairs, but I think it's still important to let them see these things, as they learn about them in their textbooks at school.  They were very excited to hear about the children's room in B1, that's for sure.

Entry to the children's room is free, and you can enter without buying entry to the museum, so it is a great little space to visit when it's rainy or too hot out.  Everything is hands-on, and bilingual.  The video they show is only in Chinese, though.

My son was fascinated by the "Create Your Own Zoo" program.  It's like a giant i-pad.  You design your image, and then it plays in a sequence with other kids' pictures.

"Create Your Own Zoo"

There are Q&A sections, engineering activities, and jigsaw puzzles. Everything is made to encourage participation by children and their parents.

Questions about jade.

Challenge: Build the bridge.

Finish the puzzle to make the animations on the screen start.

After our time at the museum (about 2 1/2 hours), we popped to Zhishan park next door.  If you show your museum ticket, you get in free.  I don't know how much it is without the ticket, but I don't think it's much.  I remember visiting years ago, but had forgotten what a haven it is.  We fed the fish and the swans, and watched artists paint the landscape.

Definitely painting-worthy.

If you didn't buy enough at the gift shops, there is another one at the park entrance.

I parked across the road from the museum in the car park.  There is a car park behind the museum, but it's hard to find a space there.
Address:  No.221, Sec. 2, Zhishan Rd., Shilin Dist., Taipei City 11143, Taiwan (R.O.C.)
Tel:+886-2-28812021

Up-to-date visiting hours and entrance fees:  http://www.npm.gov.tw/en/visiting/visit/hours.htm

My age recommendations:  Stroller-friendly, good for little ones, or children six and up.  Toddlers will find it hard to stay patient and quiet enough for the main exhibit areas.  

[Oct 13, 2012] AGAPE Children's, Adult, & Maternity Rummage Sale

Whilst I don't particularly agree with the philosphy of the charity this sale is supporting this time round, its still a great sale and a chance to pick up some fantastic stuff for your family whilst making some new friends.  The sale is pretty crazy so be prepared! Take your own bags and change/small notes.

They are still taking donations.

AGAPE Children's, Adult, & Maternity RUMMAGE SALE, October 13th:
Dear Parents and Friends of City Playgroup,
We are excited to announce that the AGAPE rummage sale will be on Saturday, October 13th, from 9:00am - 12:00noon. 

This is a semi-annual event that allows families to reuse and recycle, as well as de-clutter for a good cause. We are asking for donations especially of infant and children's clothing, books, toys, and infant and maternity related items since this has always been the main focus of our rummage sale. We also accept adult clothing of men and women, household goods, and simple useful items that are acceptable for rummage sales. Note: the only furniture we can take is infant related such as beds, strollers, playpens, and highchairs, etc.

We are very grateful to all of you who will make donations over these next few weeks, through drop offs and directly on the day of the sale. This time all cash proceeds will be given to His Hands Taiwan, Inc., which is an organization which assists unwed mothers, by providing a home for them to live in during their pregnancy. His Hands Taiwan also helps the mother raise her child, or places the child in a loving Christian home, through adoption. Facebook site: http://www.facebook.com/pages/His-Hands-Taiwan-Inc/107210602034

All remaining items will be donated to either a local infant / toddler orphanage in Taipei City or to a charity working with aboriginal villages of Taiwan, of which both we have donated extra things to for several years now. If you have any items to donate, we ask that you bring them to the following places:

Taipei Area:
City Playgroup Thursday Outing Locations / Kelly Manske
And also to my home address: 台北市慶城街69號11樓 11F., Building No. 69, Qingcheng St ., Songshan Dist., Taipei City Cell #091-664-1144 / Home # (02) 2545-0459
AGAPE Church office / Wendy Chen: 53 MinQuan W. Rd, Taipei City, #2598 - 1009 / #0922-174-083
In Taipei area, if you have larger items to donate (infant furniture / large boxes of items) that you are not able to drop off, please contact Kelly about a pick-up at #091-664-1144.

Tien Mu / Shilin / Beitou:
Community Services Center / In care of Jennifer Chau No. 25, Lane 290 Zhong Shan North Rd., Sec. 6 Telephones: (02) 2836-8134 · 2838-4947

Neihu Area:
Parent's Place / Angela Chang #315, 2F, Cheng Gong Road, Section 4, Neihu Tele: 097-066-9040 - Please call first! Website: http://www.parentsplace.com.tw/

When: October 13, 2012, 9:00am-12 noon. 

Where: AGAPE Church at: 3F, Building No. 21, Chang Chun Rd., Taipei City / 台灣台北市中山區長春路21 號 3 樓 (Near the intersection of ZhongShan North Rd.)
The church is located a few blocks from the Zhongshan MRT stop, EXIT 9, on the red line. The 5th exit is in the underground mall area and that you have to head north towards the direction of the Shuanglian MRT stop while underground. You will actually take an elevator at Exit 9, It is less than a 2-block way from there.

[Oct 28, 2012] Latin American Food Festival and Charity Sale

Charity sale -both old and new items
Live music, hot food.
Raffle includes a GIANT bike, pearl necklace and a bottle of really good Tequila.

When: October 28, 2012, 12:45pm-6pm
Where: Catholic Church, Shipai.
Address: No. 20 Lane 90, Shipai Rd., Sect. 2, Taipei City. (Shipai MRT)
臺北市石牌路二段90巷20號

Church website (Chinese):  http://www.catholic.org.tw/shipai/pastor/ext.htm

Occupational Therapist Rosemary White to Visit Taiwan

 
I'm not lazy, I'm busy...

Copy and paste is working wonders today.  This looks like a really good event for English-speaking parents with special-needs children in Taiwan.

This is the link to the bilingual site and registration form.

Stolen from friend, who is one of the organisers:

 

Seats are filling up fast so register for your spot today! World-renowned occupational therapist, Rosemary White, will be in Taipei from December 1-3, 2012, to give a workshop on DIR/Floortime. If you are a parent of a child with special needs or a therapist, doctor, teacher, psychologist, social worker, or anyone with an interest in working with kids with special needs, I highly recommend you attend this workshop!

 為強化國內早期療育臨床專業，使其更符合遲緩孩子的需求，特地邀請美國DIR (Floortime)創始人Dr. Stanley Greespan的首席大弟子Rosemary White，舉辦Floortime(地板時間)工作坊，藉由資深實務工作者的授課與實作分享，培訓醫療專業人員、社工、教保人員及發展遲緩兒童家長，以 Floortime模式為居家訓練技巧，透過這種療法協助遲緩孩子能夠掌握六種與智力及與外界互動有關的基本發展技能。

課程資訊及講師簡介詳見課程簡章。

DIR®/Floortime is the developmental relationship based approach to treatment developed by Stanley Greenspan, MD and Serena Wieder, PhD.
It is a comprehensive treatment model that supports parent child interactions with the focus on relationships, as relationships are the vehicle for learning.

We are honored to have Rosemary White, OTR/L, renowned occupational therapist from the United States, to present this 3-day workshop on DIR/Floortime. This workshop is open to parents/caregivers and professionals working with children with developmental delay.


 We are also looking for families with kids with special needs who would like a 1 1/2 hr or 2 hr private consultation/assessment with Rosemary White. The consultations will take place on Novemember 29th and 30th. Please contact me for details*!

*I'm chasing her up for contact info.  If you are interested, leave your email in the comments. I won't publish it.  I'll pass it on.

Support For Families With Children With Special Needs in Taiwan

I did a search on my own site and was surprised nothing came up! I was sure I'd posted about Taiwan Sunshine.  If I have already, I certainly didn't do a good job of it.

Taiwan Sunshine is founded and coordinated by a very active member of the Taiwan expat community.  I was going to write my own view of their life, but why bother when I use the summary on their own site, with permission of course!  (I'll get it tomorrow...)

Welcome to our website!  We are really excited to announce that we just received our final government approval for the registration of Taiwan Sunshine.  That makes us 100% official and we can start renting, paying bills, giving Taiwanese tax-deductible receipts for donations, etc.!
Read on if you want to know our story!
A few years ago, God gave us a little girl.  Our daughter was born pre-mature, underweight, but REALLY cute.  At that time we were living in China.  That first fall and winter, we were surprised by how often she got sick and how “floppy” she was.  And — she sounded just like a little kitten when she cried.  After a very serious illness in the spring, three medical evacuations – quite the story in itself – we finally were able to get a diagnosis: 5p- also known as Cri-du-Chat Syndrome, also known as Cat’s Cry Syndrome, also known as LeJeune’s Syndrome, also known as “We don’t have any idea what you are talking about!”  Needless to say, we started to do lot of research and found that our daughter would be mentally and physically disabled for the rest of her life.

We did decide to go back to China at that time, but only on a year to year basis.  We knew that God wanted us to be there and that he would give us the strength and resources that we would need.  And that is exactly what happened.  We had two more wonderful years there.  At that time, though, it became very clear that we needed to move to a country that had better medical and therapy resources.  After a short search, we moved to Taipei, Taiwan.  The medical facilities, resources, therapies were great and our daughter improved so much!

As we were living in Taiwan, though, we realized that there were many other families with special needs children that seemed very lost and hopeless.  In Taiwan, it is still often seen as an embarrassment or shame to have children that are not ‘perfect.’  We were able to have great conversations with other parents and realized that there was a void that we could fill!  Because we have a special needs child ourselves, there is an automatic ‘heart to heart’ connection.  We could relate to them, encourage them, cry with them, learn with them, and, most importantly, tell them about the HOPE that we have.
We shared this vision with some of our very good friends and together, we decided to form a legal not-for-profit association.  This would allow us to work more easily with schools, hospitals, and other government organizations.  We would be able to give tax-deductible receipts in Taiwan.  Since our Taiwan Sunshine relies on the generous financial support of others, this was so important.  Now, our dream is finally a reality!

Oh, one more thing — why does our website say ‘fearfully and wonderfully made?’  This actually comes from a poem in the Bible, from the book of Psalms.  In this section, the poet says, ‘I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.’  He is talking about how God already knew him and made him fearfully and wonderfully.  In other words, he is not a mistake, an accident, a ‘sloppy’ thing!  God did not run out time when he was making him!  We believe that this is true for all of us.  God made each of us fearfully and wonderfully.  That includes our kids, no matter what kind of ‘disability’ they have!
We hope that through Taiwan Sunshine, there will be such a radical shift in Taiwan’s culture to understand that each of these kids is valuable – not because of what they can contribute, but because they were made by God – with a specific purpose that only they can accomplish.  We hope that Taiwan Sunshine will communicate that sense of HOPE with every family we come in contact with.

If you are not Christian, don't be put off by the religious aspect of the introduction.  I have never felt any pressure from MaDonna or her family to believe anything they do.  I think the key notion is HOPE for every family. 

You can also find Taiwan Sunshine on Facebook. They list current activities there.

Not About Taipei: Good Value Family Accommodation in Tokyo

A friend from my University days, Tokyo-based New Zealand Greg Lane has a site focusing on budget options in Tokyo. Aptly-named "Tokyo Cheapo", it's turning into quite a resource for the budget-conscious.

Today's post caught my eye.  Greg has found a great little hotel for families staying in Tokyo.  Read the beginning of his post:

OK, so if you’ve come all the way to Tokyo with your family you’re probably looking for something close to Disneyland.  However, if you’ve decided to subject your loved ones to the experience of central Tokyo, then you’ll probably, no, definitely have problems finding somewhere that isn’t either enormously expensive or incredibly cramped.  That is where the somewhat unique (not just for the strange vaguely French sounding name) Avanshell Akasaka comes in.

For photos and more details, continue to read here.

You can tell by his site that he is in the web design business... and that I'm, well, not.  Maybe one day I'll make it to Tokyo, spend a few days trying out his recommendations, and hit him up for a web design tips.  Until then, I guess readers will have to be content with the content.

Full Interview with Angie Chang, Doula in Taipei

In its September issue, Centered on Taipei magazine ran an article I co-wrote with editor Kath Liu, about Taipei-based Canadian Doula Angie Chang.  Due to space restraints, much of my interview was not published.  With permission, I am printing the full interview here.  I trust it will be of some interest to families planning on having their babies here in Taiwan.

An Interview With A Doula : Birth in Taiwan

A wonderful part of being in the “Taipei Long-term Ex-pat with Family” community is mixing with dynamic, motivated women making their own way in a country that has become a second home. Canadian-born doula Angela Chang is one such woman. Curiosity got the better of me, and I begged her to let me interview her about her experiences in helping others start their own Taiwan-based families.

So, Angie, tell me about your early academic background.

I studied English literature in my home country of Canada, so I could earn enough money to get to Asia. I wanted to teach English for a year, travel for a year, and then go home.

Did you have any ambitions to be in the baby business when you were young?

No, not at all! Well, I wanted to be a mom and maybe open my own daycare, but I never imagined I would be helping moms give birth in Taiwan.

So, what happened? Did you get to travel?

No! I came to Taiwan, met my now-husband, and had three children. I didn't get to travel much at all, but I was happy.

Tell me about your experience having three children in Taiwan.

I had my first baby in hospital. I thought I knew what to expect, but actually knew nothing about giving birth in Taiwan, nor how to communicate with my caregiver. I fell into the hospital trap of having lots of “stuff” done without being able to speak up. I felt quite powerless during labor. As a result, I cried for a week after the birth. My son was in the Neo-natal unit and I was not able to be an advocate my for son or myself.

I felt so traumatized after my first birth, that I decided I would just stay home for my second birth. But, at the time there were no practicing midwives in North Taiwan, so I just stayed home as long as I could. I got to the hospital at 11:00 and had the baby at 11:10. In retrospect, this was a reaction to being traumatized during the first birth. I was like, “You can't do any interventions. Ha! Ha!” These interventions included being strapped to the bed, which I realized is not compulsory, but done as routine here in Taiwan.

For my third birth, we were lucky enough to find the natural birthing center in Shingjuang. I convinced my husband that it was safe, and then had a fabulous water birth where I felt like a Superwoman totally in control of my family.

What was your “A-ha! I need to become a doula” moment?

A friend of mine asked me to be her doula, because I seemed quite experienced at this birth thing. I looked up “doula” and said “A-ha!” I knew that this is what Taiwan needs. Families really need this emotional and educational support, including continuous support during labor. A lot of birth-related things are different in Taiwan compared to our own countries, and new parents really need this extra assistance.

Some readers are probably dying to ask, “What the heck the is a doula?” Can you give us a definition?

Basically, a doula provides emotional and educational support for parents. A doula stays for the entire duration of birth, giving continuous assistance in areas including suggesting different questions to ask to assist decision making, trying different birth positions, helping the partner support the mother, giving reassurance, and unique to Taiwan, helping with language and cultural differences. Most women appreciate a woman next to them who has experienced birth before, and who can empathize with their situation, particularly with birthing in Taiwan. It's not always practical for family to attend births and it can also provide relief to moms or aunties who can only arrive after the baby is actually born.

What are some myths about doulas you'd like to dispel?

A doula is not a midwife. Not all doulas are totally pro-natural, anti-intervention. Doulas don't make medical decisions. They provide information to help parents make informed decisions, and then support that decision. Doulas can attend c-sections, and support you during the experience. It's all about making informed choices.

What's the hardest thing about being a doula?

Being on-call is really tough. I can't plan any trips out of town or with my children during the 4 weeks around the client's due date. Births are unpredictable, so my husband may need to look after my children for two hours or two days. I have missed birthdays and children's milestones because I'm at a birth. I'm not complaining, it's just a part of the job that people don't really think about.

What's the best thing for you about your job?

Seeing the reaction of the parents when the baby is born. It brings me joy every time!

What changes have you seen in birthing procedures in Taiwan since you started working as a doula?

I've attended 75 births since becoming certified (through Childbirth International). I thought I'd be attending three births a year, but I am now attending two to three per month.

Compared to when I started this work, there is more immediate contact between mom and baby, and a lot more support with breastfeeding. There is more rooming-in, and less scheduled feeding. All hospitals try to get the baby breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. There are now “LDR”s (labor, delivery, recovery rooms) for women choosing natural birth. Hospitals also have equipment like birth-balls, but you still do have to specifically request them.

How have staff at hospitals reacted to you, a Canadian woman, coming in and working with them in Taiwan hospitals?

Honestly, every single hospital has been very welcoming. Nurses are thankful to have someone to communicate with in their native language, as well as someone experienced with Taiwan hospital procedure to give continuous support to the mother. OBYGNs have been happy to take on suggestions, and there has been no negativity at all.

Why do clients come to you?

Generally, they are looking for a natural birth advocate that can explain what is happening in the Taiwan system. Sometimes, the father is doesn't know how to support the mother and is looking for support in assisting most effectively.

What have your ex-pat clients been most surprised about when experiencing birth in Taiwan?

The first thing is how cheap it is! The second is probably the high level of medical care available, and the choices available if you know how to get them.

You do a bit of work with The Friendly Birthing Center. Can you tell me a bit about that?

Barbara Harper, world-renowned water-birth advocate, trained staff and help set up the water-birth clinic. The Friendly Birthing Center moved to a better, bigger location two years ago. They practice “Expectant Management” This means, they are ready to use interventions like giving an IV if necessary, as opposed to traditional ways of giving an IV to everyone whether they need it or not. At “The Center”, you don't need to lie on the bed all the time because they use a hand-held Doppler rather than a strap-on unit to monitor the baby. Mothers are encouraged to try different positions, whether in the water, squatting, or on their hands and knees.

The Friendly Birthing Center is run by OBGYNs, not midwives. C-sections can be performed if deemed necessary. Unlike some other hospitals, dad can attend the c-section, and breastfeeding is started as soon as possible.

What other interesting birth information do you have for expectant parents in Taiwan?

Well, home births are covered by NHI, and actually cheaper than going to the hospital. Your prenatal and postpartum visits can be done at home, too..Certified midwives do a four-year nursing degree and then a masters in Midwifery, so they are well-qualified.

There are some birth classes in Taiwan, but as they are usually in Chinese, and geared toward local parents, I run English-language classes throughout the year. It's a great way for parents to meet others in the same situation as themselves, and many parents end up forming baby playgroups after the classes. In Taiwan, you are sent home on the third day after the birth, and there is no home-support given. I give postpartum visits to help with the concerns clients have as new parents, whether it be childcare, breastfeeding, or mom's general wellbeing.

It's about time to wrap up the interview and let both of us pick up our children from school. Reflecting on my own birth experience and life with my kids in Taiwan, I realize how lucky we are to have ex-pats like Angie, working hard to make life easier for families like mine, in Angie's case right from before the child's first breath.

Angie's five questions for taking to a caregiver:

It's important to find out whether you on the same page as your doctor regarding birth. Here are five questions you can ask to check whether you are on the same page as your caregivers.

1. What positions do you encourage moms to use in labor?
2. What are your policies regarding induction?
3. In what ways is your hospital supportive of breastfeeding?
4. What is your procedure if a c-section becomes necessary?
5. How often do you attend natural births?

Angie is a certified doula and childbirth educator working in Northern Taiwan. You can find out more about her services at www.beautifulbeginnings.com.tw. She also has a community center for families in Neihu: www.parentsplace.com.tw.