Changsha Family Village Updates

Changsha Family Village Opens!

Our newest Family Village at the Changsha Model Children’s Centre made up of 4 families and 11 children opened in August. After only two weeks, the children and parents had adapted to their new family life and become attached to each other.

Here are some vignettes from the first weeks:

HaoHao Adjusts to Family Life

On the first day 5-year old HaoHao entered the family, he cried and would not eat. To comfort him, his mom told him stories and stayed by him to help him fall asleep. His dad and mom also took him out for a walk every evening and played games with him. Now when there are guests, HaoHao gives them a tour of the house, introducing his parents and bedroom with pride.

Huanxiang’s Birthday Party

Huanxiang’s mom Zhang Xiying invited the other three families to celebrate her daughter’s second birthday with a big cake. One of the other moms made another treat for Huanxiang’s birthday meal, her favorite dumplings.

A Shopping Excursion

Two of the moms took their children out to a shopping mall. It was the first time the children had gone out on a crowded street so they kept looking around curiously. One child got a much-needed, new pair of shoes. Another mom bought bicycles for her children–every morning and evening you can see the children riding on the playground.

A Mom Protects Her Children

Qiu Manwen covered the corners of the furniture with sponges so her children won’t get hurt when they hit the corners by accident. And she tried various ways to entice Chenchen, her two and a half year old daughter to eat solid food. She made congee to help Chenchen assimilate more nutrients and start getting her used to eating solid food. She mixed carrots, fish, bone soup and milk together and happily found that Chenchen loved it! Qiu Manwen is now planning to gradually reduce the amount of milk and increase the amount of solid food Chenchen eats.

By Rachel Xing, Chief Operations Officer