https://www.scmp.com/rss/318824/feed The early years are vital for your children's development. During this time they learn to walk, talk, feed themselves and interact with others. We share parents' stories and tips on what to do, where to go, what to expect and how to give your offspring the best start in life. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jolene Otremba Jolene Otremba When Jenny began questioning the presence of children’s faces online, it wasn’t because of her own daughters. “I think it was when my niece turned 13,” she says. “She told her mum, ‘I don’t like seeing my face on social media.’ That really stuck with me.” Her daughters are now six and eight, but the comment prompted her to think ahead. “How will my kids feel when they see [their faces] in the future?” she wondered. That question is increasingly being asked by millennial parents in Hong Kong.... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3351106/why-parents-and-schools-are-rethinking-sharing-kids-photos-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3351106/why-parents-and-schools-are-rethinking-sharing-kids-photos-social-media?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 22:00:06 +0000 dpa dpa There is no perfect way to raise children. But if you are despairing because of unruly kids, adopting some Japanese parenting methods could be the way to go. Japanese parenting emphasises unconditional love, community and harmony with nature, as ways to nurture well-behaved, respectful and creative children, says author Lisa Katayama, who used Japanese methods to bring up her own two children after moving from Tokyo to the United States. And now she has shared the core principles involved with... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3353249/10-japanese-parenting-tips-raise-your-children-be-well-behaved-mindful-and-creative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3353249/10-japanese-parenting-tips-raise-your-children-be-well-behaved-mindful-and-creative?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Carolina Malis Carolina Malis When Bruce Willis and Demi Moore’s daughter Rumer Willis posted a video of herself breastfeeding her almost-three-year-old daughter Louetta this past April, captioned, “Sorry, not sorry,” the comments arrived from two distinct camps: those who found the scene beautiful, and those who took exception. The young actress had done the same thing six months earlier, to much the same reaction. It was a pattern that said less about her than where the broader breastfeeding conversation currently... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/wellness/article/3352342/elsie-hewitt-rumer-willis-and-why-breastfeeding-debate-still-stings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/beauty/wellness/article/3352342/elsie-hewitt-rumer-willis-and-why-breastfeeding-debate-still-stings?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Bhakti Mathur Bhakti Mathur Last month, Shashank Gangil walked through a Hong Kong hospital corridor proudly carrying a newborn in each arm. The 39-year-old real estate professional had just become a father of twins, an event that would have seemed unlikely just 18 months earlier. In late 2024, Gangil weighed 94kg (207 pounds) and faced a worrying list of health issues: high cholesterol, signs of fatty liver disease, nagging plantar fasciitis and poor sleep. For years, he had told himself that “this is genetics”, but that... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350812/94kg-he-wanted-start-family-how-he-lost-20kg-become-fit-dad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3350812/94kg-he-wanted-start-family-how-he-lost-20kg-become-fit-dad?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson To lose a baby is unthinkable. To do so during the Covid-19 pandemic, in isolation from your husband, family and friends, is the twist of the knife. But this was the fate of Keya Wingfield, a Mumbai-born, US-based Food Network champion chef. She gave birth to her second child, son Daksh, in February 2021. “He was sick from the get-go,” she remembers. “They just couldn’t figure it out.” Daksh’s lungs were failing him, and he spent his short life – 55 days – in a neonatal intensive care unit. He... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349480/she-was-102kg-diabetic-death-wish-after-losing-40kg-shes-thriving?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3349480/she-was-102kg-diabetic-death-wish-after-losing-40kg-shes-thriving?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A six-year-old boy in central China was left alone in a hotel for more than two weeks, touching hotel workers who stepped in to care for him like family. According to Henan Television, the boy, nicknamed Chengcheng, checked into a hotel in Zhengzhou, Henan province, with his 25-year-old mother, surnamed Yue, in February. She initially went out at night and returned during the day, but stopped returning in March and left no contact information. For more than half a month, Chengcheng stayed alone... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348002/chinese-mum-leaves-son-6-hotel-room-more-2-weeks-staff-act-carers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3348002/chinese-mum-leaves-son-6-hotel-room-more-2-weeks-staff-act-carers?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Chinese father who, after divorcing, confiscated more than 80,000 yuan (US$11,500) of his son’s Chinese New Year “red envelope” money to cover the expense of a new marriage ceremony, has lost a lawsuit that demanded he return the full amount. The boy, 10, who is known as Xiaohui, comes from Zhengzhou in Henan province, northern China, and has been living with his father since his parents divorced two years ago. Over the years, Xiaohui had accumulated more than 80,000 yuan in Chinese New Year... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3344450/china-boy-sues-dad-taking-his-us11500-red-packet-money-cover-remarriage-expenses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3344450/china-boy-sues-dad-taking-his-us11500-red-packet-money-cover-remarriage-expenses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 01:00:08 +0000 Chloe Loung Chloe Loung Mui Thomas is, by any measure, a remarkable woman. Now 33, she is believed to be the world’s fourth-oldest survivor of Harlequin ichthyosis. This extremely rare genetic disorder causes the body to be covered with thick plates of skin – a condition so severe that when Mui was born in Hong Kong in 1992, it was considered universally fatal. She has survived medical emergencies that would have killed lesser fighters. Despite her ongoing health struggles, she has become a rugby coach, a certified... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344406/parents-hong-kongs-girl-behind-face-share-their-story-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3344406/parents-hong-kongs-girl-behind-face-share-their-story-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A novel way of bringing up children, known as “reversed parenting”, has become popular among millennial Chinese parents. The trend sees mothers and fathers mimic the behaviour of their children to promote more equal conversations. It stems from a viral incident in November 2022, when a mother in Heilongjiang province, northeastern China, allowed her daughter to experience the harsh winter cold first-hand. In freezing temperatures, the woman’s three-year-old insisted on going outside in a thin... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3342497/reversed-parenting-china-couples-imitate-their-kids-throw-tantrums-promote-equal-talk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3342497/reversed-parenting-china-couples-imitate-their-kids-throw-tantrums-promote-equal-talk?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A new “parenting” trend in China is seeing young women embrace “painless motherhood” by raising cotton dolls as their own children. The toy-caring fad even extends to celebrating their “children’s” birthdays at hotpot restaurants, buying expensive clothes and even taking them on holidays. The trend gained attention in October 2023, when a woman took her cotton dolls to the popular hotpot chain Haidilao and made a viral post titled: “Is Haidilao Discriminating Against Cotton Doll Owners?”. In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3342361/china-gen-z-nurtures-stuffed-toys-real-babies-celebrates-birthdays-shows-affection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3342361/china-gen-z-nurtures-stuffed-toys-real-babies-celebrates-birthdays-shows-affection?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A working Japanese couple with six children have sparked outrage by letting their oldest child, 12, babysit his younger siblings every day, leaving no time for himself. The boy’s story was exposed by the Japanese media outlet Asahi Broadcasting Television’s variety show Detective! Knight Scoop which aired on January 23. The programme features letters from the public and offers of help to solve their problems in life. A sixth-grade junior school pupil from Hiroshima Prefecture wrote to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3342329/japan-couple-spark-child-neglect-concerns-letting-son-12-babysit-5-siblings-while-they-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3342329/japan-couple-spark-child-neglect-concerns-letting-son-12-babysit-5-siblings-while-they-work?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese couple who left their young children at a hotel following a fight have ignited a heated discussion over how to punish irresponsible parents. The Beijing Chaoyang district police posted on January 22 that they received a phone call from a man who claimed to have been looking after his friends’ two children at a hotel. The children, a seven-year-old boy and a five-year-old girl, had been abandoned by their parents after the couple had a fight during a family trip to Beijing. Both parents... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3341386/china-couple-abandon-their-young-children-hotel-after-dispute-spark-heated-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3341386/china-couple-abandon-their-young-children-hotel-after-dispute-spark-heated-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:00:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times A precautionary recall of infant formula products in Europe has sent South Korean parenting communities into a frenzy, with online mum cafes and forums buzzing over fears that some popular imported brands may pose health risks to babies. While the recall affects several European manufacturers, much of the anxiety in South Korea has centred on Aptamil – a premium brand widely dubbed the “Gangnam formula” for its association with wealthy families and high-end parenting choices. The recall involves... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341751/rich-south-korean-mothers-panic-over-aptamil-baby-milk-formula-recall-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3341751/rich-south-korean-mothers-panic-over-aptamil-baby-milk-formula-recall-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:28:23 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A 10-month-old baby had to be rushed to hospital with his body covered in needle marks after he was allegedly stabbed hundreds of times by his abusive mother. The infant’s plight sparked a wave of outrage online. A video telling of the child’s treatment was posted online recently by an online viewer known as “Spine Surgeon Dr Sui Wenyuan”. The poster is an attending doctor at the Spine Centre of Xinhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. In the video, Sui... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3340852/china-baby-hospitalised-600-needle-marks-after-mum-stabs-him-misbehaviour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3340852/china-baby-hospitalised-600-needle-marks-after-mum-stabs-him-misbehaviour?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A mother in China who helped her toddler daughter through rehabilitation to fix a malformed hip has trended on social media, attracting more than a million likes. According to a report by the China News Service, the little girl, nicknamed Tiantian, began the treatment last year at the age of one when she was diagnosed with dysplasia of the hip (DDH). In September, her problem was almost completely cured and her walking posture was quite normal, her mother’s videos on social media showed. “After... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337705/china-mum-shares-toddlers-recovery-underdeveloped-hip-joint-receives-online-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337705/china-mum-shares-toddlers-recovery-underdeveloped-hip-joint-receives-online-support?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 10:00:18 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A tourist couple from South Asia left their babies with a park guard in China to enjoy themselves, and locals instantly swooped in to calm them and change a nappy. On December 22, a social media user known as “No Cilantro” shared the story from Qianling Mountain Park in Guiyang, in southwestern China’s Guizhou province. The century-old park is famous for its sweeping mountain views and abundant wildlife, especially its naughty monkeys that love to interact with people. In her post, No Cilantro... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337688/tourist-couple-leave-babies-china-guard-explore-locals-play-twins-change-nappies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337688/tourist-couple-leave-babies-china-guard-explore-locals-play-twins-change-nappies?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Mother-of-two Samantha Waterhouse thrived during her pregnancies – they were times when she was most comfortable in her body. “I didn’t have any aches or pains like some women do, so I felt lucky that it was a time in my life that I really enjoyed,” says the Hong Kong-based South African, who has two girls: Ella, aged four, and Izzy, two. “And I loved the look and feel of my round tummy.” She loved her baby bump so much that she considered getting a bespoke pregnancy sculpture. Such keepsakes... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3335694/want-3d-pregnancy-sculpture-why-hong-kong-based-mother-helps-women-get-theirs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3335694/want-3d-pregnancy-sculpture-why-hong-kong-based-mother-helps-women-get-theirs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Anthea Rowan Anthea Rowan For Hong Kong psychoanalyst Diego Busiol, the word “stress” does not adequately reflect the body and mind’s reaction to a perceived pressure. “The term tends to flatten complex human phenomena into something overly generic,” he says. “It’s much more nuanced than that. It affects people differently.” He gives an example: “You can have two managers with identical workloads: one develops chronic insomnia, the other thrives. The difference lies not in the pressure itself, but in each person’s... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3335061/what-stress-new-mother-finds-out-hard-way-experts-advise-managing-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3335061/what-stress-new-mother-finds-out-hard-way-experts-advise-managing-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A leading parenting platform in China has sparked discomfort among expectant fathers with feeds such as “her body has become the shape of S” and “you can have some sex at this stage,” leading many to voice their complaints on social media. An internet user, whose wife is 22 weeks pregnant, shared that both he and his wife are registered members of Baby Tree, an app that caters to families with pregnant women and infants. According to the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald, the couple regularly receive... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3335224/breasts-will-be-larger-china-expectant-dads-voice-discomfort-over-parenting-app-advice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3335224/breasts-will-be-larger-china-expectant-dads-voice-discomfort-over-parenting-app-advice?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:00:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A father in China quit his job and travelled 900 km to set up a food stall near his daughter’s school after she complained that the dishes in its canteen lacked the “taste of home”. The concerned father has trended on mainland social media as a result of his actions. His daughter, Li Bingdi, is a second-year student at Jilin Normal University in Siping, Jilin province, northeastern China. Over the past year, Li has complained that she did not like the food at her school, which she said was... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3331744/china-dad-quits-job-sell-fried-rice-near-daughters-school-after-she-complains-about-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3331744/china-dad-quits-job-sell-fried-rice-near-daughters-school-after-she-complains-about-food?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 01:00:10 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese boy was spotted running on all fours naked and behaving like a dog, while his parents dismissed government inquiries, claiming it was a form of “natural parenting.” On October 15, a video was posted online showing a naked boy running on all fours in a highway service area in southwestern China’s Sichuan province. Social media users were shocked to see the boy acting like a dog, picking up food from the ground with his mouth and sniffing it before eating. His parents were nearby,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3329751/natural-parenting-naked-china-boy-running-all-fours-raises-concerns-over-child-welfare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3329751/natural-parenting-naked-china-boy-running-all-fours-raises-concerns-over-child-welfare?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 01:00:12 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A prominent 74-year-old film producer in China recently celebrated his one-year-old daughter’s birthday, only to face online abuse. His wife has since taken legal action against the cyberbullies, as their more than 30-year age gap sparked public debate. Zhang Jizhong, a renowned Chinese martial arts film mogul, is known for producing Romance of the Three Kingdoms and The Water Margin, as well as adapting martial arts novels by Jin Yong. His wife, Du Xinglin, 43, was previously Zhang’s agent and... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3329114/china-filmmaker-74-mocked-celebrating-daughter-turning-1-chances-seeing-her-wed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3329114/china-filmmaker-74-mocked-celebrating-daughter-turning-1-chances-seeing-her-wed?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Oct 2025 10:00:10 +0000 Peta Tomlinson Peta Tomlinson In the decade since starting their interior design studio, Vincent Lim Chin-hwa and Elaine Manzi Lu, partners in business and in life, have evolved personally and professionally. Mostly, says Lim, they’ve come to understand that homes adapt and change, just as their occupants do. Which is why their Happy Valley flat, which they completed last year as Lim + Lu, and as parents of two young girls, stands in stark contrast to their first home, as newlyweds. “As young designers starting out, we... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3328886/why-design-duos-family-home-celebrates-mess-memory-and-grandmas-ceramics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3328886/why-design-duos-family-home-celebrates-mess-memory-and-grandmas-ceramics?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 10:15:11 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Families in northern China bind babies in wooden cradles to mimic a mother’s embrace, with the cot sometimes being padded with nappies or even sand and soil. The centuries-old practice is celebrated as parenting wisdom but has also been questioned for the discomfort it may cause. Among nomadic families, the cradle symbolises care for a new life and hope for the future. Long before they learn to crawl, infants in Inner Mongolia spend much of their early days nestled in a traditional cradle known... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3325712/mongol-parents-china-bind-babies-sand-filled-cradles-mimic-mothers-embrace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3325712/mongol-parents-china-bind-babies-sand-filled-cradles-mimic-mothers-embrace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Sep 2025 01:00:13 +0000 Elizabeth Cheung,Wynna Wong Elizabeth Cheung,Wynna Wong Health experts have dismissed concerns about a Hong Kong government-subsidised flu vaccine that does not have clinical trial data on pregnant women, saying the decades-long technology is safe and people with less confidence can turn to the private sector for shots. Authorities said on Tuesday that Hong Kong had entered the summer flu season, a day after concerns were raised when the government revealed that the Sinovac influenza jab would be one of four vaccines offered in its vaccination... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324940/sinovac-flu-shots-safe-pregnant-women-hong-kong-health-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3324940/sinovac-flu-shots-safe-pregnant-women-hong-kong-health-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Sep 2025 14:22:35 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A young Chinese father has moved countless people online after he donated part of his liver to save his baby daughter. The father, surnamed Shen, then doubled down on his loving and selfless act by staying at home in his rented flat and changing his own bandages post-surgery to cut costs. Shen and his wife, surnamed Tao, who were both born after 2000, married in 2024 in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, in southeastern China. They soon welcomed a daughter, Yiyi, who developed persistent jaundice after... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3324022/china-dad-donates-part-liver-save-baby-daughter-endures-recovery-home-save-money?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3324022/china-dad-donates-part-liver-save-baby-daughter-endures-recovery-home-save-money?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A shocking video which shows a mother calmly taking her toddler daughter to the hospital with a fruit knife lodged in the child’s head has stunned social media. The incident came to light on August 15 when a netizen posted a video showing a mother and her three-year-old daughter walking as if nothing had happened into Dongchuan People’s Hospital in Kunming, Yunnan province, in southwestern China. According to reports, the girl’s mother, surnamed Hu, was changing bedsheets when she accidentally... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3322378/video-china-mum-walking-calm-toddler-knife-stuck-head-hospital-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3322378/video-china-mum-walking-calm-toddler-knife-stuck-head-hospital-goes-viral?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 01:00:12 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A toddler from southeastern China has become an internet sensation after viral videos showcasing his extraordinary gymnastics skills – effortlessly mastering the horizontal bar, parallel bars, and rings. The remarkable feats of this three-year-old have earned him the nickname “natural gymnast,” sparking widespread amazement and discussion among mainland netizens. The boy, whose name has not been disclosed, hails from Taizhou in Zhejiang province and has demonstrated an uncanny ability to support... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3321524/china-toddler-wows-social-media-gymnastics-skills-swinging-bars-while-nappies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3321524/china-toddler-wows-social-media-gymnastics-skills-swinging-bars-while-nappies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 01:00:11 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A man in China who placed an infusion tube in his mouth to provide warmth to his daughter during her medical treatment has touched the hearts of many internet users. The father, surnamed Zhang, was at a hospital in Shenyang, in the northeastern Liaoning province, with his three-year-old daughter receiving treatment for acute pneumonia, as reported by Haibao News. Doctors had prescribed nebulisation therapy along with an intravenous (IV) drip for the toddler. A video that circulated widely online... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3321386/china-dad-warms-iv-tube-daughter-during-treatment-provide-comfort-moves-many-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3321386/china-dad-warms-iv-tube-daughter-during-treatment-provide-comfort-moves-many-online?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 10:00:09 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A Chinese mother who wrapped up her baby’s finger to prevent the child from chewing it almost caused the digit to be amputated. On July 14, anxious young parents took their 11-month-old daughter to the Hunan Children’s Hospital in central China’s Hunan province. They did so because the baby's index finger was swollen and purple. The mother told the doctor that she had done so for the baby, nicknamed Lele, to prevent her from chewing her finger. She said her family believed that finger chewing... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3319245/china-mum-wraps-babys-index-finger-stop-unhygienic-sucking-leads-tissue-damage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3319245/china-mum-wraps-babys-index-finger-stop-unhygienic-sucking-leads-tissue-damage?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 01:00:13 +0000 dpa dpa Scientists have developed a tool that can measure a child’s risk of becoming obese in later life. This new resource may one day mean that those at highest risk will get targeted support to prevent them from becoming obese in the first place. The tool, which assesses a person’s genetic risk of obesity, works twice as well as any other obesity risk predictor, academics said. As well as identifying children at risk, it can also predict how well obese adults will respond to targeted weight-loss... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3319811/will-your-child-become-obese-adult-new-tool-identifies-those-genetically-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3319811/will-your-child-become-obese-adult-new-tool-identifies-those-genetically-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 11:15:08 +0000 dpa dpa How much a baby torments its parents with its cries is determined not just by parenting techniques but also by genes, new research has shown. After a study on hundreds of twins, a team of scientists in Sweden has concluded that how long a baby cries for is largely determined by genetic factors. The child’s sleep quality and ability to be soothed during its first few months are also influenced by genetic predisposition. “For parents, it may be a comfort to know that their child’s crying is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3317635/why-wont-your-baby-stop-crying-genetics-not-just-parenting-play-big-part-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3317635/why-wont-your-baby-stop-crying-genetics-not-just-parenting-play-big-part-study-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 08:15:06 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A father in China who has been criticised for locking his naked toddler son in an iron cage claims the pen was purely used to prevent the boy from wandering. On June 16, several naked toddlers were spotted on a red tricycle parked by the roadside in Hainan province, southern China, and one of them was inside an iron cage. The person recording the video said: “This poor kid. How could the parents be so cruel? The sun is so strong, he could get sunburned.” Worried about possible abuse or child... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315071/china-dad-berated-locking-naked-son-iron-cage-claims-pen-used-prevent-wandering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3315071/china-dad-berated-locking-naked-son-iron-cage-claims-pen-used-prevent-wandering?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 01:00:09 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Malaysian father has captivated the hearts of many after resigning from his job to honour a promise to his late wife – single-handedly raising their three young sons, each facing significant health challenges, for seven years. In August 2018, Khairul Abdullah’s life transformed dramatically when his wife suddenly passed away due to a severe bacterial blood infection, leaving him with three sons aged four, two, and just a few months old. To provide his children with the care they needed, he... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3313576/superhero-malaysian-dad-keeps-promise-late-wife-resigns-job-raise-3-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3313576/superhero-malaysian-dad-keeps-promise-late-wife-resigns-job-raise-3-children?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:00:08 +0000 dpa dpa Having a pet dog at home could potentially help prevent eczema in children who are genetically predisposed to the condition, according to a new study. Academics said that having a pet dog in “early life” could have a “protective effect”. But they stressed that the study did not look at the effect dog exposure could have on existing eczema, and cautioned that introducing a dog could make symptoms worse among some children. Atopic eczema is a common skin condition that causes itchy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3313173/how-pet-dog-could-prevent-eczema-children-genetically-risk-condition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3313173/how-pet-dog-could-prevent-eczema-children-genetically-risk-condition?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Jun 2025 20:15:07 +0000 dpa dpa The first years of a child’s life are crucial when it comes to preventing obesity in later years, according to researchers. Experts in the Netherlands found body mass index (BMI) at age six is a better predictor of obesity in later life than at other points in childhood. They suggest the first years of life are a “fantastic opportunity to intervene” and give youngsters a “chance at a happy, healthy” future. Researchers used data from an ongoing study known as Generation R to track the BMI of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3310425/first-6-years-childs-life-key-preventing-obesity-adulthood-study-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3310425/first-6-years-childs-life-key-preventing-obesity-adulthood-study-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani Anne Geddes is celebrated worldwide for her profoundly imaginative photography – an infant curled up within the velvety scarlet petals of a giant rose, nestled atop a swirling red and white woollen hat, or sleepily perched on a luscious pumpkin. Her whimsical yet powerful images of babies have become iconic, earning her coveted private commissions across the globe. The Australian-born, New York-based photographer traces the start of her career back to Hong Kong, where she lived in the 1980s.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3309273/how-family-photographer-went-work-dior-and-celine-dion-anne-geddes-started-out-taking-snaps-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3309273/how-family-photographer-went-work-dior-and-celine-dion-anne-geddes-started-out-taking-snaps-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 May 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Sarah Keenlyside Sarah Keenlyside As we all know (but occasionally need reminding), celebrities are people too, as keen to start a family as the next person when the time is right. For many, adoption was a choice made after struggles with fertility; for others, it was something they wanted to do because they had the resources to make a difference to a child’s life. These big-hearted stars clearly loved adopting their first child so much that they did it again and again – and again. Meet the celebrities who have been public... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3309555/7-celebrities-who-have-adopted-numerous-children-angelina-jolie-and-madonna-sharon-stone-and-hugh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3309555/7-celebrities-who-have-adopted-numerous-children-angelina-jolie-and-madonna-sharon-stone-and-hugh?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang Young parents in China are relaxing at home while their children take care of the housework after school, as the trend of “reverse parenting” goes viral. Yuanyuan, a primary school student from northeastern China’s Liaoning province, has attracted nearly one million followers on mainland social media by documenting his daily life with a mini camera clipped to his clothes. Two to three times a week, Yuanyuan gets up at 5am to walk his neighbours’ dogs for five yuan (70 US cents) each. After... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3308555/reverse-parenting-allows-parents-relax-while-children-handle-housework-after-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3308555/reverse-parenting-allows-parents-relax-while-children-handle-housework-after-school?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2025 01:00:08 +0000 Whenever Disney premieres a new stage musical, we see all over again how much of a draw they can be for families with children. Think of Disney musicals like Frozen and The Lion King, where rapt children in their Elsa dresses or those clutching their stuffed Simbas remain glued to their theatre seats. But from what age are the themes of such musicals really suitable for children, and how can they be best prepared for what they will be seeing on stage? Officially, children aged three and up are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3307910/are-disney-musicals-too-scary-children-how-prepare-your-child-watch-stage-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3307910/are-disney-musicals-too-scary-children-how-prepare-your-child-watch-stage-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Apr 2025 20:15:08 +0000 3/5 stars It is all doom and gloom for the first-time mother at the heart of Montages of a Modern Motherhood, a meticulously observed and wonderfully acted drama but one that may not connect with a wider audience because of its unusual, and almost perverse, resolve to paint new parenthood as a completely joyless experience. It marks the much anticipated return of writer-director Oliver Chan Siu-kuen, whose 2019 hit Still Human is regarded by many as one of the best first features by a Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3307605/montages-modern-motherhood-movie-review-hedwig-tam-shines-exhausted-new-mother?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3307605/montages-modern-motherhood-movie-review-hedwig-tam-shines-exhausted-new-mother?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Apr 2025 10:15:07 +0000 A major antisemitism group has suggested that YouTuber Ms Rachel be investigated over whether she’s being paid to spread “Hamas-aligned propaganda” in her posts about Gaza’s children, according to the New York Post. The Post article shows screenshots of a video in which Ms Rachel appears with her hands clasped. The subtitles across the screen read, “This is a prayer for children in Gaza. Please stop hurting them.” As of March this year, over 48,000 Palestinians and over 1,700 Israelis have been... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3305818/who-ms-rachels-composer-husband-aron-accurso-songs-littles-youtuber-met-her-pianist-partner-church?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3305818/who-ms-rachels-composer-husband-aron-accurso-songs-littles-youtuber-met-her-pianist-partner-church?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Apr 2025 11:00:10 +0000 A large new study adds to evidence that diabetes during pregnancy is linked with an increased risk of brain and nervous system problems in children, including autism, researchers say. Whether diabetes actually causes those problems remains unclear. But when mothers have diabetes while pregnant, children are 28 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder, according to an analysis of data pooled from 202 earlier studies involving more than 56 million mother-child... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3305645/more-evidence-diabetes-pregnancy-linked-higher-autism-adhd-risks-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3305645/more-evidence-diabetes-pregnancy-linked-higher-autism-adhd-risks-children?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:45:07 +0000 Zoey Zhang Zoey Zhang A Hong Kong actress’s daughter who attends two kindergartens, eats, naps, and uses the toilet in her car has earned her mother the label “monster parent”. Li Tianzong, 37, also known online as Lena, was born in Hong Kong to a mother who is a renowned pipa player. The former Miss Hong Kong contestant has appeared in supporting roles in several TVB dramas, including ICAC Investigators 2024 and The Invisibles. Now married to a mainland film director, she has a four-year-old daughter called... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3304874/daughter-hong-kong-actress-attends-2-kindergartens-eats-naps-uses-bathroom-car?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3304874/daughter-hong-kong-actress-attends-2-kindergartens-eats-naps-uses-bathroom-car?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2025 01:00:11 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A drug-addicted father in Thailand has been accused of abandoning his two-week-old baby in the wild to get back at his wife who refused him sex right after she gave birth. The 21-year-old man, surnamed Wuttichai, was arrested by the police, and facing drug charges after the incident was exposed by his wife, 22-year-old Orathai, on March 21, Thailand’s Channel 7 News reported. Wuttichai took their two-week-old son to a banana grove, took a photo of the baby lying on the ground, and sent it to his... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3304127/thai-dad-arrested-abandoning-baby-forest-punish-wife-who-denies-him-sex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/article/3304127/thai-dad-arrested-abandoning-baby-forest-punish-wife-who-denies-him-sex?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Apr 2025 06:00:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A two-year-old boy who urinated into a glass at a restaurant in eastern China has been defended by his mother who said he could not hold it in any more. A customer, surnamed Tang, who witnessed the whole incident at the Fuyuanju Restaurant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has exposed the scandal to news outlet The Cover. Tang said as she and her friends were dining in the eatery on March 13, she saw a toddler at the table next to theirs stand up from the designated child’s chair, take off his... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3303132/outrage-boy-urinates-glass-china-eatery-mum-says-he-could-not-hold-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3303132/outrage-boy-urinates-glass-china-eatery-mum-says-he-could-not-hold-it?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A Taiwanese mother used a hairdryer to dry her newborn daughter’s damp bed but accidentally fell asleep, resulting in severe burns on the baby’s legs and leading to the amputation of three toes. This unfortunate incident took place on September 16, 2023, in Taipei, when the mother, identified by her surname Wu, fell asleep while using the hairdryer to dry her newborn’s bedsheet. Her baby’s legs were exposed to the intense heat for three hours. It was only at 4pm that Wu awoke to discover her... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3301982/taiwan-mum-causes-babys-3-toe-amputation-after-falling-asleep-hairdryer-jailed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3301982/taiwan-mum-causes-babys-3-toe-amputation-after-falling-asleep-hairdryer-jailed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 10:00:11 +0000 Despite a slight rebound in South Korea’s total fertility rate in 2024, young people overwhelmingly associate marriage and childbirth with negative emotions such as sadness, fear and disgust, according to a new study. The Korean Peninsula Population Institute for Future (KPPIF), a non-profit population policy research institute, analysed roughly 50,000 posts related to marriage, childbirth and parenting on the workplace community platform Blind. The findings highlight the prevailing negative... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3302346/most-young-people-korea-view-marriage-and-childbirth-mix-sadness-fear-disgust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3302346/most-young-people-korea-view-marriage-and-childbirth-mix-sadness-fear-disgust?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Mar 2025 03:15:08 +0000 Ashlyn Chak,Kylie Knott,Mabel Lui Ashlyn Chak,Kylie Knott,Mabel Lui International Women’s Day, which falls each year on March 8, is a global celebration not just of the achievements of women but also their resilience, something that resonates with working mothers everywhere. Juggling a career with family commitments can be overwhelming. Stress, burnout and feelings of “mum guilt” are common among women trying to achieve work-life balance. Add to that societal expectations and stereotypes, double standards around domestic workloads, the gender pay gap and the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3301333/how-balance-work-and-child-rearing-3-mothers-hong-kong-share-their-stories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3301333/how-balance-work-and-child-rearing-3-mothers-hong-kong-share-their-stories?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Mar 2025 10:43:15 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Only one in four Hongkongers under 50 are willing to have children with economic concerns cited as the main obstacle, a survey has found, as many also blamed the government’s insufficient policy support for families. The Hong Kong Women Development Association (HKWDA) polled 1,320 residents aged below 50 between January and February this year and found just 28.1 per cent expressed a desire to have children. The group on Tuesday attributed the slight 2.1 percentage point jump compared with last... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3301036/72-women-under-50-hong-kong-not-willing-have-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3301036/72-women-under-50-hong-kong-not-willing-have-children?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Mar 2025 11:05:06 +0000