June 1st is Children's Day in China and Wikipedia tells me it is a common holiday in many counties although the only recollection I have of it is from China. Here it is bigger than Father or Mother's Day, as children are such a focus. Since China instituted the one child policy, there are typically at least six adults looking after the one child. The two parents plus four grandparents. In many cases there is also an Ayi or two. It is not much of a surprise that the kids grow up thinking they are the center of the universe. I thought I was the center, and I was number seven of eight. The terms for older/younger brother (gege 哥哥, didi 弟弟) and sister (jiejie 姐姐, meimei 妹妹) have been extended to beyond the immediate family as practically no one's immediate family has siblings anymore.

For Children's day we went to an Italian farm in the Beijing suburbs, about an hour drive with traffic. The story is an Italian man married a Chinese woman and recreated his farm and now uses as a weekend get-a-way for Beijingers. He also has an Italian restaurant five minutes walking distance from us, which we've been too a couple of times and rather enjoy. To get to the farm we have to negotiate the roads with the sure knowledge that we will likely get lost or at least miss an exit along the way. But we do make it, not getting lost and only missing one exit. There is a line of cars alongside what look like olive trees (although as I write this I'm not even sure olives grow on trees), cherry trees, and grapes. We are in the lower section of the farm which has an area for gatherings (BBQs, tables, small stage) but there is no one from the farm playing host. Just a bunch of people watching their kids play in the big sand covered playground. At some point the inflatable castle gets inflated and Aidan and Lydia attack it with gusto. It is quite filthy from the surrounding sand, this is of no surprise except to foreigners and I am the only foreigner. And I know better.

Lydia running to the farm (Aidan and me are in the background)

Joy on the, ug, pristine air castle

Lydia announces she is hungry so we head over to the restaurant. The restaurant is a bit overwhelmed with guests and the staff is having a hard time keeping up. Somehow we are able to secure a table but it takes a long time to get a small basket of bread. Lydia is crying, not in the fussing "i want it now" type cry she sometimes has but in the "i'm really hungry" type cry. Eventually we get bread and our order. We notice the spaghetti dish is a bit small, so we think they may have given us the children's menu portion by mistake. Yang asks the waitress about it and the response is perfect Chinese service person response. "If you ordered the children's portion, then this is it. If you ordered from the regular menu, then that is what this is." But in Chinese.  We tracked down a white waitress but one who knew more Chinese than English and she checked and said since today's is Children's day, they have a special and portion size for today is the same. Price however was not. After the bill came it took Yang 10 minutes to explain that if the portion size was the same, we'd just assume pay the Children's price.

Lydia and Aidan enjoy some gelato.

Before leaving the farm, the kids and me rolled down a grassy hill. Yang watched, amazingly energetic for a seven month pregnant woman but not foolish enough to roll down the hill with us.

The imperfect roll.

So, before wrapping up Children's day. The thing about six adults per each kid. Yes, it leads to amazing selfish teenagers and young adults. But the the burden is also in reverse. One child supporting six adults hopes, dreams, expectations, and eventually financially.