All Hong Kong primary schools, kindergartens closed for two weeks

Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen has announced that all primary and lower-level schools will close for a fortnight.The decision for the two-week closure, effective from tomorrow, was made after a cluster of influenza-like cases at St Paul's Convent School was found to be swine flu infections.The number of cases in the St Paul cluster was also raised to 12 from nine previously.

Authorities were unable to identify the source of the infection, making it the first cluster of human swine flu cases in the city without a known link to those travelling overseas, prompting the closures.Primary schools, kindergartens and nurseries will be closed until the start of the next school year if they are unable to resume school before the end of the current school year on July 10.

The Education Bureau has reached an understanding with principals that special arrangements will be made for Primary Five examinations, a key factor in getting into a good secondary school, if schools have to stay closed until the start of the new school year.

The schools will be closed until June 25 and the bureau will confirm their reopening or announce changes in plans on June 23.Territory-wide System Assessment exams, the Primary Six version of which is used by the Education Department to determine how many places in Band One schools to allocate to primary schools, scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday have been cancelled.

''Given the global situation, [for] Hong Kong to have its own local cases is simply inevitable,'' Tsang said.''I believe the fellow citizens and the government have done all we can in postponing the arrival of the first indigenous case.'

'The move to shut primary schools rather than secondary schools was made because young pupils are more vulnerable to catching the virus, Tsang said.The closure affects nearly 510,640 students at 1,626 schools, according to enrollment figures from the 2008-2009 school year. There have been around 50 confirmed cases of swine flu infection in Hong Kong, but all the previous cases caught the virus while travelling abroad.

Source is provided by Hong Kong Standard Newspaper.

Helping Children Adapt To A New Sibling

Over the weekend my friends and I had a small gathering along with their kids. We had a lot of fun and hearing them wanting another baby this topic popped in my head and thought I should talk about it. Fearing that our child will feel neglected and getting less attention from their parents do occur often when the new born arrives home. The best way is for the parents to prepare their child for the new comer of the family.

Prepare children for the way they should behave with the new baby. Parents often worry that their older child may be too rough with the baby. As a result, they may emphasize many things children should not do with their younger siblings. Parents should give more attention to showing children ways they can have a safe and enjoyable time together. An older child needs to know how to play with a baby, how they can communicate, and how to handle conflict. Most sibling preparation programs do not work on the social skills a new brother or sister will need.

Parents help children with these skills as they give them suggestions and feedback on a daily basis. Children may also learn skills that set the stage for good sibling relationships by playing with other children. Children who play well with their friends are more likely to develop good relationships with their siblings (Kramer and Gottman, 1992). When your child is playing with other children, note her ability to manage conflict. See if she helps to keep the emotional climate pleasant. Child care providers also help children develop these skills. As they promote good peer relationships, they help children learn the skills they'll need for good sibling relationships.

IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY!

Some children regress in their behavior when a new child arrives. Children may be more demanding, have more toilet accidents, or they may have trouble sleeping. Although these problems can be annoying, parents shouldn't worry about them too much. They usually disappear in three to five months. Many children show signs of greater maturity when a new sibling arrives. They may take pride in showing that they are different from their little brother or sister because they can dress themselves. This is a great chance to praise children for helping in a stressful situation. Remember, though, that the same children who are showing off their new skills can also be showing immature behaviors.

IT'S NOT JUST LUCK WHEN KIDS GET ALONG

A good sibling relationship is more likely if parents value it. Parents should think about the way they would like their children to behave with each other. Then they should help their children learn to behave that way. If parents think it's important that siblings share, they should look for chances to praise this behavior. For example, "I like the way you and Joey are playing together with that truck." If parents value closeness and affection between siblings, they should look for examples of this behavior to praise. Parents should model the behavior they want to see in their children. They should avoid behavior that they don't want their children to imitate.

HELP YOUR CHILD LEARN HOW TO BE A SIBLING

Help your children find a role to play with their new sibling. Possible roles include assistant caregiver, teacher, helper, or playmate. As assistant caregiver, a child could fetch diapers, help entertain the infant, or help decide what the baby needs or is trying to express. Don't push children into a caregiving role, though, if they don't want it. If you do, they may feel that being a sibling is only a burden. Help the child find a different role to play, or wait until the baby is older and the children can interact together more successfully.

ONE LAST PIECE OF ADVICE

Babies seem to come into the world ready to adore their older siblings. Make sure your older children know how important they are to their brother or sister. It will give them a sense of pride and foster mutual enjoyment.

REFERENCES

Kramer, L., and J. M. Gottman, 1992. Becoming a sibling: "With a little help from my friends." *Developmental Psychology* 28:685-699.

Hot Summer Tips

Summer is finally upon us and this mean the heat is on the rise. The important thing to remember is to avoid over exposure to the sun and heat. Children are prone to be sensitive to the heat and be effect by it. Here are some tips for keeping cool this summer.
Fans and air conditioning indoors will certainly take off the heat.

• Outdoor activities should take place before 10:00 a.m. and after 2:00 p.m. to avoid the worst sun of the day.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing. Encourage children to wear lightweight hats when they are in the sun.
• Sunscreen is a must when going out into the sun. Remember to check the label to be sure the sunscreen provides adequate protection and will not wear off quickly in water.
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• Bring water when you know you will be out in the sun for a long period of time. It is easy to lose fluids in the heat.
• Provide shaded areas for outdoor play during hot sunny days. When temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit, children should not be involved in strenuous outdoor play for long periods of time.

By taking precaution will prevent any mishaps such as heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and most of all dehydration. So take these steps into consideration and have a safe healthy summer with your family members.

Signs of a Great Preschool

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) suggests you look for these 10 signs to make sure your child is in a good classroom.

1. Children spend most of their playing and working with materials or other children. They do not wander aimlessly, and they are not expected to sit quietly for long periods of time.
   
2. Children have access to various activities throughout the day. Look for assorted building blocks and other construction materials, props for pretend play, picture books, paints and other art materials, and table toys such as matching games, pegboards, and puzzles. Children should not all be doing the same thing at the same time.
   
3. Teachers work with individual children, small groups, and the whole group at different times during the day. They do not spend all their time with the whole group.
   
4. The classroom is decorated with children's original artwork, their own writing with invented spelling, and stories dictated by children to teachers.
   
5. Children learn numbers and the alphabet in the context of their everyday experiences. The natural world of plants and animals and meaningful activities like cooking, taking attendance, or serving snack provide the basis for learning activities.
   
6. Children work on projects and have long periods of time (at least one hour) to play and explore. Worksheets are used little if at all.
   
7. Children have an opportunity to play outside every day. Outdoor play is never sacrificed for more instructional time.
   
8. Teachers read books to children individually or in small groups throughout the day, not just at group story time.
   
9. Curriculum is adapted for those who are ahead as well as those who need additional help. Teachers recognize that children's different background and experiences mean that they do not learn the same things at the same time in the same way.
   
10. Children and their parents look forward to school. Parents feel secure about sending their child to the program. Children are happy to attend; they do not cry regularly or complain of feeling sick.

The following information is brought to you by National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Thank you for such useful information for our parents.