Category: Parents Zone

Notice on 2024-2025 School Year Activity Photos (Morning class K2A)

Dear Parents/Guardians,

In a bid to help you view your children’s activity photos for the 2024-2025 school year, our school will regularly share and update these photos electronically through Google Drive.

You can access the student activity photos for the 2024-2025 school year using the following link. Parents are encouraged to view and download them for keepsakes:
Morning class K2A Student Activity Photos:
[https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Gbt5izScSXh8wrU7dFyC4N00ieTsXfUb?usp=sharing]

Important Notes:

  1. The 2024-2025 activity photos will be removed on 31st December, 2025, so please download them before this date.
  2. Should you encounter any issues accessing the photos via the link, please reach out to the class teachers.

Yours faithfully,

TWGHs Tsui Tsin Tong Kindergarten

Are You Fearful of Answering Calls from School?

Parents Zone
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Written by: Heep Hong Society Educational Psychologist Team

 

During a parents’ meeting, Mrs. Wong expressed her fear of receiving calls addressed to her as “Mrs. Wong,” as they are usually from her son Didi’s class teacher. Each time, the call revolves around complaints about Didi’s unusual behavior in class—either he frequently leaves his seat or disrupts his classmates during lessons. On rare occasions when he stays in his seat, she hopes for some quiet, but within 15 minutes, he becomes active again, and his disruptive behavior resumes. The most frustrating issue for the teacher is Didi’s noticeable lack of focus compared to his peers. He cannot concentrate for long during lessons; even the sound of a classmate coughing or whispering is enough to distract him, especially in dull classes where his attention drops rapidly.

 

Didi is also an impulsive child. There was an incident when a classmate sitting next to him accidentally kicked him, and he immediately retaliated with his fists. He often speaks without thinking, which frequently embarrasses those around him. Over time, not only do many teachers dislike him, but his classmates also find him very annoying. As a result, during recess, Didi often finds himself alone. Each day he comes home and complains to his mother about how unhappy he is because no one wants to play with him, and each time she hears this, her heart aches. She patiently talks to Didi, hoping he will realize his mistakes and change, but the calls from school continue without interruption.

 

 

 

 

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Compared to other children his age, Didi has a shorter attention span, is unusually hyperactive, and exhibits many behavioral problems. Due to his impulsivity, he may be a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Parents who notice similar signs in their children should seek evaluation and assistance as soon as possible. The earlier children receive help, the more their difficulties in learning and socializing can be alleviated.

 

 
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Improving Children’s “Slow” Attitude Toward Tasks

Parents Zone
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Provided by: Unleashing Mind Professional Counselling Academy Psychotherapist Lee Wai-Tong

 

Often, impatient parents find themselves with children who move at a “slow” pace. For example, a little girl might be lying in bed when her mother calls her: “Get up, change your clothes…” But she continues to lie there. The anxious mother, unable to bear the ticking clock, might exclaim, “It’s too late!” and proceed to pull out clothes and accessories. Even if the girl stays lying down, her mother may lift her up to change her clothes and brush her teeth. In this process, the girl learns that by remaining unresponsive, her mother will ultimately do everything for her. This becomes a “reward” in her eyes, leading to a vicious cycle.

 

Thus, we often think it’s time for the child to speed up and learn to do things independently, rather than having the mother constantly urging her on or even helping her. At this moment, both sides face significant challenges. First, the mother must learn to control her anger. After all, this isn’t just a one-time issue; past experiences can leave a deep imprint on her. So, when she anticipates the next morning’s struggle to wake her daughter, she may already feel frustrated and impatient. With such feelings, it becomes difficult for her to give her daughter the space to dress herself. The first thing the mother needs to learn is self-regulation. What does that mean? It starts with telling herself, “Let’s start over.”

 

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Secondly, the girl has learned that lying in bed without moving for a while will lead her mother to help her. Thus, for the daughter to find it easier to act, the mother must control her anger and allow her space to get dressed. Additionally, parents can offer rewards; for instance, they could designate the upcoming week as “Get Up by Yourself Week.” If the daughter can wake up and brush her teeth within 20 minutes, she could earn a reward, such as candy or an extra five minutes of playtime with her toys. This way, the daughter feels more motivated, and with her mother giving her space, she will gradually learn to do it herself.

 

After all the children finish their cake, they begin to play together. When Huen sees Cheng has a new toy car, he asks to borrow it, and Cheng agrees. Later, when Cheng sees Huen with a very special toy car and asks to borrow it, Huen flatly refuses. The mother tries to gently persuade Huen, but unexpectedly, he throws a tantrum, accusing her of only supporting Cheng, and tosses aside the car he had borrowed from Cheng, leading to an awkward situation. The author then asks at what age Huen began to display this behavior. His mother replies, “Actually, he started behaving like this at five years old. I thought it would improve as he grew older, but it has only gotten worse.”

 

 

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Dealing with Children’s Emotions After a Pet’s Passing: Understanding Grief Therapy

Parents Zone
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Pets, whether cats, dogs, or hamsters, are an integral part of the family and serve as wonderful companions for children as they grow up. However, pets will eventually leave us. While adults may find it easier to cope, for children, this may be their first significant encounter with the loss of a loved one.

According to a study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital, which tracked over 6,000 children who experienced the loss of a pet, there is a correlation between the death of a pet or sudden separation and the subsequent onset of depression in children. Some cases showed that children continued to mourn their pets even three years after their death, ultimately being diagnosed with depression. This highlights that “how to cope with the loss of a pet” is an issue that needs to be taken seriously.

Registered psychologist Ching Wai-keung states that having a pet is a great opportunity for children to develop empathy, compassion, and a sense of responsibility. Generally, parents can consider allowing children aged 2-3 to start caring for a pet. However, while enjoying the joyful moments with pets, parents should also prepare their children for the grief associated with loss.

 

 

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Ching Wai-keung notes that when children face the loss of a pet, they may exhibit emotional outbursts. In addition to crying and being upset, they may also show regressive behavior or feel guilt and self-blame. Parents should encourage children to express their emotions to prevent them from internalizing negative feelings, which could lead to further invisible trauma. To help ease children’s emotions, parents can try the following methods:

  1. Be Honest

Parents should honestly explain to their children why the pet has passed away, rather than trying to deceive them with lies. Phrases like “The puppy ran away” or “The cat will come back later” can create more confusion for the child. It is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children to recognize their emotions rather than divert their attention.

  1. Show Understanding

Comments like “It’s just a dog; why get so upset?” or “Just get another one” may lead children to undervalue their emotions, thinking they can simply replace their pet with money. Instead, parents should express understanding of the child’s sadness, sharing that they feel the same way. This encourages children to articulate their feelings and release negative emotions. Additionally, providing more hugs can help give children a sense of security.

  1. Accompany Them in Farewell

Parents should participate with their children in a “pet farewell ceremony.” This could involve creating a memorial, organizing pet photos, or sorting through daily items, giving children the opportunity to say “goodbye” to their pet rather than ignoring the loss.

 
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Master These 3 Tips to Help Your Children Follow Instructions!

Parents Zone
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“Why don’t you listen?” “Look at how well-behaved that child is.” Have you ever found these phrases familiar? The issue of children not listening is a common problem that many parents struggle to resolve. Some parents resort to scolding, which can worsen the parent-child relationship, while others choose to ignore the behavior, fearing their children will become worse as they grow up.

If you want your children to grow up healthy and happy while also being able to follow instructions, it’s actually not difficult—the key lies in the hands of the parents.

  1. Avoid Bombarding with Demands

Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine that when you arrive at work, your boss immediately throws ten tasks at you. You would likely feel frustrated, unsure of where to start, and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work. The same goes for children; receiving too many instructions at once can leave them feeling confused, and they may not have the ability to prioritize those tasks, leading them to simply “pretend not to hear.” Parents should wait for their children to complete one task before giving them another, rather than listing all demands at once.

  1. Avoid Using Interrogative Phrasing

 

Some parents like to give instructions in the form of questions, such as “How about you clean up after eating?” For children, this is not an instruction but rather a question that they can choose to ignore. If parents want their children to clean up after meals, they should say directly, “You need to clean up after eating.”

 

 

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  1. Choose a Time When Everyone is Focused

When to give instructions is also an important aspect. Sometimes, when children are watching TV or using their phones, they may not hear your instructions at all; they might just respond with a reflexive “Oh” or “Okay,” and then forget completely. Parents can wait until after the children have finished watching TV, or directly ask them for a minute of their attention to ensure that they understand the request. Additionally, when making requests, parents should also put aside other tasks to model focused communication for their children.

 

 

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Writing Skills Mini Training

Parents Zone
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Article by Mr. Cheng Wai-keung, Psychological Counselor at the Infant and Toddler Psychological Development Association.

 

During the writing training session, Mr. Cheng Wai-keung, a psychological counselor from the Infant and Toddler Psychological Development Association, mentioned the common struggles children face when learning to write in K2.

 

“He can never write within the lines, everything ends up ‘flying’!”

“His letters always go beyond the boxes; usually, one letter ‘bullies’ two boxes!”

“He often skips lines or boxes while writing.”

“It seems like he lacks strength when writing, the writing is so light that it’s almost invisible!”

 

These are typical scenarios many children encounter when learning to write in K2. Writing requires a combination of various skills, with the most basic being the strength and flexibility of the small finger muscles (fine motor skills). Insufficient training in fine motor skills can lead to issues like weak or shaky handwriting. So, how can parents handle and train their children in this aspect? It’s simple—start by letting them play with clay, playdough, flour, and other similar materials from a young age.

 

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Furthermore, visual spatial awareness and eye control are also crucial for handwriting. Engaging in general ball activities is excellent for training these skills. Tracking the ball visually and making contact (or kicking) the ball is a natural and fun way to practice. Additionally, activities like spot the difference games (finding variances in two pictures) and maze games (first visually finding the way out, then connecting the lines with a pen) can also enhance eye control abilities.

 

Hand-eye coordination is vital during handwriting practice and should not be overlooked! Activities like bean bag tossing, fishing games, pouring water exercises, and paper cutting can greatly improve hand-eye coordination.

 

When should these games be introduced, and how long should they be practiced daily? Ideally, parents can start playing these games with their children when they understand and are capable of playing. It’s crucial to base the duration of play on the child’s willingness. If a child loses interest, parents should switch activities rather than enforcing a specific time frame. The author believes that through daily play, children can naturally acquire skills, preventing issues from arising, rather than resorting to remedial exercises. Otherwise, even the most enjoyable games can become tedious and burdensome, leading to more suffering than enjoyment.

 
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Letting family travel become the best financial education lesson for children

Parents Zone
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Flora Chen

 

Co-founder of Family Wealth Education with Pigs

Certified Children’s Wealth Mentor

The meaning of “travel” varies for each individual. A wonderful trip can provide an escape from the hustle and bustle, offering relaxation for the mind and space for contemplation.

 

Recently, my newly promoted elementary school daughter noticed many of her classmates embarking on family trips during the school holidays. Being a devoted fan of “Harry Potter,” she enthusiastically suggested a family trip to Osaka, Japan during the Christmas break, as she was eager to visit the “Harry Potter” themed park there.

 

Many parents have the rich experience of being the mastermind behind planning the itinerary and budget. Naturally, the children become the “travel companions,” enjoying everything arranged by the “mom and dad tour guides.”

 

Life is a series of choices, and so is financial management. As a mother, I seized the opportunity to have a conversation with my daughter, helping her understand that travel is a “want” rather than a “need,” and a great opportunity to learn gratitude. Parents show their love by wanting their children to have enriching life experiences, willingly investing out of love rather than obligation.

But how do we combine “financial education” with “travel”? During our conversation, my daughter took the initiative to assist in planning the essential aspects of our family trip, treating it as her first “Big Project”:

 

☘️ Travel budget

☘️ Destination

☘️ Foreign exchange rates

☘️ Searching and comparing flight prices

☘️ Hotel prices and comparisons

☘️ Theme park ticket discounts

 

☘️ Transportation arrangements

 
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During the process, my daughter discovered that departing during peak travel seasons meant flight prices were 40% higher than usual! The difference in prices between fast passes and regular tickets at the theme park was significant, and her recent learning of percentages in school was put to good use in this travel planning. I also took the opportunity to discuss with her the concept of Japanese yen exchange rates and currency appreciation and depreciation.

 

Gratefully, she realized the benefits of “delayed consumption and delayed enjoyment,” suggesting we don’t rush the Christmas trip, as waiting might lead to lower ticket prices and savings. This year, my daughter, now in elementary school, has also started helping with monthly accounting for our family’s daily expenses. As a member of the family, she volunteered to set aside a portion of her savings with interest to purchase tickets to the theme park. I believe many parents are delighted to see their children embody the true essence of financial education as they grow. I look forward to my daughter sharing her first complete “Big Project – Chen Family Travel Plan and Budget.”

 

Family trips bring joy and anticipation to both parents and children alike. When children participate in the overall itinerary planning guided by their parents, incorporating financial concepts into their lives, unexpected rewards await.

 
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Healthy Back Care Exercises – Suitable for Both Adults and Children

Parents Zone
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Written by: Fong Wai Kwan, Dr. Kong’s Professional Team of Registered Physiotherapist

 

Parents should avoid letting their children develop the following bad postures, which can affect the development of the spine:

 

When children are doing their homework, they should avoid sitting sideways to one side, as this posture can easily lead to uneven use of force on the left and right sides of the spine, causing problems such as scoliosis. At the same time, they should maintain an upright posture in both the neck and waist.

 

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When children use computers, they should not lean their necks too far forward to look at the screen, as this can easily lead to neck strain. Parents should also remind children to keep their necks and backs straight, and choose chairs that are adjustable in height and equipped with backrests and armrests to support the back, hands, and wrists. Additionally, the screen should be positioned at a height not above eye level. After every 30 minutes of computer use, there should be adequate rest breaks taken.

 

When lifting heavy objects from the floor, it is best to avoid bending the waist forward to pick them up. Instead, one should adopt a semi-squatting posture, keeping the waist straight. Then, grip the heavy object with both hands, keeping it as close to the body as possible. Finally, use the leg muscles to stand up, maintaining a straight waist.

 

Neck Stretching Exercises

Purpose: To help relieve muscle tension in the neck

Steps: 1. Turn your head to the left and right sides, holding each position for 10 seconds.

2. Move your head up and down, holding each position for 10 seconds.

3. Tilt your head towards the left and right sides, holding each position for 10 seconds.

Repeat the full set of exercises 10 times per day.

 

Shoulder Stretching Exercises

Purpose: To help relieve tension in the shoulder muscles

 

Steps: Place your hands on your shoulders, and rotate your elbows forward and backward 10 times in each direction.

 
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Chest Stretching

Purpose: To help stretch the chest muscles and improve poor posture

Steps: Firmly grasp your hands behind your back, and raise your hands as high as possible, holding for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times per day.

 

Stretching the Back and Waist Muscles

Purpose: To help relieve tension in the back and waist muscles

Steps: 1. Place your hands on your knees, then bend forward at the waist, hold for 10 seconds, and slowly return to a standing position.

2. Place your hands on your hips, then bend backward at the waist, hold for 10 seconds, and slowly return to a standing position.

Repeat the full set of exercises 10 times per day.

 

Side Body Stretching

Purpose: To help relieve tension in the side waist muscles

Steps: 1. Place your hands on your hips and twist your waist from side to side, slowly returning to the starting standing position with hands on hips. Hold each side for 10 seconds.

2. Raise your left hand and bend to the right, hold for 10 seconds, then slowly return to the starting standing position with hands on hips.

3. Raise your right hand and bend to the left, hold for 10 seconds, then slowly return to the starting standing position with hands on hips.

 

Repeat the full set of exercises 10 times per day.

 
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Stamp Collecting as a Parent-Child Activity

Parents Zone
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Written by: Pang Chi Wah, Registered Educational Psychologist

 

In recent years, environmental awareness has been on the rise. As a parent, you can cultivate an eco-friendly and meaningful hobby like stamp collecting for your child. This can also serve as a simple and convenient parent-child activity.

 

Parents who work in an office often need to open various types of mail, which often come with used stamps. While we may think those stamps are worthless, they can actually be great materials for a free parent-child activity. We can bring the different types and sizes of envelopes and stamps from the office back home, and let the children go through the whole process of stamp collecting:

 

  1. Cut the stamps off the envelopes.

 

  1. Soak the stamps in water for a while.

 

  1. Slowly peel the stamps off and let them dry.

 

  1. Once the stamps are dry, they can be placed in a stamp album.

 

This process of handling the stamps can not only train the children’s patience and focus, but also enhance their self-management abilities. They can also learn different information from the envelopes and stamps, such as the names of different countries and regions, various denominations, and stamp designs, thus developing their multiple intelligences.

 

Some parents like to use toys as rewards to encourage their children, such as rewarding them with stickers after they finish their homework. Stamps can actually be more effective rewards. Whenever the child completes certain tasks, they can be given a stamp as a reward, and the more beautiful or rare the stamp, the more effective the reward will be. This not only reduces the negative impact of material abundance on the children, but stamps also have aesthetic value and can be stored for a long time. Most importantly, we can appreciate the stamp album together with the children, which can serve as a tool for parent-child communication.

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Additionally, Hong Kong frequently launches new stamps and themed first-day covers, which parents can acquire at reasonable prices to greatly expand the variety of stamps, designs, and sizes for their children. If parents travel or go on business trips abroad, they can also collect local stamps, especially the cheapest ones, like the one-penny stamps in the UK. Parents can also ask their relatives, friends, and colleagues to bring back stamps from their travels or business trips, which can greatly diversify the stamp collection for the children through different acquisition channels.

 

Why not try this meaningful reward system and parent-child activity with your family?

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The Wonderful Use of Storybooks (For Young Children with High-Functioning Autism)

Parents Zone
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Written by: The Educational Psychologist Team of the Heep Hong Society

 

For young children with autism who have intellectual and language abilities at the 5-6 year old level, what kind of books should they read? What techniques should parents use when reading with their children?

 

Young children with high-functioning autism should be able to understand simple moral stories. Parents can refer to the “social story” format to help children with autism effectively understand the content. When the child is familiar with the story content, parents can replace the main character with other real people, or even the child themselves, so that the child can gradually put themselves into the moral story scenario. The story characters can be changed, and the story plot can also be slightly altered: for example, “grandma’s house” can be changed to “aunt’s house”, allowing the child to flexibly apply what they have learned. Of course, changes to the characters and plot should be made before the child develops rigidity towards the story details. As for fables, fairy tales and mythological stories that commonly use abstract metaphors, they can be used only when the child with autism has the ability to generalize their knowledge.

 

In terms of cognition, when the child’s comprehension reaches a certain level, parents can emphasize emotional words in the story, such as “When she saw the dog, Mei Mei was very scared.” When the child is ready to learn the concept of sequence, parents can emphasize the description of time, such as “Mei Mei did something wrong, and then she said she was sorry.” Based on the child’s level, parents can utilize each page of the storybook, adding or emphasizing appropriate words.

 

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In terms of parent-child interaction, for children with autism who have higher abilities, they can take turns with their parents to tell the story, one sentence at a time. This method not only trains the child’s ability to continue the story and focus on listening to others, but also allows the child to deepen their impression of the story through active participation. By using storybooks flexibly, parents can meet the developmental needs of the child and promote parent-child interaction. Children with autism often lack imaginative ability, so storybooks that come with character dolls can be very useful: initially, just tell the story, then add the dolls, and gradually reduce the use of the storybook, until finally using only the dolls to tell the story, and using the “one sentence for you, one sentence for me” method to guide the child out of the storybook and into the world of imaginative play.

 

In terms of social cognition, parents who use comics can use correction fluid to white out the “speech bubbles” of the characters, then work with the child to create new dialogues. Initially, they can modify certain words or phrases, and when both parties are familiar with the method, they can modify more parts, until all the dialogues are self-created. Daring parents can even try to custom-make storybooks for their child and design different ways of storytelling to attract the child to learn the social concepts they need.

 

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