August 2010 Newsletter

Greetings Parents / Guardians,

Time flies, next month, we will be having our 2nd Mid-Term School Break. Thank you parents once again for your confidence in our school by registering your child in the coming academic year 2011. We would like to urge all parents to complete and return the Parents Satisfaction Survey From to us soonest as possible so that we can have your valuable suggestions and comments to enable us to provide a better learning environment for your children.

It was a great pleasure for us to work with you and your child for the past eight months. As an educator, it is my job to ensure that your child becomes a lifelong learner. To achieve this, it is essential that we work together to help your child to reach his or her potential in a successful and meaningful way. I look forward to be your partner in this process. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you ever have any questions or concerns.

Attitude is everything. It is the lifelong gift we give our children. They listen to your response and mimic your reactions. You can decide to have a positive attitude or negative attitude. Whichever choice you make, life will follow accordingly.

Life is full of surprises and not all of them are good. The old saying "bad things happen to good people" is so true. As we progress through our life stages we occasionally get knocked back a step or two. Maybe we lost our job, faced serious illness, and made financial decisions that seemed logical at the time or any other unexpected calamity. It is how we handle them that make us a survivor or a victim. It is our state of mind that determines the ultimate outcome.

Most of us recognize that the hard times we have gone through made us who we are. We may be stronger now, more cautious, more appreciative of our many blessings, more willing to take risks. Whatever your experiences have been, they are now a part of you. What attitude do you maintain?

What needs to remain as a priority is your attitude towards the event. Once the shock wears off, take a look at how you are going to respond. Are you going to retain the defeatist attitude or are you going to set an example for your children? What are you going to say? Life is unfair? Or you believe that not only will you survive this setback, but you will also learn and grow from it and be a better people for it. Your children will adopt your response. It is the same old concept: Is the glass half full or half empty? Your family deserves your healthy state of mind.

Show your children that you are prepared for life, even when it is unexpected. Through positive thinking, show them that they can be a part of the solution instead of the problem. Use the difficult times as well as the smooth sailing periods for teachable moments. Be realistic but upbeat. Look for solutions.

Reality, at times, can test the best of us. However, with your children watching your every move, it is too important to set the standard. Empower your family with attitude that grants them the state of mind to succeed even through difficult times. Positive thinking or attitude will bring about positive outcomes.

Happy reading!

Developing A Positive Attitude - The CuteKid
 

A positive attitude is so important in a world increasing in negativity and despair. Having a positive attitude means that you focus on the good things in life and do not dwell on the negative. Developing a positive attitude helps people cope with their lives and reduces destructive thinking. But having a positive attitude isn't something a child is born with. It is something that needs to be developed. As a parent we can help our children in developing positive attitudes about life that will help them as they face the challenges associated with growing up.

Teach your child to never say, "I can't." This statement makes a person feel inadequate. Using this phrase makes children feel badly about themselves. Help children realize that they may not always be able to do everything by themselves, but with help most tasks can be accomplished. If your child doesn't want to do something they should say, "I won't." That way they are taking control of the situation and are saying no not because of feelings of inadequacy but by personal choice.

Help your child learn to control internal dialogue. These are the things that we say to ourselves inside our heads. Children need to learn that when they start thinking negatively about themselves or situations that they can stop. Then think of something positive about themselves or their situation. For example if your child strikes out while playing baseball he may think, "I am so bad at baseball. I should just quit playing." He needs to learn to replace that negative thinking with a positive attitude and thought like, "I may have struck out, but I will practice harder and next time I will do it."

Being positive is a choice. I often remind my son when he is mad or unhappy that he has chosen to react that way. People and situations can make us feel badly but we choose whether or not to dwell on it and allow it to change our mood.

Find reasons to smile and laugh. Tell jokes, watch funny movies, tell stories. Smiling and laughing actually change your brain chemistry and make you feel better. A home full of laughter is a happy home. Just hearing the sound of my children laughing brightens my mood.

Love is a powerful force and it gives children a feeling of self-worth. The more a child feels loved the less likely they are to allow negative thoughts and thinking into their life. Say, "I love you," often, even if your child acts like they don't care inside they need the reassurance that you do. Be liberal with physical affection. We are physical people. Research shows that babies left in orphanages who do not receive any physical contact suffer from it. Give your children hugs, pats on the back, or high fives. My children can't go to bed without their nightly hugs and kisses.

Learning something new helps a child feel proud of herself. It increases confidence and provides something for her to focus on. Having a hobby that she is good at is important. We all need something that we can be good at. This could be playing a sport, musical instrument, or as simple as being a loving child. Whatever it is let your child know that you recognize and value their skill.

Teaching your child to have a positive attitude will build self-esteem and confidence. Developing a positive attitude will help your child have a successful, independent and a self-reliant life. People naturally gravitate towards positive people. So parents start helping your child to develop a positive attitude today.

July 2010 Newsletter

Greetings Parents / Guardians,

We would like to thank parents for taking their time to join us in the Parents & Teachers Dialogue on 24th and 31st July 2010. We trust that parents will now have a better understanding of your children learning in school through the discussion. Kindly note that our Field Trip to visit Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) will fall on 30th July 2010, Friday and we believe that children will have a great time together.

Computers and Internet have become an almost indispensable tool for adults. From writing letters to finding information on the Internet, adults rely on computers in numerous ways every day. Computers and internet are increasingly becoming a part of our children's world as well.

Many parents have questions about their children and computers. What do experts recommend? When should children begin to use internet? How can parents and children grow together with the use of technology? Are there any educational benefits for young children in using computers and internet? The articles below will provide you with important information, guidelines and tips to consider as you weigh the benefits and challenges of internet and computer use for your young child.

Happy reading!

Computers And Young Children - PBS Parents

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is an organization that sets standards of excellence for programs for children from birth through age eight. Their research shows that computers can have important benefits for even very young children, including language development, literacy development, social development, and the development of important problem-solving skills. However, computers are most beneficial when parents and teachers provide appropriate guidance, when computer use is related to other kinds of learning, when high-quality software is used, and when children work on the computer with peers or adults.

The following specific recommendations from NAEYC about the use of computers with young children are based on both current research in child development and the professional opinions of early childhood educators.

• Computers should supplement--and not replace--activities and materials such as art, sand, water, books, music, outdoor exploration, experimenting with writing materials, dramatic play, and socializing with other children.

• Parents should guide children's use of computers. Be on hand to help your child, answer questions, and interact with your child as she works on the computer.

• Take the time to observe and participate in computer activities to gain an understanding about how your child thinks and learns. Observing children at the computer can reveal much about the way children are thinking and solving problems.

The Internet and Young Children - Child Care Resources Inc.

Let’s face it—the Internet is here to stay. But despite the potential known and unknown dangers of going “on-line,” this technology can be useful to develop literacy, cognitive, and social skills. Following are some tips for families and child care professionals on how to make the Internet a safe, enjoyable, and friendly place.

• Trusting and curious children are often anxious to explore the Internet and the experiences it provides, but similar to crossing the street and teaching other life skills, adult supervision and common sense advice are essential for their safety. Closely monitoring what children are doing on the computer is the best way to assure that their travels into cyberspace are healthy and productive.

• It is common for young children to take pride in being able to remember and recite their home addresses, telephone numbers, or spell their names. The adults who care for them should instruct them to never give out identifying information on the Internet without permission from a parent or caregiver. This includes the name of the child’s school or child care program.

• Discuss and make rules with your children about the length of time they can be online, the time of day they can be on-line and appropriate areas to visit. Bookmark their favourite sites to provide easy access.

• Encourage children to tell you if they receive an inappropriate message or one that makes them feel uncomfortable. If this should occur, forward a copy of the message to your service provider and ask for their assistance.

• For added security, Internet filtering software that provides protection from inappropriate material is available to restrict children’s access to undesirable forums, discussions, and bulletin boards. Many of the commercial on-line services also have systems in place to block out parts of the service they feel are inappropriate for children.

• Be in the same room when your young child uses the computer, or perhaps keep the computer in an area where other family members are usually present. This will promote interaction and exchange between your child and others in the home while on the computer.

• Many adults who have had little or no experience with computers perceive them as a task requiring complex technical skills. Try to make time to familiarize yourself with the Internet by going on-line at home or your local library. Learn from your children by asking them questions about how to log on to the Internet and how to access their favourite Web sites. -By spending this time together, a technology-wary adult can enhance his or her computer literacy skills, hear insights from children that go beyond expectation, and observe actions that may cause you to rethink what your children can do and understand. This interaction can also provide children the sense that you care about their hobbies and interests.

• Teach children that everything they read on-line may not be true--offers that sound "too good to be true" probably are. Be very cautious about any offers that involve your coming to a meeting or having someone visit your home.

• Adults should get to know a child's "virtual" friends just as they get to know all of his other friends.

Computers steadily redefine the ways we interact with others and gain knowledge about the world around us, and the Internet is becoming increasingly important in our daily lives. By taking responsibility for children's computer use, families and early childhood professionals can greatly reduce the potential associated risks, while at the same time allow children access to a multitude of positive learning experiences.

Field Trip To Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) on 30 July 2010