Hello everyone!
It's that harried time when year-end school and national examinations are on the mind of every kid and their anxious parents. In the midst of this period of sobriety, we also extend happy greetings for Children’s Day that launches October. We expect this happy interlude to be marked for children perhaps with a movie, maybe no assessments for the day, a treat at his; favourite restaurant, a little surprise of a gift, be it sweet treats or colourful stickers or something creative from the $2 shop.
Children’s Day was first suggested by the United Nations General Assembly back in 1954 as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children, marked by activity promoting the welfare of the world’s children; Know that some 46 countries worldwide observe a Universal Children’s Day sometime in the year, but only Singapore, Malaysia, El Salvador and Sri Lanka mark it on 1 October.
Coming back to the month’s preoccupation, we have some contributions lined up for you on examinations. One details a parent’s experience with PSLE fever but perspectives offered would apply equally to examinations in general. Another story is an important reminder to express appreciation for the child who has done the best he can. Examination results that do not meet expectations do not just stress parents but also the child even though his outward expression may appear nonchalant, defiant or defensive. How the aftermath of examinations are handled could have the potental to do psychological damage to a child’s learning capacity, a real danger reflected by the existence of the Children’s One-Stop Psycho-educational Service (COPES) at the Institute of Mental Health.
Finally, we urge you to register and login to be able to join in this ongoing discussion on the October examination fever by commenting on the stories and offering your own perspectives on the issues.
May your October be filled with constructive and positive thoughts and be worry-free!
Wendy
