Preparation for Mother's Day Fair 23rd Mar to 24th April 2008

As early as 23rd March, PSG members has been meeting on a weekly basis working together pitching in their artistic skills to make beautiful gifts for our EPPS mums.

These gifts such as trinket boxes, flowers, clay cakes and gift boxes were all painstakingly created to be sold at the Mother's Day Fair on the 28th to 30th April to raise funds for the PSG and needy children.

The papercrafts which were specially designed by our own Helen Chee has intricate detailing and were unique in design. " You can't get this anywhere else .... it is specially made our our mums, that's why it is so special " said Helen Chee.

The claycakes created by our talented Karen Ann were made of clay, the clay dough is kneaded to soften it, coloured and then embellished with beads, pearls and flower creations to create the most beautiful, miniature life like cakes. We had to remind the students many times over that it is not edible as it looks good enough to eat!

The PSG members quite happily come in on a weekly basis to help out as it is such a pleasurable way to spend Thursday mornings with good friends for a good cause. We are so fortunate to have so many compassionate and committed members who's always willing to give our school some of their precious time for the common good.

Communicating with your child

Warm, loving communication between you and your child enables them to build a sense of identity.

More than words
Communication is a complicated process, with your child receiving a lot of 'information' from you.

These include:
*the words you speak
*your tone of voice - loud, soft, harsh or whispered
*gestures
*how you stand
*your facial expressions.

Your child has to watch, listen and react to an enormous amount of information and, in order to have a conversation with you, also judge when and how to take their turn.

Body languageThe words you speak often carry less weight than the non-verbal parts of your communication. It’s worth considering the impression you give through your facial expressions and body language.

Take a moment to look at your face in a mirror.
*How do you appear?
*Are you frowning, smiling, strained?

When you approach your child with a soft, smiling face they'll be more receptive to your message.

Think about your posture.
*Do you stand over your child or get down to their level when you speak together?

Try this experiment
Find a willing friend or partner and hold a brief conversation while they stand and you kneel on the floor. You may be uncomfortable listening and speaking to someone who’s towering over you. This is how your child feels, so get down to their height to make the most of your communication.
Paying attention
Your child may know you care about them through your loving attention, but it takes extra effort to keep giving that message once they're away from you all day at school. The sort of attention you give will change in subtle ways as your child matures and their needs change.

At age five your child will still be keen on cuddles, tickles and hugs. They’ll probably light up with pleasure if you wink, pat them on the shoulder, ruffle their hair or give them a thumbs-up sign. The rituals of saying goodbye at school can be important - a wave as they go in or through the classroom window shows you have them in mind.

Did you know...
More than 80 per cent of children aged 13 and under would rather talk about their feelings to their cat than to parents or friends. (Source: Tenth International Conference of Human-Animal Interactions, Glasgow, October 2004.)
Your child will tell you when they want your attention with the ubiquitous cry “Daddy, Mummy look at me!” or with more subtle approaches to show you their artwork or books.

This isn't showing off. Your child has asked because they need your approval and their self-esteem is often reflected in the attention you pay to them. Take these opportunities to stop what you're doing and show your interest.

Get your message acrossGet up close. This means stopping what you’re doing and going to within arm’s length. If you call out from a distance or from another room, they may not hear your whole message above the chatter and noise around them. They’ll also miss out on other information, such as the look on your face that shows whether you’re serious or joking, and the gestures you use.

Use your child’s name first. This will get their attention - people are tuned to hear their own name above most other words - so they know the message is for them. If their name comes last they won’t be sure who you’re talking to and may miss the message. “Joe, come for your bath please,” will work rather better than “Come for your bath please, Joe”.

Keep your instructions positive. For example, your child will respond better if you tell them what you want them to do, rather than what you want them to stop doing. Try “Emma, please hang up your coat,” rather than “Emma, don’t drop your coat”.

Give your child a chance to respond. Young brains take a few seconds to process what you’ve said and turn it into an action.

Keep it simple. Your child can remember only about three subjects in any one sentence. For example, “Tom, please take off your coat, hang it up and then come here,” will usually get a good response. “Tom, take off your coat, get your homework, find the pens, then come here,” will probably be too much.

Be clear. It’s good to give choices – this will build your child’s independence. For example, “Sam, would you like beans or spaghetti for dinner?” But don’t ask a question if you’re really giving an instruction. Asking “Could you to go to bed now?” invites your child to say no!

Think aheadImagine travelling about 15 years into the future. If you asked your now adult child what messages they remember you giving them when they were little, what would they say? Would they remember the message “I love you” or “You’re special”? What would you like them to answer?

By Claire Halsey
Adapted from bbc.co.uk/parenting

Happy New Year from EPPS.PSG!

In ushering the year of the Rat, EPPS Parents Support Group presented a hamper containing homebaked goodness and packed to the rim with juicy mandarin oranges and gold coins for prosperity.

Our proud bakers are none other than Susan Koh (baked the deliciously buttery smooth pineapple tarts and almond biscuits) and Diana Teo ( baked the chocolate cookies). The oranges and gold coins were by courtesy of Yvonne Chin's Chinese New year stash! This specially made hamper is presented to the teachers and staff of Elias park Primary School on Chinese New year's eve.

We hope they have enjoyed it and we look forward to a eventful and fruitful year ahead!

PSG Kick Off Meeting 14th Feb 2008

Our meeting got off with a rousing start as we ran a full house. The year of the Rat is very promising. It is a special day as we welcome in the year of the Rat with the tossing of Yu Sheng, and also celebrate the day of love St Valentine's Day. It is indeed appropriate as these parents gather together with their best dishes to share with other EPPS parents as well.

Plans and discussions quickly went smoothly with Mrs Han and Mrs Pat Ng also present to to share and persent the school's perspective and requirements for PSG support for this year.

And yes, we had 9 new members come and join in the PSG veterans to get to know the other members, mingle and network with one another.

Good friends and good food. What could be better than that?

Alot of programs and activities has been planned for this year.

Watch this space!

Getting back into school routine

Parents can help children make a smooth transition into the classroom mode in a variety of ways. One and half months of loosely structured activities can make getting back to the routine difficult, but there are things every parent can do to help children of every age get ready for a successful school year.

Set a ScheduleTalk to your child about setting aside a certain amount of time to study each school day. That way it will be an expected part of the routine rather than a discussion or a struggle every time. It is a good idea to have the time earmarked for this, regardless of whether they have homework or not. If there is none for the day, they can spend the time reading for pleasure, doing extra credit or getting ahead on their classes.

Designate Space
Make sure that there is an area that is set up for studying. It helps to have children work in a place where you are available to answer questions and keep an eye out to make sure they stay on track. Using the same area each time can help get children in the habit of studying more easily. Make sure that school books, supplies and backpacks all have a designated area in the house and are put away so that getting ready goes smoothly in the morning.
Minimize Distractions
Cell phones, television and music are just some of the many distractions that can affect the time that is set aside for homework. Discuss the ground rules for study time and include turning off electronics until after work is finished. It can especially help to remind teens before they sit down to work, so that they aren't tempted if the phone should ring. Parents should remember that if the kitchen table is your childs designated work space, they need to help minimize the traffic and noise in that area when its homework time.

Watch the Extra ActivitiesKeep an eye on the extra-curricular activities and sports to make sure that they aren't interfering with schoolwork. If your child seems like they may be falling behind, have a talk with the coach or person in charge and see if some sort of arrangement can be made for them to catch up. It doesn't necessarily have to mean they will have to quit the activity; they may just need to scale back for a bit.

RelaxWith all of the activities and classes, sometimes it can be easy to forget that children need time to rest and relax too. Try to remember to leave a little room for "down time" for everyone. As long as the schedule is pretty consistent, there is always room for a little bit of fun here and there.

Communicate With TeachersAlmost every school has parent-teacher briefings or the equivalent. No matter how old your children are, this is a good time to find out what the homework load and class expectations are. You can then talk with your child and adjust the amount of study time accordingly.

Adapted from : KC parents.com

Lasting friendship

I have been asked many times what is my reward for volunteering with PSG and the first thing that came to mind is really the firm friendship amongst our members. We all come from all walks of life but somehow we are united in the way that we feel so passionately about our children's well-being. That's how it all always starts... we started with the conviction that we want the best for our children and in the process, we started to spread that love over to all the other children in school.

That is the single most wonderful thing about this group. I have never seen so much love and passion. These parents would go that extra mile and really do their best for the common good, totally and unselfishly. It makes us feel good that we are roles models to our children, to show them that we can care for others, show some kindness and consideration to others and also teach them about giving back to the community.

Sometimes we all get too busy with life and think we don't have time for anybody else, the truth is, if we set our minds to it, we can always find time and ways that we can help and contribute our time to the community.

I have learned this from my own personal experience and I know that by volunteering and giving some of my personal time, gives me alot of satisfaction and contentment. More than any shopping trip can. This is true.

Also, I have learned so much from the other parents who have shown so much kindness and compassion for children other than their own. I salute these parents who are willing to give their time for children who needed their help.. be it to teach them, help them make presents for the parents and teachers, counsel, befriended them or just assuring them that they are loved. It does make this world a better place.

We often share our anxieties and concerns about our children and support one another in times of need. I was deeply touched when a parent called me at recess time and told me my child has forgotten to bring his pocket money, she offered to give him some for me. How kind and thoughtful. That is the kind of friendship that we share. If one of us is down, the rest will rally around and help out the best of our ability. It is through such kindness that we flourish and continue to be strong.

We are indeed blessed to have such wonderful friends in this group and we will stay united and focused as we share one common love.. the love for the children.

Yvonne Chin

First day at school

2nd January is the first day of school for the new P1 students, at 2pm sharp they are all assembled at the school hall all ready to for school. Bright eyed and bushy tailed, these newbies were all so excited about going to school. They obediently sat down in rows and repeated greetings after Mrs Wong, the Principal who was personally there to orientate the children into their school life. How lucky they are to have such a dedicated Principal and caring teachers.

Anxious parents stood on the sideways as they watched their little ones soaked in the "real school" experience. It is very heartening to see the littles ones adapt so well and so eager about school. They dutifully sat down reading their story books while waiting for the rest of the children to turn up for school.

Recess time went smoothly as children are paired with a P2 buddy to help them to be more independent. P1 students learned to order their own food, put the cutleries back in place and of course to wash their hands thoroughly before and after meals. When the bell rang, they return to their respective classes in an orderly manner. There was no drama at all!

What an exciting day for all. First day of school and a fresh start to their schooling adventure!