Publication

contents
36
April 2015
74
MAKING SENSE
SCREEN SAVIOURS
news
8 WHAT’S ON
A look at what’s going on this month
22 SPEAKING UP
Breaking the silence is the hardest thing
to do for children suffering from selective
mutism.
10 DELIGHTFUL DESIGNS
Where to find beautiful objects and pieces
12 SPORT & STUDY
Get those little ones moving and learning
24 WHAT IS HYPERMOBILITY
SYNDROME?
Some children have particularly flexible
joints, but this can sometimes have painful
consequences.
14 FAMILY FUN & FASHION
Activities to do with your children and
fashion for you
Photography
Melanie Adamson Photography
Model
Connor
Clothes
Connor wears Bonpoint denim
shirt, $1,300, with Ralph Lauren
vintage 5 pocket denim jeans,
$2,390.
16 SUPPORT & WELLBEING
Courses and support in reaching potential
resources
26
18 CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Flowers aren’t the only thing blossoming
at the Flower Workshop.
advice
28
ORANGE COLOURED SKY
Zingy and bright is how we feel this month
– drink up the sunshine and spread your
inner glow
TOY BOX
Toys that teach and amuse
30 BOOKSHELF
Perfect picks for all kinds of kids
20 RATED PG
All kids have a role to play on this planet
we call home, says Orla Breeze.
Orange coloured sky
pg 26
Toy Box
pg 28
Bookshelf
pg 30
April 2015
1
contents
80
88
DENIM CALL
MAKING SPACE
life/style
features
35 THE NEXT DIMENSION
54
36 MAKING SENSE
60
Pocket-sized 3D replicas of our kids are
a thing, and they’re coming to a shop
near you.
Processing every sensation our
bodies receive can be a confusing and
distressing task for some.
40 CHILD'S PLAY
Play performs a vital role in children's
lives..
46 HIDING IN HONG KONG
One local charity aims to encourage
children with epilepsy to live open and
fulfilling lives, and hopes to dispel
common myths surrounding this
misunderstood condition.
53 SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE SAR
If you are a non-Chinese speaking
child with special education needs, the
choices for education are very limited in
Hong Kong.
April 2015
GROUP HUG
Finding support can make all the
difference in the challenge of raising
children with special needs.
GIFTED
How should we help a gifted child?
66 SHATTERPROOF
No parent wants their child to grow
up to become a burnt-out ‘crispy’ or a
fragile ‘teacup’, so how do we nurture
adaptability, resilience and selfmotivation in our children?
80 MAKING SPACE
A practical approach with luxurious
accents and clever storage is key to
warm family living in this chic Discover
Bay home.
88 DENIM CALL
Rubbed, washed, bleached, painted
– denim in all its shapes and sizes!
104 LAST WORD
There is hope for late developers,
says father-of-three Nury Vittachi.
70 THE GIFT OF THE GAB
Bringing your children up speaking more
than one language can have a whole
host of benefits, both now and in the
future.
74 SCREEN SAVIOURS
Recent advances in technology have
opened up a whole new world for many
children.
www.playtimes.com.hk
2
Playtimes
contributors
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Freya Paleit
t: 2201 9710
e:playtimes@ppp.com.hk
PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR
Jo Allum
t: 2201 9719
e:jo.allum@ppp.com.hk
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Florence Choy Wan
t: 2201 9721
e:florence.choy@ppp.com.hk
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Narelle Edwards
e:narelle@ppp.com.hk
Laetitia Chanéac-Knight
Laetitia was born in the South of France,
between lavender and sunflower fields. She
was brought up by her grandmother, eating far
too many cakes. Later she studied languages
and linguistics at Montpellier University and
trained as a teacher in England. She taught in
Spain before moving to Hong Kong, where she
met her other half. They travelled extensively,
teaching children in international schools around the world and
settled in Bali for seven years with their two gorgeous little monsters.
She is now dedicated to writing full time and she published the family
guidebook Bali with Kids. The children now being a little older, her family
decided to home school them and hit the road again, spending their
time between Nicaragua, France and Indonesia. She's the one to ask if
you would like an organised tour of any of these countries. Her email is
contact@baliwithkids.com
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Nalini Balachandra
e: nalini@ppp.com.hk
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Marie Milan
t: 2201 9724
e: marie@ppp.com.hk
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Heloise Lagarde
t: 2201 9713
e:heloise@ppp.com.hk
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Connie Cottam
t: (852) 6035 4076
e:connie@ppp.com.hk
Cheryl Shanahan
Cheryl was born and raised in a small town
outside of Toronto, Canada. Her passion for play
began during her childhood, when she could
easily have been lost in the world of imaginative
play for hours, playing alongside her twin sister or
exploring on adventures outdoors with her older
brother. She moved to Hong Kong eight years ago
and it wasn’t long before she met her husband
on Pottinger Street, shopping for Halloween costumes. They both enjoy
spending every spare minute with their six-month-old son, Jack, and French
bulldog, Lola. Cheryl is an early childhood consultant and play therapist. She
supports families with young children, using play as a tool to engage children
and build relationships. Cheryl works with Central Health Partners child
development team at Southside Family Health Centre.
ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER
Andrea Suarez
t: 2201 9714
e:andrea@ppp.com.hk
ART DIRECTOR
Charlotte Chandler
CONTRIBUTORS:
Melanie Adamson; Shikha Bansal; Angela Baura; Orla Breeze; Nicola Burke; Laetitia Chan´eac-Knight;
Gillian Johnston; Ingrid Keneally; Rachel Kenney; Elle Kwan; Sue Lyn Tan; Katrina Shute;
Cheryl Shanahan; Rebecca Simpson; Nury Vittachi; Scott Williamson
FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS & DISTRIBUTION t: 2201 9716
CEO
David Tait
t: 2201 9727
e:david@ppp.com.hk
4
Playtimes
PUBLISHED BY: PPP Company Ltd, Unit 713, Level 7, Core E, Cyberport 3, 100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2201 9716 PRINTED by: Toppan Printing Company Ltd. in Hong Kong
Published by PPP Company Limited. The publication is sold on the understanding that the publisher, advertisers, contributors and their employees are not responsible for the results of any
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welcome
T
his issue is about celebrating
Freya with Orson, The
a,
Lara & Ingrid
all kinds of wonderful kids, whether they
have special needs, or speak different languages, or have unusual talents and skills, or
are simply unique in their own special way.
We are all different! Some people thrive as a result of their differences while others
might struggle with theirs. However, the world is all the more vibrant and interesting for being filled
with such a diverse bunch. In Hong Kong, where we live in a densely packed melting pot of all types
of people
from all over the globe with different stories to tell, embracing all types of
people should come naturally. You don’t have to dig deep beneath the surface of this amazing,
multi-cultural community to find a wealth of different kinds of kids
mixing together and
learning from each other. I think one of the reasons I love living in cities so much is that
you end up at such close quarters with such a wide range of people and your life feels all the
richer for it.
So we’re taking a look at a selection of conditions affecting kids and making their lives different
in some way, like hypermobility,
epilepsy, sensory processing disorder and
selective mutism, and we get to hear from parents who are campaigning to get better choices
for kids who have special educational needs. We also hear about some children here in Hong Kong
following non-traditional paths in their choice of sports and hobbies, and discuss what it means to
have a gifted child – and how to handle it.
And it’s holiday time again, so if you’re getting away over the break, have a safe trip and if you are
celebrating Easter, enjoy! I will be sure to indulge in some seasonal chocolate, if I can
wrest some out of the hands of my boys – eating is a competitive business in my household.
Happy reading and have a great month.
Freya Paleit
Editor-in-Chief
6
Playtimes
news
T H E
H O T T E S T
1, 2, 3 & 14
SuperStar Virgo
Easter Fun Camp
Young ones (aged 6-9) and adults will love
the welcome party, Easter egg painting
workshop, family photo competition and
yoga super stretch at this cruise camp. It runs
from 2pm to next day 12pm. Visit
www.starcruises.com or call 2317 7711 to book.
April
H A P P E N I N G S
T O W N
1-12
Cavalia
This is a magnificent horse show on the
harbour (at the White Theatre Tent, Central
Harbourfront Event Space, Central) where
kids under 3 are free if on your lap, and
students are discounted. For more info, click
www.cavalia.hk, and for tickets click
www.hkticketing.com or call 3128 8288.
1-4 & 7-10
Faust World
Faust World is running holiday programmes
in theatre and creative writing, designed for
children aged 4-12. Visit www.Faustworld.
com or call 2547 9114 to find out more.
2-5
4&5
Smurfs Live
Eggciting
Treasure Hunt
Hunt for amazing prizes and join the
treasure hunt for free when staying at
Le Méridien Cyberport or patronising its
restaurants. The hunt starts at 13.30 at PSI
Bar. Call 2980 7417 or email
prompt.lmc@lemeridien.com for details.
Come and experience this magical,
musical story where your favourite Smurfs
are together, live on stage at the Lyric
Theatre in Wanchai. For more information,
click www.hkapa.edu.
5
8
A R O U N D
13
Jazz Up Your Kids
Early Intervention
Programme
James Morrison and his ‘jazz cats’ play jazz
from A-Z with the HK Phil at the Hong Kong
Cultural Centre Concert Hall, in a funpacked Sunday afternoon concert for the
whole family. Tickets cost $90-$220. Book at
www.hkpo.com.
This programme from Bebeplus allows
each child with special needs to reach his
fullest potential. Each class includes time
for sensory, creative, music and movement
play. Visit www.bebegarten.com for
more information.
Playtimes
1-30
Last chance
strawberry picking
Enjoy the great outdoors and go strawberry
picking (or other types of fruit picking) with
the family at Tai Tong Organic Ecopark,
which is open from 9am to 6pm. You can find
them at 11 Tai Tong Shan Road, Yuen Long,
NT. For more information, call 2470 2201, or
click http://ttlv.hk/projects/ttov/.
news
Perfect portraits
Paula Weston is a family, maternity and newborn photographer who specialises both in portraits at her
home studio (in Kowloon Station) and on-location photo shoots, using natural light. She believes photoshoots should be fun, flexible, relaxed and memorable. Paula’s photos reflect her ability to make people
feel comfortable and natural, capturing their unique personalities and connections. As a mother of two,
she has a great rapport with children and makes people feel at ease during their photo session. View
her portfolio at www.paulawestonphotography.com or email info@paulawestonphotography.com.
Special signs
Madebymortimer creates beautiful handmade signs from driftwood. If you’re looking for something
unique and personal for a loved one or great friend, look no further. These gorgeous keepsakes
make a thoughtful and personal gift for weddings, anniversaries, birthdays or even leaving presents.
Madebymortimer offers design options on font, colours and layout, enabling you to customise and
create a piece different to any other. Personalise the sign with your family name, child's name, wedding
date, dates of birth and/or countries lived in. Prices start from $850. Browse the examples at www.
creativedesignsasia.com. Contact Amanda Glover at madebymortimer@hotmail.com for information.
Delightful designs
Artisan artefacts
Sooq is a one-stop online marketplace for unique, handmade and personalised
goods by talented artisans from Hong Kong and beyond. Sooq’s name derives
from Middle Eastern souks, marketplaces selling exotic goods. With an emphasis
on style and quality, Sooq handpicks vendors to provide a highly-curated
boutique for an international, eco-conscious and free-spirited crowd. This 24/7
store supports the local creative community by connecting artisans and small
businesses with potential buyers keen to buy affordable, one-off items. Playtimes’
readers are offered a 10 per cent discount until 31 May – use discount code
“Playtimes”. Get arty at www.sooqcentral.com.
10
Playtimes
Unique keepsakes
Ever looked at a child’s doodles
or sticky prints on paper or
(frustratingly!) a wall or table
and thought, “That’s so much
more than just scribble”? Be it a
child’s first drawing, a secret love
note to mummy or daddy, or
the detail of a child’s handprint,
Scribble Jewellery knows that
one person’s scribble is another’s
precious, sentimental keepsake.
Commissions are truly personal
and unique; they are lovingly
designed by you and skillfully
crafted by them (in silver, gold
plate, copper or bronze). Prices
start from $400; a full consultation
on individual requirements is
available. Reach them at hello@
scribblejewellery.com or www.
facebook.com/scribblejewellery.
news
Mini rugby
Rugbees holds classes for preschoolers (from walking to four
years old) throughout Hong
Kong in a fun, safe and strictly
no-contact environment! Their
Space Crusaders themed new
term runs from Wednesday 8 April
– Sunday 5 July. Sessions cover
rugby basics including kicking,
passing/catching, balancing,
colour recognition, teamwork,
spatial awareness and agility.
Coaches will use theme-linked props such as ‘friendly alien masks’,
music or story-telling to keep kids engaged. New students who
join by 26 April 2015 and quote “PlaytimesApr15” will have the
registration fee of $250 waived (includes a Rugbees’ t-shirt, shorts,
activity book and kit bag). More information at www.rugbees.hk.
Young yogis
Growth starts with understanding the mind and body so
discover what yoga can do for your child at Discover Kids
Yoga, where movement meets imagination. Children
build self-confidence, increase focus, keep fit and have
fun during classes full of yoga games, storytelling, songs
and more. Children learn to be mindful about their
thoughts and develop body awareness, helping them
grow into positive,
calm and confident
personalities. Studio,
private classes and
Mommy & Me sessions
are available for ages
two to teens. Discover
your young yogi at
www.facebook.com/
discoverkidsyoga or
contact Angela Mak
at angelamak.yoga@
gmail.com.
Sport & study
Literary learning
Growhouse is a hub for literary talents and enthusiasts.
It offers an exclusive learning programme for children
(aged five to 13 plus) to immerse themselves in the world
of literacy through fiction and non-fiction texts and films.
Programmes focus on language and literature; crucial tools
which unlock the ability to learn and to mature culturally,
emotionally, intellectually and socially. Using proven
strategies and methodologies from London Gifted and
Talented, Growhouse nurtures learners’ potential, inspiring
them to excellence. The high-challenge programmes are
designed to allow each child to progress at his preferred
pace. Read on at www.growhouse-lgt.com.
Shoot some hoops
Whether you call it basketball or hoops, the Hong Kong
Basketball Academy (HKBA) loves the game and thinks you
will too! Established in 2011, HKBA is a complete basketball
academy for boys and girls (18 years and younger). Whether
you want to introduce your child to the game or help your
established athlete get a college scholarship, HKBA is here
to help you succeed. The academy’s system works and has
produced players who have gone on to play collegiate
basketball. Gaining entry requires a trial class, bookable at
www.hkbaallday.com or by WhatsApp 6681 7774.
12
Playtimes
news
Rooftop revelry
Spring is here so let’s go picnic in the tub! To bid winter
farewell and welcome spring, Miles International Academy
is hosting a Picnic in the Tub Musical Carnival on the rooftop
of the Pulse on 18 April, Repulse Bay. Whilst relaxing over
snacks in warm tubs with a perfect seaview, parents and
their little ones will enjoy a series of activities presented
by Miles International. Activities include a students’ music
performance, a live music jam and dancing, as well as
magic and a clown show. For enquiries and ticketing
contact info@milesinternational.com.hk.
In the pink
Sundowners by the Bay on 13 May is the Sai Kung Pink Ladies’ next charity fashion bash,
featuring local fitness trainers strutting their stuff on the catwalk, for the Hong Kong Breast
Cancer Foundation (HKBCF). The Pink Ladies focus on helping raise awareness and
funds for HKBCF. Tickets cost $270, or $470 with a two-course set dinner and glass of wine.
Sponsors include Escapade, Polkadot Boutique, Zenvara, House of Kamal, Edge of Desire,
Desert Diamonds, Day with Fe, Dirty Dog and Phat Shack. For further information visit the
Sai Kung Pink Ladies’ Facebook page or email skpinkladies@yahoo.com.
Family fun & fashion
Here comes the sun
My Happy Sunflower studio has some exciting workshops for children in the
upcoming months, including Easter workshops and Mother’s day workshops
where participants make a jewellery box from clay and a 3D Mummy head
sculpture. Join in and order a piece of silver charm with your child’s fingerprint or
handprint. Visit www.myhappysunflower.com for more information or check out
the My Happy Sunflower facebook page. Email reginia@myhappysunflower.com
or call 2511 2538 for a booking.
WIN! Krooom giveaway – Junior jigsaws
The 3D puzzle playsets from Krooom feature bright, graphic illustrations of colourful creatures.
These 45-piece jigsaw puzzles encourage fine motor skills, imagination and logic, and are travelfriendly. All Krooom products are child-safe, recyclable and made of at least 60 per cent postconsumer paper. New designs are a racing team, sea animals, forest animals, kites in the sky and
underground. Available from Bumps to Babes, Page One, Metrobooks, Ourbaby, Little
Whale and other leading retailers. Three lucky readers will each win one new playset,
valued at $155-$169, and one big castle (princesses or knights), valued at $485. Visit
www.playtimes.com.hk/giveaway/krooom-giveaway by 30 April.
news
Reaching potential
Bebegarten’s unique Children First Early Intervention programme allows each child with special needs to reach her full
potential. They provide intensive and individualised support to children and families who could benefit from frequent,
interdisciplinary therapies in educational, psychological, language and occupational areas. Bebegarten’s children can help
build solid developmental foundations, and increase their ability to integrate in future social
and educational environments. The Children First Early Intervention programme starts on
3 August, with an application deadline of 6 June. Click www.bebegarten.com for details.
Anatomical child screening
Sports performance physiotherapy is offering child screening for scoliosis, flat
feet, knock knees, bow legs and excessive muscle tightness from rapid growth.
Screening is available in their three physiotherapy clinics (Central, Tsim Sha
Tsui and the Gold Coast), by experienced physiotherapists. Email info@sp.hk or
telephone 2521 6380 for any enquiries.
Support & well being
Learning assessments
Bridge Academy offers free observation and assessment
for children experiencing learning difficulties including
(but not limited to) speech delay, inattention, aggression
and rigidity. The certified applied behaviour analysts
and educational psychologist provide practical training
and guidance to ensure your child is learning at their
optimal pace. Additionally, they spend time with parents
in formulating individualised programmes to suit each
child’s age, learning pace, strengths and weaknesses.
Bridge Academy offers an all-inclusive curriculum to equip
your child with the critical classroom skills for long-term
success in a mainstream setting. Learn more by calling
3563 8060, or visit their facebook at: www.facebook.com/
bridgeacademyhk.
Maps for the mind
All kinds of families and children seek Psynamo for proven, cutting edge support for their needs, including raising mood/
academic levels and lowering anxieties. Aside from traditional therapeutic services, their courses support healthy
development, resilience and self-esteem. Psynamo’s research and evidence-based Positive Family Empowerment
programme provides parents with an empowering, tailor-made roadmap to success for their family. Mindfulness courses
are available for children (aged eight to 18) to help them learn about
self-regulation, awareness and focus, and providing an inner resource
for academic environments. Get mindful at www.psynamo.com.
Playtimes’ readers can enjoy 10 per cent discount on certain courses.
16
Playtimes
news
Flower power
Flowers aren’t the only thing blossoming at the Flower
Workshop, as Gillian Johnston found out.
B
ring on the flower power! Flowers
have a natural power to cheer
us up whatever the weather,
brightening both moods and
rooms. But did you know that when you
want to ‘say it with flowers’ you can also
help charity at the same time?
The Flower Workshop is a social
enterprise operated by the longestablished Hong Kong Federation of
Handicapped Youth (HKFHY)
www.hkfhy.org.hk, and it aims to
enhance the employment opportunities
for people with disabilities through
floral design and retail. Since it was
planted in 2002, this floral business has
strengthened the confidence and social
networks of people with disabilities
by providing skills and employment
opportunities, thereby boosting their
social integration.
HKFHY is a government-registered
charity managed by people with
disabilities (mainly the physically
handicapped and chronically ill)
as a self-help organisation, which
continuously develops innovative
services and businesses to fit the needs of
disabled people. Their Flower Workshop
is one of Hong Kong’s few financially selfsufficient social enterprises.
training with the goal of her becoming a
skilled florist who can work independently.
How they help
A caring employer, the charity provides
staff with an attractive employment
package. Another positive is that the
Workshop empowers staff – including
their longest serving employee, Mei
Kuan (who has a hearing impairment).
Starting as an assistant with duties such
as cutting flowers, changing vase water
and making deliveries, Mei Kuan proved
hardworking and responsible. Exhibiting
a keen interest in floral design, she was
gradually trained up and promoted to
assistant florist. Today Mei Kuan is the
main employee responsible for preparing
corsages, hampers and flower baskets.
Another employee, Alice, who was
assessed as disabled due to being a slow
learner, had never been able to secure
gainful employment. Now in her early 20s,
she was fortunate to get an opportunity
to work – for the first time – as an assistant.
Alice treasures her role, and ensures floral
products are delivered on time. She’s
grateful for this opportunity to gain skills
and, even better, the charity plans to offer
How you can help
The Workshop offers top quality floral
arrangement services to offices and
homes, at very competitive prices.
Thanks to their dedication to quality and
customer service, the Workshop has
maintained long-term relationships with
prominent customers, including a bank,
numerous government departments,
professional bodies and other sizable
organisations including an international
law firm and a five-star Kowloon hotel.
As well as businesses, they also cater to
the public with a gorgeous selection of
bouquets and stunning arrangements for
events and weddings (including bridal
bouquets and corsages) plus fruit and
gift baskets – indeed, flowers for all
occasions.
The Flower Workshop is keen to
grow to offer more employment
opportunities, empowering them to
serve the community. So say it with flowers by checking out their
arrangements and ordering online at www.hkfhy.org.hk.
advice (rated PG)
All kinds of kids
All kids have a role to play on this planet
we call home, says Orla Breeze.
W
e’ve had to declare the
school a Hug-free zone.
Yes, you read that right.
An actual Hug-free zone.
No random hugs, no hugging teachers
and no hugging friends when on school
premises. Before you get the wrong idea,
this is not a rant against my kids’ school. I
love that place. In fact, I love it so much
that my inner child tried to enrol when I
wasn’t looking. Twice. And we haven’t
had to enforce it with all three of our kids
either. Just one. The one who naturally
hugs people whether stranger or friend.
The one who sees the world as a lovefilled place and simply wants to share it.
The one who I guess is a little… different.
Look, I see both sides of the story. I
understand that schools need to cater for
everyone and that some kids just aren’t
that comfortable with an unexpected
20
Playtimes
hug from a classmate. Or they don’t
need hugs as often as my kid thinks they
should have one. And I also understand
the point of view that sees nothing wrong
with spreading a little love around on a
daily basis. I mean, who doesn’t love a
hug? They’re just different perspectives
from different kids. Each with needs as
unique as themselves. There are all kinds
of children.
There are those who are termed
‘normal’ and those who are termed
‘different’. There are those who are
placed on spectrums and those who
are labelled and those who can’t quite
be placed in categories and those
who are categorised to the hilt. There
are exuberant ones and shy ones and
studious ones and chatty ones. There
are daydreamers and adventurers and
wiser-than-their-years ones. But no matter
how the world sees them, all of them
without exception have a role to play
on this planet we call home. All of them.
And one of the (countless) jobs of being
a parent is to help them discover what
their unique gift is. To nurture that spark
without accidentally snuffing it out. Tricky,
right?
So how? Where do we start? Do we
go out and sign them up for any and all
extra-curricular activities that take the
slightest of their fancy? Do we get them
extra lessons in any subject they seem to
enjoy? Do we try to ensure they spend
time with high-achievers in the hope that
it will somehow rub off on them? No, no
and no. We do nothing. Yup. Absolutely
nada, nil and zero.
And instead of doing nothing, we
work on being their example of someone
who knows their own unique gift and
shares it with the world.
Ok stop! I can hear you. “But I don’t
know what my unique gift is!”
Yes, you do.
Just because we live in a world
where we put ‘gifted’ people up on a
pedestal doesn’t mean we have to be a
world-class singer or an Everest-climbing
adventurer or an Oscar-winning actor
in order to inspire others. Although if you
turn out to be one of those, then great.
A gift can be as simple as the way you
always smile at a stranger or those green
fingers that somehow always manage
to produce the most incredible garden
year after year. Or the way you can
make anyone laugh no matter what their
mood. It’s whatever makes you happy
and allows you to spread that happiness
to others. That’s your uniqueness and
that is your gift. Discover your own
and your child will be well on the way
to discovering theirs. No matter how
different they are.
advice
Speaking up
Breaking the silence is the hardest thing to do for children
suffering from selective mutism, writes Shikha Bansal.
I
“
feel like the words are locked behind
a door and I don’t have a key,”
says a child suffering from selective
mutism (SM). In a relaxed, familiar
setting like home, children with SM
are usually fluent speakers, but they
fail to utter a word the moment they
step outside their comfort zone. They
are misunderstood to be shy, or worse,
defiant and stubborn, because of their
inability to speak.
However, their condition goes
deeper than shyness. It’s not like
children with SM choose not to
speak; they simply cannot, due to an
overwhelming anxiety. It is not a phase
they outgrow, and without help and
timely intervention they are in danger of
withdrawing and shutting out the world.
Anxiety
SM is a relatively rare anxiety disorder
that usually gets noticed during early
childhood, when children begin school.
Children with this disorder can only
talk in select, non-threatening social
settings and with a few family members
or a friend or two with whom they feel
secure. In a place like the classroom,
these children are likely to communicate
non-verbally, through nods, gestures, or
by writing out their responses.
Children with SM are genetically
predisposed to anxiety and their
condition is not necessarily due to
emotional trauma, abuse or neglect.
Not being able to speak in select
social settings, despite being fluent
in the spoken language and having
the ability to talk normally, is a
manifestation of this anxiety. “I find it
incredibly sad to think my little girl must
be so anxious she can’t speak,” says
22
Playtimes
the mum of a child suffering from SM.
Once the children fall into a pattern of
not speaking, it becomes a habit, and
mutism is entrenched.
Diagnosis
Children with SM can go without
diagnosis for years, making it harder
to treat. According to Dr Elisa ShiponBlum, president and director of the
Selective Mutism Anxiety Research
and Treatment Center, Pennsylvania,
SM is “the most misdiagnosed,
mismanaged, and mistreated anxiety
disorder of childhood. Children with
selective mutism truly suffer in silence,
and yet most people completely
misunderstand the child’s silence.”
However, the condition can be
diagnosed by health professionals based
on observations such as the child’s
consistent inability to speak for over a
month. The Child Assessment Service of
the Department of Health and the Institute
of Mental Health at Castle Peak Hospital
in Hong Kong can offer assessment and
treatment of anxiety disorders.
SM can be cured with therapy
and occasionally medication helps.
Therapy focuses not on speaking, but
helping the child overcome anxiety,
the root cause of the problem.
Techniques such as ‘stimulus fading’
are used, where the child talks
to a parent and a new person is
gradually introduced until the child
is comfortable talking to him or her.
Another method is desensitisation,
where the child is encouraged to build
conversations using emails and text
messaging, until they feel ready to take
on direct verbal communication.
The process might be painfully slow
and require immense patience, but it
helps release the child from the grip
of a social phobia which, when left
unchecked, can lead to a lifetime of
isolation and suffering.
advice
What is hypermobility syndrome?
Some children have particularly flexible joints, but this can
sometimes have painful consequences, writes Shikha Bansal.
W
hen we see nimble
acrobats and gymnasts,
we often marvel at their
extreme flexibility. Some
of them will have hypermobility, where
several joints in the body are more
flexible than usual, affording a wider
range of movement.
Children who are hypermobile can
hyperextend their knee or elbow joints,
touch their wrists with their thumbs,
and place the palm of their hands
flat on the ground with the knees fully
extended – movements that are part of
the Beighton’s score, a test for measuring
the mobility of joints. A high score means
you are hypermobile. Also, “this flexibility
can be a huge advantage for musicians
playing string or keyboard instruments,”
says Professor Rodney Grahame, a
consultant rheumatologist at University
College London Hospital.
Symptoms
But along with the advantages of greater
flexibility, hypermobility can sometimes
have painful consequences. It can be
accompanied with joint and muscle
pain, most particularly in the knees,
elbows, and calf and thigh muscles,
with a susceptibility to dislocations,
sprains and injuries of affected joints. In
24
Playtimes
those cases, it is known as hypermobility
syndrome. The condition is believed to be
hereditary, caused by genetic changes
in the structure of collagen, a protein
found in ligaments that hold and support
the joints. The ligaments are stretchy,
giving the joints greater flexibility and
making them prone to injury.
For sufferers of hypermobility
syndrome, pain usually builds up during
the latter part of the day and worsens
with physical activity. Rest often brings
relief. These symptoms are often confused
with growing pains. A child suffering
from chronic pain might refuse to walk or
engage in physical activities and is often
misunderstood to be lazy or fussy.
Children suffering from hypermobile
syndrome tend to have flat feet and are
likely to be clumsy and accident-prone.
Professor Grahame says, “Their coordination is very poor and they appear
gangly. This is because they don’t have
enough control over their limbs and often
fall as a result.”
An invisible illness
The condition often escapes diagnosis,
and is described by some as an “invisible
illness”. “It’s horrifying that over 56 per
cent of people take longer than 10
years for a diagnosis,” says Donna Wicks,
senior medical liaison officer at the
Hypermobility Syndrome Association, UK.
Isobel Knight, who suffers with
hypermobility syndrome, agrees that the
condition often goes undiagnosed. “It’s
a cruelly deceptive illness,” she explains.
“When doctors examine you and ask you
to do stretches, hypermobility means you
look really good – even better than nonhypermobile people. As a result, patients
are often dismissed. In the beginning,
friends don’t understand. Even your
family struggles to work out why you are
in pain all the time.”
Managing the condition
The condition can be managed with
pain medication, physiotherapy and low
impact exercises that help build muscle
strength and avoid over-extending
the joints. Inactivity and weight gain
exacerbate the problem, so physical
activity and a healthy diet are a must.
Children suffering from hypermobility
syndrome need a lot of support, as they
tend to get isolated. Being trapped in
a body racked with pain is debilitating
enough, but it is especially disheartening
when no one understands why they
are in pain. More awareness about the
condition is key for the timely diagnosis of
a disease that puzzles many.
resources
Polly Crepe Shorts,
$1,895, Cocktail
Meriheina Cushion Cover,
$695, Marimekko
BLO190, $450,
American Vintage
Buddha Bank,
$100, Bookazine
e
g
n
a
Or coloured sky
Skip Hop Zoo
Pack-Cat, $199,
Bumps to Babes
Zingy and bright is how we feel this month – drink
up the sunshine and spread your inner glow.
Ritson Suede Bag,
$630, Jack Wills
Trunki
Paddlepak
– Chuckles,
$279, Toys R Us
Skip Hop Mate Stay-put mat &
plate, $175, Bumps to Babes
Lazy Fish Sun Shade Pool, $175, Bumps to Babes
Baby Essentials UV Monitor,
$199, Bumps to Babes
Waddon Flip Flop,
$180, Jack Wills
Marko T-shirt, $595,
Marimekko
26
Playtimes
resources
1
3
2
4
toy box
1
Design and Drill
$299
Age 3+ years
Take-Along Tool Kit.
Available from Bumps to Babes
2
Glitzi Globes Starter Kit
$129
Age 4+ years
Shake it up with the Glitzi Globes Starter
Kit, which comes with five globes to
jumpstart the collection. Design glittery
Globes by adding different characters
and charms, fill it with water and glitter
tablet, then lock the base into place.
Available from Toys club
28
Playtimes
3
Klixx Fidget
$3.50
Age 3+ years
The Klixx is a jointed stim toy that makes
a clicking sound when you bend or twist
it. Snap it into patterns or shapes. Take it
apart and pop it back together. Or bend
it just to hear it click and pop. A fun tactile
and auditory toy.
Available from Stimtastic.co
4
Corner'd
$185
Age 8+ years
Beneath its playful exterior, Corner'd is a
strategic game of pattern, perception
5
and discovery. Be the first to match all of
your coloured tiles with the pattern on
the board to win. The game is partnered
with Autism Speaks in the US highlighting
that Corner’d is a game for everyone,
including those with learning differences.
Available from Bookazine
5
Geometric Paper Structures Kit
$189
Age 6+ years
Unleash the architect with this super
cool straw-structure-making kit, for
constructing straw houses, buildings or
awesome geometric shapes.
Available from Bookazine, Page One
resources
Animal Rescue
Patrick George
$144
Animal Rescue is a fun book which
invites the child to become a rescue
hero! This book is recommended for
children with Autism.
Available from Bookazine
Feely Bugs
David A. Carter
$85
Fuzzy bugs, feathery bugs, lacy bugs,
and leathery bugs are among the
tempting textures that kids of all ages
will want to identify (and play with).
David Carter has created a touchand-feel book filled with tons of
tactile fun.
Available from Amazon
You’re All Animals
Nicholas Allan
$40
All Billy Trunk wants is to find a friend at
his new school who’s just like him, but
everyone there seems so different – one
has spots, one smells bad and one has
teeth all down his nose. But could it be
that it’s not what someone looks like
that’s important in the end?
Available from Bookbugz
bookshelf
DiscoveryBox magazine
$68 per issue, or $560 for a one-year
subscription (10 issues)
DiscoveryBox magazine takes readers on
a journey of discovery through nature,
science and history. It is full of fascinating
information, beautiful illustrations and
spectacular photographs, topped with
hilarious comic-strips, fun games and
experiments for ages 9-12 years.
Available from www.bayard.com.hk
30
Playtimes
Farm Friends: Busy Bunny
Kaitlyn DiPerna (Author),
Megan Coy Magnayon
$130
Busy Bunny is go, go, go! Hop around
with the fast and fuzzy bunny as he
visits his farm friends and learns all
about shapes.
Available from Bookazine
Look inside Sports
Conrad Mason
$149.90
This is an innovative flap book offering
a fascinating glimpse into the world of
sports. Scenes include a professional
swimming pool, an athletics stadium, a
ski slope, and a cycling velodrome.
Available from Pollux
sponsored feature
Appropriate Screen Use
By Dr. Quratulain Zaidi (BSc. Hons, MSc, MSc, PhD)
T
he digital world is a minefield
for many parents. Many of us
were born on the wrong side of
the digital divide which means
that we may not understand it as
much as our children. It’s not surprising
that when it comes to managing our
children’s use of screen time, it can feel
overwhelming because we are in an
unfamiliar territory.
Here are some guidelines and ideas
to help you navigate your children into
the digital world with understanding
and safety.
Essential Parenting Checklist:
• Set boundaries and rules for your child
from a young age. Think about how
you guide your family in the real world
and do the same in the digital world.
• Educate yourself about the
technology, including applications,
games and social networking sites, so
you can keep your children safe.
• Remove devices from your children’s
bedrooms regardless of their age.
• Model the behaviour you want to see
in your children. This means you must
understand your own relationship with
technology.
• Use tools like parental controls on
computers, mobiles and games
consoles; privacy features on social
networking sites; and safety options on
Google and other search engines.
• Talk about digital issues as part of
your everyday conversation with your
children. Show your child that you
understand how important technology
is to them. Talk about the benefits of
digital technology, and teach them it is
also a tool for education.
• Do not avoid difficult subjects like
responsible online behaviour, cyber
bullying, and pornography. Teach
children early how to keep themselves
safe online.
• Technology is not a babysitter. Always
know what your child is doing online
and how much time they spend online.
According to the American Association
of Pediatrics, European Commission and the UK, the recommended screen
times are:
• Less than 30 minutes a day for five to
seven year olds.
• Less than one hour a day for eight to
nine year olds.
• Less than one and a half hours a day
for 10 to 12 year olds.
• Less than two hours a day for 13+ year olds.
About the Author
Dr. Quratulain Zaidi (BSc. Hons, MSc, MSc, PhD) is a British qualified and registered Clinical Psychologist, and works
as mental health consultant for a number of international schools in Hong Kong and has her office in Central. She
is an expert in educational assessments, learning difficulties and specialises is family and personal issues including
communication, emotional and behavioural challenges with children, teen parenting, teens issues, postnatal
depression, anger, anxiety and stress reduction.
For more information visit www.mindnlife.com
32
Playtimes
features
Every child is a
different kind of
flower, and all
together, they
make this world a
beautiful garden.
– Unkown
April 2015
33
The next dimension
Pocket-sized 3D replicas of our kids are a thing, and they’re
coming to a shop near you, says Rebecca Simpson.
“
I
“
wish I could take you on this
trip with me, jump in my
suitcase!” This phrase has been
uttered by a million businesstravelling mums and dads across the
globe. We’ve all had that yearning to
keep our little ones close as we travel
for work or duck away for a bittersweet weekend off. Now, thanks to
the wonders of modern technology,
you can take a mini-me of your kids
everywhere you go. Pocket-sized 3D
replicas of kids are a thing, and they’re
coming to a shop near you. And no,
it’s not creepy at all.
3D printing is changing the lives
of parents across the world. The
technology on display at this year’s
annual technology showcase CES
in Las Vegas was mind-boggling.
In hard-hitting news, there’s been
positive talk by companies like
Hershey’s about the innovations made
in 3D printed edibles. This means
some day soon we’ll be able to design
our own chocolate and print it out on
the spot. A new generation of delicious
family snacking is just around the
corner. Paleo families need not apply.
But on a truly serious note,
throughout 2014 we saw 3D printing
impact everyday families in beautiful
ways. Last year, 3D printed hearts,
heart valves and windpipes helped
surgeons save the lives of newborn
babies. Leading surgeons have touted
the technology as having a dramatic
impact on the industry. It truly is an
incredible game-changer for families
when it comes to health – nothing is
more precious than a new life.
3D printing is also a game-
changer when it comes to capturing
memories, keepsakes and baby books.
Much like everything changed with
the introduction of digital cameras,
there’s a 3D revolution coming and
parents are going to love it. Soon, it
will be time to clear the shelves and
make room for 3D prints of your most
precious memories. Yes mums, you
can 3D print your cute little kids and
keep them young forever! It’s even
possible to print them while they’re
still in utero. Yes, you can print your
unborn child. Crazy!
UK supermarket ASDA launched
a 3D scanning service last year that,
in just 12 seconds, scanned a person
to create an eight-inch model replica.
Incredibly, mums could get a full
mini-me set of the family in less time
than it took to do the weekly shop.
It may be efficient, but it’s definitely
not cheap as each figurine cost about
HK$650.
This year, the technology is only
going to get better, cheaper and
more accessible. For now it sounds
like a novelty, but we may well be
ordering festive family figurine sets
from Wellcome instead of sending
personalised Christmas cards by
December.
GOT TO HAVE ONE?
Prices for little 3D printed babies
start from about HK$2,000 on
www.3d-babies.com and all you
need is a 3D scan or good quality
newborn photos. Prints come in
a range of sizes, skin tones and
positions so you can completely
personalise your little person.
April 2015
35
Making sense
Processing every sensation our bodies
receive can be a confusing and distressing
task for some. Angela Baura finds out more
about sensory processing disorder.
36
Playtimes
J
oe is a charming, fun-loving and
super-smart six year old with
whom my children love to play.
Imagine my surprise then when
his mother, Rebecca, told me that
Joe was previously perceived to be
an uncontrollable, unhappy and
overpowering tantrum-thrower who
was often excluded from playdates.
Rebecca explains that Joe has
sensory processing disorder (SPD), a
condition that significantly impedes
the daily lives of 16 per cent of all
schoolchildren, according to a 2009
study by the Sensory Processing
Disorder Scientific Work Group, a
group made up of research scientists in
the US.
What is SPD?
Virginia Spielmann, occupational
therapist and clinical director
of SPOT HK Children’s
Interdisciplinary Therapy Centre,
speaks passionately about the vital
role that sensory processing plays
in our lives. She explains, “Every
waking moment we are processing vast
amounts of information: externally
from the environment, and internally
from within our own bodies. Every
sound, smell, touch and visual stimuli
need to be registered and then
prioritised for importance. We also
have to process our position sense
(how you know where your hand is
even when you can’t see it) and our
equilibrium sense (how you know
when the lift is moving, where your
head is in relation to gravity) and all
the sensations of our busy bodies –
empty stomachs, fluttering heartbeats,
twitching muscles. We then have to
process the data that we decided is
important and make an effective plan
with the data received.
“All of us vary in our ability to
complete this complex processing task,
but for some people their difficulties
are so profound that they interfere
with their ability to function in daily
life,” Virginia explains. “They may
April 2015
37
either be under-responsive or overresponsive. These life-impacting
difficulties come under the umbrella
of SPD.”
SPD can manifest in a multitude
of ways, more so than can ever be
covered in a single article. Rebecca
highlights some of Joe’s sensory
processing challenges: “Joe was a
very fidgety baby. I put it down to
him being a colicky baby with reflux
but when, at around 18 months, he
would howl every time he woke from
a nap, I realised that a sensitivity
to light was causing him sensory
irritation. In a mall, the lights would
be too bright, the shops too colourful,
people’s movements too bothersome
and the smells too strong for him. He
could only wear red because his visual
sensitivity was so high and, preferring
hard toys to soft, he would sleep with a
shovel instead of a teddy.”
Spotting the signs
Depending on the severity of the
difficulties a child is facing, and their
particular challenges, a child can
be identified as having a profile of
SPD as early as his first month of
life. However, Virginia and Rebecca
both agree that children are often
offered the support they need very
late on in their journey, often because
their symptoms are dismissed or
misdiagnosed. Virginia comments, “I
so greatly wish that parents, educators
and the medical community would
be empowered to look at the sensory
processing ability of each child as
standard practice. It has always been
crystal clear to me the stress that
coping with the sensory world causes
many children.”
SPD can look like inattention,
hyperactivity, aggression, social
ineptitude, fidgeting, clumsiness,
extreme shyness or even extreme
compliance. These are all strategies
adopted by children in order to
compensate for their difficulties in
understanding their world, advises
Virginia.
Rebecca attests, “Joe would show
his discomfort by throwing a tantrum,
screaming, pushing and shoving,
and generally being unhappy. He
was always speaking louder than
his friends which some viewed as
him being overbearing. Actually, he
was self-regulating his sensitivity by
blocking out others and their noises by
being louder than them.”
Sometimes SPD is confused with
attention deficit disorder or autism,
but these are all unique disorders.
Research suggests that children on
the autism spectrum and children
identified as intellectually gifted are
more likely to have SPD, but not the
other way round. Chronic sensory
impairments can occur in any child.
How to help
Help is available to children who
are accurately diagnosed with
SPD. SPOT HK for example, has
purpose-built sensory gyms designed
to provide joy-filled, intense and
safe sensory experiences. “Sensory
integration therapy should look and
feel like play to the child; every session
should be tailored to meet that child’s
sensory needs and move them up the
developmental ladder,” says Virginia,
who reminds parents to always look
for an occupational therapist who is
sensory integration certified (USC/
WPS).
At home, you are your child’s best
therapist. “Ask questions, learn about
the complexities of sensory processing
and help your child advocate for
themselves,” Virginia comments.
Rebecca continually helps Joe
to self-regulate. He wears a pair of
sunglasses if the light is bothersome
and headphones when sounds are
overbearing. He mostly wears
collarless clothes with the tags cut off
to avoid itchiness and, as a child who
constantly needs movement, he spends
ample time outdoors playing and
exercising.
Cutting hair remains a huge
problem, says Rebecca. “He is scared
of clippers, hates wearing a soft apron,
and dislikes the smell of the chemicals
at the salon and the sensation of dry
hair tickling his skin. Now I cut his
hair in bundles while wet and cover
him with a rough towel, which he
much prefers.”
Having received appropriate
support for his sensory processing
difficulties from an early age, Joe now
understands his unique self and, better
equipped to manage his challenges,
enjoys his home, school and social life.
Rebecca concludes, “Without the right
support, children with SPD can go
on to struggle with anxiety issues and
depression. Why waste valuable years
of their lives filled with crying,
out-of-the-blue tantrums, discomfort
and unhappiness? With tailored
support and understanding, Joe is a
much happier child and our lives have
changed 100 per cent for the better!”
Read all about it
Rebecca’s favourite reads on
the subject of SPD include:
•R
aising a Sensory Smart
Child, by Lindsey Biel and
Nancy Peske.
•S
ensational Kids, Hope and
Help for Children with Sensory
Processing Disorder, by Lucy
Jane Miller.
April 2015
39
40
Playtimes
Child’ s
Play performs a vital role in children’s
lives, says play therapist Cheryl Shanahan.
T
here are a lot of great
minds that have come
together in their
appreciation of play. Plato
said, “You can discover more about
a person in an hour of play than in a
year of conversation,” and designer
Kate Spade contributes that, “Playing
dress up begins at age five and never
truly ends”. Albert Einstein concludes,
“Play is the highest form of research”.
And as a play therapist, I happen to
think there is a lot that we can learn
about a child through play.
Early connections
We use play to connect to our children
from the beginning. Simple games
such as peekaboo show our child that
when we leave, we also return, which
is an important message of security
that a baby needs. We sing songs to our
children to lift them up or calm them
down. Singing can create a loving
ritual or soothe a crying child. When
a child smiles and we smile, we are
communicating without words.
Play is about a process that builds
a connection. Play has the power to
strengthen relationships. When parents
play with their child they enter their
world, speak their language, and
communicate that they matter and
are worthwhile. It is the little moments
that are meaningful. It’s the simple
exchanges that take place. Play does
not need to be scheduled, planned or
forced. It just happens when you take
the time to slow down, be present,
and tune in to your child. This means
no checking emails, playing Candy
Crush, answering a call or sending that
message you’ve been meaning to send
for days!
How can parents make the
most of play?
Let’s consider shifting play from
being adult-directed, taught and
product-driven to becoming childled. We can empower our children
by stepping back and allowing them
to lead the way, to let them explore,
create and experiment through play.
When a baby babbles and we babble
back, we’re following their lead. We
can respond by using similar tones,
eye contact and facial expressions. A
connection is being established as the
baby begins to understand that their
voice has meaning and that someone
is listening to the sounds they make.
This encourages an infant to continue
attempts to communicate by leading
conversations. This back and forth
becomes a way of strengthening your
bond with your child.
April 2015
41
Imagine a toddler playing with blocks.
An adult can easily show them how to
use these blocks to build a tower, but a
child may have something different in
mind – they may want to use a block
as a telephone, an aeroplane flying in
the sky or simply to bash against the
floor to listen to the sound it makes. If
we lead by example and demonstrate
how a tower is built, we’re limiting
the play experience. We can empower
a child by allowing them to take
control to lead themselves to what is
meaningful for them.
To get started with child-led play,
use phrases such as, “Show me what
you want to do” and continue your
involvement by tuning into the play
and encouraging your child with
words such as, “That’s up to you”,
“You can decide” or “That can be
whatever you want it to be”. Pretend
that you don’t know what to do and
allow your child to teach you.
Play becomes more complex and
sophisticated as children grow and
mature physically, socially, intellectually
and emotionally. What children
experience, including how their
parents respond to them, shapes their
development as they adapt to the world.
Regardless of age, children enjoy
play that is directed by them, with
objects of their choice in a way they
find interesting. Aside from enjoyment,
children are gaining much more
from child-led play. They’re learning
to confidently voice ideas and they
learn what it feels like to have these
ideas heard and valued. When we
allow children to lead, we’re sending
a strong message to our children
that because they’re important to us,
anything they are interested in is also
interesting to us. By following your
child’s lead you’re supporting them
to become confident at sharing their
thoughts and ideas and in turn, this
can transfer into other areas of their
life, helping them to feel capable and
secure.
Your relationship with your child
is the foundation of his or her healthy
development. Being an observer
allows us to see into the world of our
children, understanding what they’re
thinking, how they’re coping and what
they find interesting. Children play
through what they know and what
they want to know more about. We are
seeing them develop their personality
and character.
When does play become
therapeutic?
There are so many types of play
– exploratory, imaginative and
manipulative, to name a few.
Therapeutic play takes child-led play a
few steps further. Imagine this scenario:
on a rainy morning, a child waits for
his school bus to arrive. On the way
to school he witnesses a taxi crash
into a mini bus. He continues to think
about the crash on his way to school.
He arrives at school, distracted and
withdrawn. His teacher watches him
from across the classroom as he uses
each of his hands to crash into each
other over and over again. He continues
to repeat this play over and over again
until he doesn’t need to any more.
It is often difficult for children to
express what they feel with words.
April 2015
43
Play can be the tool that a child
needs to work through feelings and
difficulties. Perhaps re-enacting the car
accident allowed him to make sense of
this experience or to understand the
reality of what he observed.
For this child, the car accident was
a minor event, an experience that
he was able to process on his own, at
his own pace, in a safe environment,
using play. Consider an event in a
child’s life that takes much longer
to process, is buried deep because
it’s too difficult to comprehend or is
compounded by a series of events.
These experiences are too difficult to
process without support.
Adults who attend therapy use
words to express themselves, children
use play. In play therapy, children
do not have to talk about their
problems to feel better; children can
communicate through the use of toys
and art materials. Play that is selfinitiated, self-led and uninterrupted,
without assumptions or expectations,
can be highly beneficial to a child’s
development.
Filial play is a branch of play therapy
that includes a parent in the process.
Play is used as the glue that children
need when they’re feeling insecure;
it helps them to feel more connected
to their parent. In filial play, parents
become the primary agent of change
as they learn to conduct child-centred
play sessions with their own children
to develop communication and build
positive interactions.
Through play, challenging
moments are often the times when
children learn the most about
themselves and when parents learn
most about their children.
April 2015
45
Hiding
in
Hong Kong
One local charity aims to encourage children with epilepsy to
live open and fulfilling lives, and hopes to dispel common myths
surrounding this misunderstood condition, writes Katrina Shute.
H
ong Kong teenager
Noddy Chui was nine
years old when he
experienced his first
epileptic seizure. While sitting with
his father doing homework, Noddy
suddenly became very rigid, his lips
turned blue and he appeared to blank
out. After several minutes he came
to, then fell exhausted to his desk. His
worried parents immediately took him
to the emergency ward, and following
several tests they were given the news
their son had epilepsy.
“I was very frightened, as I didn’t
know anything about it, what it meant
or how to deal with it,” says Noddy’s
mum, Pina. “I really couldn’t sleep
much after his diagnosis, terrified he
would have a seizure in bed and we
wouldn’t know.”
Even worse for Pina was her son’s
initial reaction to the news. “Noddy
said he felt like a useless boy, and he
46
Playtimes
became very anxious and started
having nightmares about seizures,”
says Pina. “He became scared as he
didn’t know when the next one would
happen.”
The fear factor
While fear and confusion might be
a common reaction for parents and
children after a diagnosis of epilepsy,
it’s made worse in Hong Kong where
many myths surround the condition.
In fact, up until 2010, the Chinese
character for epilepsy literally
translated as “crazy”.
Claudia Schlesinger is the chief
executive of local charity Enlighten
– Action for Epilepsy. She says
Enlighten’s mission is to provide
support and remove prejudice through
community education. “We really
need to change long-held superstitions
about epilepsy,” she says. “Many
people believe it’s contagious and
April 2015
47
that it’s a curse handed down from
previous generations, and sufferers
should be locked up at home and not
spoken about. Even though there are
70,000 people in Hong Kong living
with this condition, it remains hidden
and something to be ashamed of.”
Many parents have a hard time
accepting the diagnosis, making it
almost impossible for the child to
accept it, and creating problems
with confidence and self-image. The
charity says it’s common for parents to
forbid their children from informing
others about their epilepsy, including
friends, teachers and even relatives.
“This sends the worst message to
the child that this is something they
should be embarrassed about,” says
Claudia. “It’s also very dangerous, as
the child could have a seizure at school
or with other family members who
won’t know how to handle it.”
But this kind of reaction is
understandable when you consider
the lack of awareness within
the community. Onlookers feel
uncomfortable watching a child
having a seizure, especially if it
involves jerking limbs, rolling eyes and
saliva coming from the child’s mouth.
Parents report the most common
reaction from others is to get as far
away as possible.
Because of this, many kids with
epilepsy are forced to attend special
schools for children with disabilities
and some have been banned from
joining sporting teams, or dumped
from the team when their condition is
revealed.
“Kids with epilepsy are just
like any other kids, with the same
intellectual and sporting abilities,”
says Claudia. “They should be allowed
to attend normal school and as long
as their seizures are controlled with
medication, they should be allowed to
play whatever sport they want to.”
The charity points to several highprofile athletes with the condition,
including Olympic cyclist Marion
Clignet and Enlighten Hong Kong’s
founder-patron, international rugby
player Tom Smith.
“Playing sport will actually benefit
kids with epilepsy because it’s a
great way to keep the body healthy
and reduce stress, which is one of
the major triggers for seizures,” says
Claudia. “As long as the child’s coach
is aware of what could occur and
how to respond, there should not be a
problem.”
Free to live
With support from charities like
Enlighten and by educating herself
with the facts, Noddy’s mother
realized a diagnosis of epilepsy didn’t
have to change her son’s life.
While the first medication they
tried caused weight gain and failed
THE FACTS ABOUT EPILEPSY
•E
pilepsy is a brain disorder not a mental disease, and is not
contagious.
•O
ne in 100 people have epilepsy, 50 million people worldwide.
•E
pilepsy can start at any age and equally affects people of all
races and gender.
•E
xact causes are unknown, but some cases have been initiated by
birth trauma, a head injury, serious illness with very high fever, or
drug and alcohol abuse.
• T here are 40 different types of epileptic seizures, ranging from
mild episodes like blinking or staring for several seconds, to major
seizures where the person will lose consciousness, collapse and
rapidly jerk the arms and legs.
•A
seizure is the result of abnormal and excessive discharges of
nerve cells in the brain, likened to an internal electrical storm.
•S
eizure triggers include stress, lack of sleep, hunger, overexcitement, video games and flashing lights.
•W
ith appropriate treatment, 70 per cent of people with epilepsy
will be seizure-free.
April 2015
49
to reduce his seizures, the second
prescription has been very successful.
Noddy went from suffering a cluster
of seizures every couple of months
to being seizure-free and no longer
worrying when the next one might hit.
A talented bike rider from a young
age, he gave up his passion for riding
when first diagnosed, but returned to
the sport when his epilepsy stabilized.
He now participates in competitive
BMX speed racing and trains twice
a week. As long as he is wearing a
protective helmet, he has his parents’
full support.
“We don’t know if Noddy will have
another seizure, and we can’t predict
when that might occur, but we have
to let him live the life he wants to live
and enjoy the activities he enjoys,”
says Pina.
Currently 15 and attending a local
school, Noddy excels at maths and
economics and hopes to become an
accountant. He is now able to selfmanage his health by knowing what
his triggers are, and offers this advice
to other children who have epilepsy.
“Sleep earlier, get more rest and
play less computer games because
those will cause seizures,” he says.
“Don’t worry too much and just enjoy
your life.”
Enlighten – Action for Epilepsy runs free
epilepsy awareness talks and seizure first-aid
training at schools all over Hong Kong. They
can be contacted on 2820 0111.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
If you encounter a child or adult
having a seizure, follow this fivestep seizure management plan.
1
2
Stay calm and make sure the
person is safe.
Check the time the seizure
began and stop people
crowding around the person.
Cushion the head and loosen
tight clothing, particularly around
the neck, but do not restrain the body
or place anything in the mouth.
When the seizure stops, turn the
person into the recovery position
on their side.
3
4
5
6
Observe – they will either
totally recover or the seizure
will continue.
Call 999 if the seizure lasts
longer than five minutes, if
a second seizure occurs, or if
the person is having difficulty
breathing.
April 2015
51
advice
Special education in the SAR
If you are a non-Chinese speaking child with special education needs, the
choices for education are very limited in Hong Kong, writes Scott Williamson.
T
he parents of five-year-old
Kimberly Mohinani, an
ethnic minority fourth
generation Hongkonger,
desperately want her to attend a
government subsidised English medium
school, or to gain a place in a private
international school with special
education needs (SEN) support. But
because Kimberly is a non-Chinese
speaking child with special education
needs, there are very few places
available.
Kimberly suffers from central
unspecified hypotonia: a neuromuscular
condition characterised by weak muscle
tone affecting her gross and fine motor
skills, and her speech. She has in the
region of a two-year cognitive delay and
some sensory processing issues. As a
result, Kimberly requires an adjusted
curriculum in areas in which she
is behind academically as well as
access to a teacher who is specialeducation qualified.
Projecting forward
“Along the way, at every stage,
you don’t know if you’re going
to make the next milestone,”
says Kimberly’s mother, Trisha
Tran. “One of the biggest
moments of fear was when she
couldn’t speak. You project
forward and you think: how is
my child going to survive in life if she’s
not able to speak or communicate?”
It’s only natural to track development
milestones and more than one parent
has quietly let out a sigh of relief when
a missed milestone is finally achieved.
However, if a child’s development is
interrupted for any reason – be it illness,
disease or accident – all of sudden
parents may find themselves in a difficult
and unexpected position, and their
child’s education needs may change. “It
can really happen to anyone; you are not
immune from it if your current family
members don’t have it,” says Trisha.
Parent power
English is one of the three official
languages of Hong Kong, and speaking
English shouldn’t be a disadvantage to
a child’s education. Non-SEN children
have a choice between English and/
or Chinese medium subsidised public
or private schools, but non-Chinese
speaking SEN children have access
to far fewer English medium places.
In a bid to improve the
educational landscape for children
with special education needs
in Hong Kong, parents of nonChinese speaking SEN children
met with the Equal Opportunities
Commission (EOC) and asked
for more support from authorities.
The group said public mainstream
special education only caters for the
Chinese-speaking population, and more
English-speaking options for students
of different ethnic backgrounds were
needed. Education is a basic right for
Hongkongers and should be accessible to
anyone, regardless of ethnicity.
In a press release following the
meeting, the EOC said it advocates for
the effective implementation of integrated
education for students with special
education needs. It called upon the Hong
Kong government to review the situation
for non-Chinese speaking students with
special education needs to resolve the
problem of inadequate supply. But is an
integrated education system the best way
to go for SEN children?
“In certain respects, Hong Kong is
many years behind the rest of the world
in terms of where special needs education
should be,” says Trisha. “It’s still
operating in an integrated system, which
means you need to fit in. Alternatively,
an inclusive education system changes to
accommodate the child.”
Want to find out more?
The Special Needs Network Hong
Kong (SNNHK) is a parent support
group for Hong Kong based families
with special needs children. For
further information, you can contact
SNNHK at snnhkg@gmail.com.
Group
hug
Finding support can make all the difference in the challenge
of raising children with special needs, says Elle Kwan.
54
Playtimes
F
or some, the fact a child has
special needs is apparent
from birth. For others, it’s
more of an instinctual feeling
and for others still, the news may come
as a complete shock. What is familiar
when parents learn that their child
has special needs is a cycle of feelings
that begins with denial, upset and
fear. The effect has been likened to a
bereavement process.
Whether a parent discovers special
needs at birth or later, protocol in
Hong Kong means that the process
of diagnosis follows a practiced
series of steps, both in the private
and public systems. When an issue is
flagged during milestone checks at a
Maternal and Child Health Centre
or through a private paediatrician
in the early years, a medical expert
will then refer the child, or later on,
a teacher at school refers the child
to a developmental specialist for
assessment. In the public system, this
will be at a Child Assessment Centre.
Based on the result, the medical
worker will apply on the child’s
behalf to government-aided early
intervention programmes.
Getting appointments and
referrals, and waiting on lists for
treatments, can be time-consuming,
frustrating and confusing. At any
point along this path, the parent can
feel very out of control. “There can be
all kinds of feelings, from jealousy of
friends and children without special
needs to upset to total denial,” says
Stella Wong, director of Watchdog,
a care centre that runs classes and
courses for children with special needs
in English and Cantonese.
Shock divide
“I fell apart, even though I knew he
had it,” says Jane Walker Smith, when
her son Duncan was recommended for
an autism assessment. Unfortunately,
it had taken over a year to get the test.
Says Jane, “We had taken him to a
developmental paediatrician at around
two to two and a half years old, as
he was not speaking or looking at us.
She interviewed us and recommended
speech therapy.”
The experience with the speech
therapist didn’t go well, and so Jane
enrolled Duncan in gymnastics
and playgroup, returning to the
developmental paediatrician eight
months later. “We were told not
to worry because his speech was
developing,” she recalls. But a year
after that first appointment, Jane says
April 2015
55
Duncan had more visible signs, like
flapping his arms, and they returned to
the paediatrician once again. It was then
the recommendation for a test came,
and a week later, the result: positive for
autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Her fear for her son’s future was
overwhelming, and the reactions of
others another stressor. Jane worried
that, “people would see him as some
freaky kid instead of the funny, smart
and loving boy he is,” she explains.
“In our experience, parents very
often need immediate support with
what to do next as it can seem very
lonely and confusing for parents
who have just found out their child
is struggling or not developing as
well as they should in a particular
area,” says Ginny Humpage, head of
curriculum at Bebegarten Education
Centre, a school in Wong Chuk Hang.
The school encourages inclusion for
children with special education needs
(SEN) into mainstream classrooms, and
runs educational workshops for adults.
Tech generation
Often the question is where to turn
for that support. Many parents head
immediately online, which can be
a minefield. Karen Kelly is head
teacher at Safari Kids, another
school that supports inclusion.
In her long career as a trained
SEN co-ordinator, in the UK and
Hong Kong, Karen has often met
parents soon after discovering
their children have learning
challenges. “It is normal for parents
to use the internet to glean more
information, which often ends up as
a kaleidoscope experience – and can
be very negative. Often they want
a prognosis for the future and often
this can’t be given,” she explains.
However, the internet can be
a good place to locate the various
therapy and treatment centres,
schools and perhaps most importantly,
support. Increasingly, Facebook
is proving a viable way to make
connections. Kim Andersen cofounded Special Needs Network Hong
Kong 12 years ago, which can now be
found as a group through Facebook.
The Network holds regular
get-togethers and social events for
parents, but Kim wants to provide
a more comprehensive place for the
SEN community to meet, share and
glean information. Now in the process
of launching a comprehensive website
with forums, developmental activity
guides, information and advice to
extend that range substantially, the
resource will be unlike anything else
offered here. “There are lots of little
groups here and there but none of
that is being pulled together in one
place,” she says.
Accessing networks like this can
be all-important for parents. They
provide a place to pause and to find
consolation, to hear recommendations
for treatment centres, to keep upto-date with therapy and medical
research, and to strategise. Special
needs therapy is often costly, and
can be difficult to obtain. There are
fewer options for English speakers
and the two government-subsidised
programmes that can be accessed by
non-Cantonese speakers, at Watchdog
and the Child Development Centre,
can have lengthy waiting lists
– sometimes nearing two years.
Parents who have been through
similar experiences can offer help to
newcomers in navigating the system.
April 2015
57
Where to turn next
Facebook
Join these groups on Facebook for a
welcome into the SEN community in
Hong Kong, for advice, knowledge
and support.
All together now
A strong support network has meant
everything for Mo Lie, since she
moved to Hong Kong from Holland
with her son, Lance, now eight. He
was diagnosed as a toddler with global
development delay, and exhibits severe
ADHD symptoms and sensory issues.
Moving to Hong Kong was a tough
decision, Mo says, and due to the high
cost of schooling and lack of available
treatments and facilities, living here
remains a struggle. What she found
easier to access were parents of special
needs children, who threw their arms
open. “It’s a small city and the SEN
community here is even smaller, so it’s
almost like everyone knows everyone,”
she says.
Mo says the support she finds
through groups, like the Special
Needs Network and Parenting
Together, keeps her sane, and able to
deal with the additional challenges of
raising a child with special needs in
the city. The feeling between parents
is really quite unique. “We really do
share a special bond, people with
typical children will most likely never
understand.”
• Special Needs Network Hong Kong
(SNNHK) – This is a closed group.
Those wishing to join can contact:
snnhkg@gmail.com
• MumsTogetherHK – a ‘secret’
group on Facebook run by clinical
therapist Virginia Spielmann. Go
to www.facebook.com/groups/
MumsTogetherHK, or contact Virginia
on Facebook and ask to join.
• Home with my special child
• F riends of Special Education Needs
Children Hong Kong
Special needs organisations
A comprehensive list of what’s offered
in Hong Kong for many types of special
needs, created by the University of
Hong Kong, is available here.
http://oneclick.hku.hk/en/node/21
April 2015
59
Gifted
How should we help a gifted child? Sue Lynn Tan finds out.
M
ozart was a child
prodigy, composing
music at the age of five
and playing for the
Viennese Imperial Court at six. At a
similar age, Einstein was struggling
with speech, language and social
issues. His grades were good, though
not exceptional, and he disliked
school feeling it was too rigid an
environment. These two situations
illustrate very different ways in which
gifted children experience and cope
with their abilities. The gifted child’s
talents may take many forms and are
not always easy to spot.
Who is ‘gifted’?
A wide definition of giftedness –
covering aspects from cognitive
domains and leadership, to music
and sports – is typically adopted
today. Multiple assessment criteria
are employed to better identify and
60
Playtimes
nurture talents, including teacher,
parent and peer nominations,
behavioural checklists and
standardised tests. Parents seeking
to have their child formally assessed
can approach a child psychologist or
The Hong Kong Academy for Gifted
Education (HKAGE).
Parents and teachers play a critical
role in identifying giftedness. While
it is a common assumption that every
parent believes their child is gifted,
the reality is many parents in Hong
Kong shy away from vocalising this,
perhaps to avoid being seen as boastful
or pressuring their child. Professor
Ng Tai Kai, executive director of
the HKAGE, emphasises that while
there may be some parental bias,
this is outweighed by the fact parents
know their children best. Parents who
suspect their child is gifted should
be more proactive in identifying
and nurturing their talents, keeping
updated on educational developments,
reaching out to relevant organisations
and enlisting school support in
nominating their child for suitable
opportunities. Teachers also play a
critical role in talent spotting, whether
in the classroom or during
extra-curricular activities, and
bringing them to the attention of the
child’s parents and school.
Arunav’s mother first suspected
her son was gifted when his teacher
mentioned his advanced levels in
mathematics and reading – he
finished the Harry Potter series by
the age of six! As there wasn’t any
gifted programme at his school, she
didn’t have much information and
no clear direction. However, she was
also concerned that he had trouble
fitting in with his peers, a common
issue among gifted children. She
approached The Jadis Blurton Family
Development Centre for formal
assessment, which concluded Arunav
was gifted across multiple dimensions.
His mother found this very helpful in
giving her a better understanding of
the challenges Arunav was facing, and
the clarity to seek available options.
School support
Many schools in Hong Kong do not
currently have a gifted programme,
in contrast with countries such as
Singapore and the US, which have
very developed gifted education
systems. Hong Kong implements a
policy of encouraging mainstream
schools to cultivate high ability
students through school-based
programmes. The idea is to ease the
pressure on gifted children and help
them adjust socially, by not separating
them from their peers. The downside
is the gifted child may become bored
with the normal school curriculum,
leading to behaviour such as apathy,
hiding their ability or disciplinary
issues in class. Teachers in mainstream
schools face the challenge of not
only identifying gifted children, but
balancing their needs against the
majority, particularly given large class
sizes and limited resources. While the
Education Bureau supports schools
in gifted curriculum development
and provides teacher training, these
are elective and depend upon the
individual schools’ and teachers’
initiative.
According to Professor Ng
Tai Kai, international schools
usually have more flexibility to
nurture gifted children, with some
offering opportunities such as
grade advancement, specialised
programmes, a wide range of
extra-curricular activities and access
to international resources. Mary
Ellen Ryan, enrichment specialist at
the Hong Kong International Upper
Primary School, describes their
enrichment programme as a
three-tiered approach comprising
grade-level work, in-class enrichment
and a pull-out programme where
students participate in more
challenging environments, such as
working with older children. While
this is more focused on mathematics,
writing and reading, students gifted
in other fields, such as music, athletics
or art, can participate in the many
April 2015
63
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HKU Sandy Bay RFC
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extra-curricular activities and clubs
available.
Another example of a mainstream
school in Hong Kong with a strong
gifted programme is The Harbour
School (THS). Christine Greenberg,
vice principal of THS explains that
with their low student teacher ratio
of six to one and specialised learning
enhancement coordinators, teachers
can offer their gifted students a highly
customised educational experience
and cater to their individual
needs. THS also recently piloted a
mentorship programme which pairs
up interested and gifted children with
an experienced mentor in their field
of interest, from marine biology to
architecture.
Overcoming challenges
Giftedness is often not an easy path.
Mary Ellen Ryan explains that, from
her experience, gifted children tend
to be more complicated, defiant or
socially uncomfortable with their
peers, preferring those on a similar
wavelength. Many do not know
how to cope with failure and are
vulnerable emotionally, although
they might appear very mature. The
pressure to succeed can be intense and
may exacerbate social and personal
development issues. Parents should
be aware of the challenges their child
is going through, and provide the
necessary support.
In the end, as for all children, the
right path for a gifted child is probably
the one that leads to their overall
happiness and well-being – whether
it is seeking the most stimulating
environment for them, or just letting
them be children. While Arunav’s
family has moved to Singapore,
which offers a comprehensive range of
gifted educational options, his parents
decided to keep him in a mainstream
school and focus on his social and
personal development for now. His
mother explains their decision saying,
“As long as he is happy, his gifts will
shine.”
Where next?
In Hong Kong, there are several
gifted programmes organised by
local universities and institutions
to provide students with additional
learning opportunities, and help
parents and teachers better identify,
understand and nurture gifted
children. These are listed below:
• The Hong Kong Academy for
Gifted Education (HKAGE) offers
primary and secondary programmes
covering humanities, leadership,
mathematics, science and personal
and social development. Parent
workshops, seminars and support
groups are available, in addition to
teacher and school administrator
courses.
• The Chinese University of Hong
Kong organises primary and
secondary courses in areas such
as creative thinking, languages,
mathematics, sciences and public
speaking. Parent seminars and
workshops are also available.
• T he Hong Kong University of
Science and Technology runs
primary and secondary courses
in mathematics, science and
personal development. A summer
camp focused on science and
mathematics is organised with
select schools across Asia.
• T he University of Hong Kong
– ‘Academy for the Talented’
members have the opportunity
to work with students from
world-renowned universities,
conduct study tours overseas and
participate in community projects.
Courses include engineering,
mathematics, medicine, business
and science. A summer programme
is organised, such as the Junior
Entrepreneurship Summer School
in 2014.
• T he Hong Kong Academy of
Performing Arts (HKAPA). In
addition to college and graduate
programmes in music, dance,
media and theatre, the HKAPA also
offers the Gifted Young Dancer
Programme for students from
14-18 years old and the Junior
Music Programme with courses for
children from five years upwards.
This covers a wide range of musical
instruments and includes individual
instruction, musicianship classes
and ensemble activities.
•H
ong Kong Schools Sports
Federation (HKSSF) organises
primary and secondary inter-school
sports competitions, such as in
basketball, football, hockey, rugby
and gymnastics. The HKSSF has a
feeder system with most national
sports associations, providing
student athletes quality training
and access to higher levels of
competitions. The Student Athlete
Support pilot was recently launched
to provide financial support to
talented students from low-income
families.
• Internationally, various summer
school and camp options are
available for students keen to
further their interests and talents,
whether in academia, sports, music
or dance. The John Hopkins Centre
for Talented Youth and the Stanford
University Education Program for
Gifted Youth offer internationally
renowned academic programmes
for gifted children.
April 2015
65
Shatterproof!
No parent wants their child to grow up to become a burnt-out
‘crispy’ or a fragile ‘teacup’, so how do we nurture adaptability,
resilience and self-motivation in our children? Dr Shimi Kang has
some refreshingly straightforward advice.
L
aura was a first year
university student when
I met her in the hospital
emergency room. She had
slashed up her arms with the bow of
her violin. She told me it was not a
suicide attempt, but rather an act of
desperation to cope with her feelings
of exhaustion and anxiety.
As a child, Laura was a star
student excelling in academics and
music, and she spent a lot of time in
those activities. Laura’s mother solved
many of her problems for her and
protected her from everyday stresses,
such as doing chores, because she
didn’t want to interfere with Laura’s
success in winning awards and
medals. Things changed around
the age of 16, when Laura began to
have trouble with a curriculum that
required critical thinking, creativity
66
Playtimes
and collaborative group projects.
Once in university, things became
much worse and Laura admitted to
me that she slashed her arms after she
cheated in an English assignment that
she was at risk of failing.
Real life
Laura’s story is not unique. I have seen
it countless times. In my 12 years of
supervising medical students, interns
and residents, as well as in my own
patients, I have witnessed first-hand
a disturbing trend among the youth.
Some are “crispies”— students who
have been “working” since they
were four years old. Children who,
by age 19, are so burnt out that their
passion, purpose and problem solving
are charred to a crisp. Others are
“teacups”— bubble-wrapped by their
parents to never experience any
hardships. These students are so fragile
that they’re prone to break the moment
they encounter the first obstacle that
can’t be fixed by their parents.
Crispies and teacups are risk-averse,
exhausted, stressed and rigid – exactly
the opposite of what young people
should be as they embark on their
intellectual journeys. For many
whose grade point averages, test
scores and achievements in specific
extracurricular activities are high,
social skills, life skills, coping strategies
and creative problem-solving skills are
lacking. Crispies and teacups are unable
to adapt, think on their feet, cope with
real-life stress and solve unanticipated
problems. After one of my own
academic lectures to university
students, a brave young student told
me what I already knew. “A lot of us
kids these days are too tired or stressed
ESF sets its own rhythm
O
ne Friday evening at the
end of March, some of the
Playtimes’ team headed
out to the Queen Elizabeth
Stadium in Wanchai, for an energetic
night of uplifting choral music, at ESF’s
Rhythm of Life choral concert. 800
children, from 11 ESF primary schools
around Hong Kong, took to the stage,
dressed in lime green, citric lemon and
hot pink t-shirts. The evening was the
culmination of six months of rehearsing
by the boys and girls, and the brightly
coloured t-shirts they were dressed in,
reflected the enthusiasm and energy in
their singing.
It is one of the ESF’s biggest events of the
year and it was easy to see why, with so many
parents (more than 1500) brimming with
pride, as they watched their little ones take to
the stage to entertain the huge crowd.
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Each of the school’s music teachers
presented and performed a song that
they had been working on with their
students. The children who were aged
eight to 11 years old, enthralled the
audience with a wide range of songs
ranging from the traditional ‘Cantate
Domino’, sung in Latin and English, the
popular song ‘Food Glorious Food’, from
the musical OLIVER and ‘Children are the
future of the World’. The powerful and
rhythmic evening was finished off with the
choir’s rendition of ‘The Rhythm of Life’.
We were blown away and can’t wait
for the next one!
to care about the concepts; we just
want to know what’s on the test.”
Although clearly a bright young
woman, Laura was unable to cope
once she was out in the real world
of independent problem solving,
spontaneous action and teamwork.
Laura ended up leaving university
due both to her poor performance
and resulting lack of confidence. As
you can imagine, leaving university
caused Laura to go through a difficult
period in her life. I very much hope
she is healthy, happy and successful.
But with little ability to adapt, I worry
about her.
Free range
Of course, no parent sets out to raise
a crispy or a teacup. And it is certain
that no parent wants their child to
leave university prematurely. So what
is causing this phenomenon and how
can it be avoided?
The best way to avoid raising
a crispy or a teacup is to avoid
overscheduling and over-instructing.
A 2014 study in the journal Frontiers
in Psycholog y showed the relationship
between the time children spend
in less-structured and structured
activities and the development of
vital skills that are becoming more
and more important in our twentyfirst century world. Scientists call
these skills “self-directed executive
functioning” and as the study lead
author stated, these skills “help
them (kids) in all kinds of ways
throughout their daily lives, from
flexibly switching between different
activities rather than getting stuck
on one thing, to stopping themselves
from yelling when angry, to delaying
gratification. Executive function
during childhood also predicts
important outcomes, like academic
performance, health, wealth and
criminality, years and even decades
later.” The study results concluded
that children who spent more time
in structured activities had less
self-directed executive functioning
and those who spent more time in
free-f lowing, open-ended activities
had greater self-directed executive
functioning.
The key identified twentyfirst century skills are creativity,
communication, critical thinking and
collaboration. By leaving no time or
space for trial and error, mistakes and
just figuring things out, over-scheduling
and over-instruction stand in the way
of all of these skills. Of course, some
level of structure is good for children,
but with the endless cycle of structured
activities that have taken over modern
childhood, our kids’ lives have been
thrown off balance. This imbalance is
leaving them with the inability to think
for themselves, think on their feet, and
think outside of the box.
Ironically, today’s well-meaning
parents who are over-scheduling
and over-instructing because of
fear of competition are seriously
under-preparing children for our
rapidly changing modern world
that increasingly demands complex
cognitive skills and self-motivation
that cannot be outsourced or
automated. The days of awards and
promotions for those who know the
right answer are quickly disappearing
– we have Google for that. We are in
the era of conceptualization, where
those who ask the right questions,
find the right answer, and can apply
knowledge within diverse groups
and environments will succeed.
Those who can discover innovation,
connection and meaning will flourish.
This is bad news for crispies and
teacups, but good news for kids who
have led natural, well balanced lives
with enough play, social bonding and
downtime.
Dr Shimi Kang is an award-winning,
Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and Medical
Director of Child and Youth Mental Health
for the city of Vancouver. Her critically
acclaimed book, The Dolphin Way: A
Parent’s Guide to Raising Healthy, Happy,
and Motivated Kids is a national bestseller.
April 2015
69
The gift of the gab
Bringing your children up speaking more than one language can have a whole
host of benefits, both now and in the future, writes Laetitia Chanéac-Knight.
A
s the world becomes
increasingly globalised,
today’s children will no
doubt have an advantage
in their futures if they are able to
converse in various languages in
their social and professional lives. It
is very likely that they will travel, live
and work abroad in their lifetimes.
Multilingual children will find it
easier to understand other cultures
and relate to people in a much
deeper, more sensitive and efficient
way than if they rely on translators.
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In the world of work, we also know
that multilingual professionals
are thought to earn an average of
$3,000 (USD) more per year than
monolinguals.
In Hong Kong, many families are
trilingual in Mandarin, Cantonese,
and English. In our society, with its
expat community, mixed families
and various international schools,
children are given the opportunity to
acquire various languages from an
early age.
But although many parents dream
of their children being able to speak
multiple languages, when it comes
to practice, too many of them still
have some misconceptions which
discourage them from having a clear
family language plan to make this
possible. Some fear that learning
multiple languages will interfere with
children’s learning and intellectual
development, but this is a myth. The
commitment and the time it takes
to learn multiple languages is worth
every effort as research shows that
multilingual children have a wealth
Bilingual and multilingual
children find it easier to ignore
distractions, stay focused and
hold information.
of advantages over monolingual
children.
Cognitive advantages
Studies show that speaking more than
one language has many cognitive
benefits, and could even prevent
dementia in old age. The multilingual
brain has a better ‘executive
function’, a command system
involving the attention processes used
for planning and solving problems.
Bilingual and multilingual children
find it easier to ignore distractions,
stay focused and hold information.
Because multilingual children
regularly have to monitor their
environment by switching languages,
they regularly practice the ‘executive
function’ in their brain.
With their vocabulary,
multilingual children are also more
capable of separating meaning from
form, demonstrating more cognitive
flexibility. It has also been proved
that multilingualism helps children
develop superior reading and writing
skills. Thanks to transfers in the
brain, multilingual children can
use the information and the skills
they have acquired in one language
context in another language context.
Multilingual children also seem
to have improved analytical skills,
and they are more capable than
monolinguals at solving certain kinds
of mental puzzles.
Of course, the cognitive
advantages of multilingualism can
only exist when supported by other
social factors, such as education,
socioeconomic status and the
linguistic experiences we give our
children. However, the problem
solving strategies, a deeper awareness
of language and a greater cognitive
flexibility make multilingualism an
undeniable advantage in all areas of
academic life.
Linguistic advantages
Multilingual children also have a
deeper or more intuitive awareness
of language. In a research paper
in 1981, the author (Cummins)
explained, ‘Foreign language
learning enhances children’s
understanding of how language itself
works and their ability to manipulate
language in the service of thinking
and problem solving”. Parents are
often amazed that learning another
language will help their children to
improve in proficiency with their
native language. In the long term,
multilingual children develop a
greater vocabulary, have a better
ear for listening to other languages
and develop sharper memories.
They use strategies they might not
even be aware of to learn additional
languages, and it is easier and faster
for them to pick up new languages.
In our family, our children already
spoke English, French and Indonesian
when we moved to Mexico. They
attended a local bilingual school
and within two months they were
capable of following the programme
in Spanish. A year later, we moved to
Nicaragua where we spend most of
the year, and recently I overheard our
new neighbour asking my children if
they were from Costa Rica! No need
to say that, as a mum, I feel so proud
of them.
Social and emotional advantages
Knowing more than one language
helps children feel at ease in different
environments, in the company of a
variety of people. Multilingualism
gives a natural flexibility and
adaptability.
According to researcher Vivian
Cook in a 2001 paper, “A person
who speaks multiple languages has
a stereoscopic vision of the world
from two or more perspectives,
enabling them to be more flexible in
their thinking and to learn reading
more easily. Multilingual people,
therefore, are not restricted to a single
world view, but also have a better
understanding that other outlooks are
possible. Indeed, this has always been
seen as one of the main educational
advantages of language teaching.”
If the language you share with
your children is different from the
language of the community you live
in, you probably feel emotionally
closer when speaking your native
language to them. It has been found
too that multilingual people convey
emotions better and tend to have a
stronger sense of self-worth and selfunderstanding. Through language
our children gain a sense of identity,
leading to more self-confidence and
self-reliance.
The cultural advantage
How priceless is it to have children
naturally capable of appreciating
other cultures and accepting cultural
differences? Multilinguals are required
to be insiders and outsiders in two
or more cultures, and they have an
amazing ability to switch from one
language to another and jump from
one culture to another. They tend
to understand, appreciate and be
more tolerant with people of other
countries. They can reflect, compare,
contrast and understand cultural
concepts, even if they are not always
aware of it when they are young.
Children of immigrant
backgrounds are more likely to show
an interest in their heritage and
culture if they are raised speaking
the language. In our increasingly
globalised world, it is vital that our
children learn to deal comfortably
with multicultural experiences.
Speaking various languages is a
powerful skill that gives multilingual
children a clear head start on many
different levels. For a parent, raising
a child with more than one language
can be a time-consuming challenge,
but it is an investment that both you
and your children will never regret.
Supporting this process is the best gift
parents could give their children.
Laetitia Chanéac-Knight is a writer and
the editor of the family guidebook Bali with
Kids (www.baliwithkids.com). She has a
masters in applied linguistics and was a
language teacher for many years, and is now
bringing up her two children using English,
French, Spanish and Indonesian.
April 2015
73
Recent advances in technology have opened up a whole
new world for many children, writes Rachel Kenney.
C
hildren of the 21st century
are digital natives who
comfortably inhabit a
world of technologically
assisted entertainment, education
and communication. Candy Crush,
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp,
Fruit Ninja, Minecraft, Angry
Birds, YouTube, SMART Boards,
PowerPoint… these, and many, many
more are all part of being a child of
our time. But while many parents feel
that the all-pervasive reach of the
digital age can be a negative force to
be reckoned with, and that screen time
should be strictly limited, for many
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children with a variety of different
needs, technological advances have
been a force for good, and screen time
something to be positively encouraged.
Over the past few years, a vast
array of new technologies and apps
have been developed to help children
with a range of challenges, such as
communication difficulties, visual and
hearing impairments, and learning
and behavioural issues. Many of these
apps and technological advances are
accessed via smartphones and tablets,
making them more accessible than
ever. For these children and their
families, carers, teachers and friends,
many of these new products and
software have been screen saviours.
Make yourself heard
We all want to be understood, so
the isolation and frustration felt by
a child who is unable to speak to
those around him must be immense.
But in recent years, a range of new
software has been developed to help
bridge this communication gap.
Many children use ‘alternative and
augmentative communication’ (AAC)
aids such as Proloquo2Go, PicSmart,
ChatAble and Predictable, which are
downloaded onto a compatible device
(usually an iPad). These apps display
a series of pictures and symbols, and
the child can tap on them on the
screen to form sentences. The device
then speaks the sentences out loud for
the child. Although the functions and
features vary between apps, the basic
premise remains the same: they give
children a voice.
Using this new technology can
make a dramatic difference to a child’s
life. Raymond Fung, Behavioural
Consultant at Autism Partnership,
Hong Kong, uses a variety of new
technologies with students, including
communication aids. He explains,
“I have a student who could not use
speech to communicate. He had to
use sign language or physical actions
to communicate his needs, but often
got annoyed by other people. He got
frustrated easily when he did not get
enough attention from his family
members because he had limited
interests and skills to occupy himself
with meaningful activities.
“After his teacher taught him to use
an iPad to communicate his needs,
to take photos, to upload the photos
to Facebook, to search his favourite
NBA videos on YouTube and to listen
to music, his disruptive behaviours
have been reduced because he doesn’t
seek ongoing attention from his family
members when he can entertain
himself with the iPad.”
Hearing help
For children who have a hearing
impairment or are deaf, new
technologies and apps have also
opened up new communication
possibilities. Out go the previously
impossible phone calls, and in comes
video conferencing, so that sign
language and lip-reading can be used.
Many devices have some built-in
sound amplification technology and
April 2015
75
captioning, but additional apps are
available to meet a variety of needs.
There are also speech-to-text dictation
apps, such as Dragon Dictation and
Transcence, which ‘listen’ to what
a person is saying and transcribe it
onto the screen. For a child who is
deaf, their social circle is no longer
restricted to those who can use
sign language, or lots of frustrating
scribbling with a pen and paper.
As well as these communication
aids, the Hong Kong Society for the
Deaf has developed an app to help
Cantonese-speaking hearing impaired
children to improve their listening
and speaking skills. The Audiology
& Speech Training app can help
assess the child’s abilities and provide
training. According to Mandy Lam,
from the Society, “With the new app,
the trainers (teachers and parents) and
the children can practice anytime and
anywhere. We have trialled the app
on some preschool hearing impaired
children, and they were motivated by
the multi-media games and animation,
and they were willing to stay focused on
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Playtimes
the games without realising they were
actually doing training and practice on
their listening and speech sounds.”
Visibly different
The last few years have also seen
rapid advances in the number of
apps, gadgets and settings to help a
visually impaired child make the most
of the vast resources of the internet
and communicate via text or email.
Many smartphones and tablets come
with accessibility settings, such as
large text, bold text, text-to-speech
functions, voice command options,
or even built-in magnifiers. For those
who need to use an iPad, a specially
designed magnifier can be purchased
to enlarge content.
‘Screen readers’ are also widely
available, which convert the content of
the screen (such as text messages, web
pages, e-books, or PDF documents)
into an accessible format for the user
– this might be by converting the text
into speech, or converting it to Braille.
While many smartphones and tablets
have some built-in text-to-speech
capability, there are lots of additional
text-to-speech apps and software for
a variety of devices, including JAWS,
Thunder and Window Eyes, and at a
variety of prices (including free!). Some
e-readers, such as the Kindle Fire, now
come with built-in text-to-speech. For
those who prefer to use Braille, a screen
reader can send the selected content
to a separate Braille display, which is
either connected to the device via a
USB or wirelessly. A potentially useful
app for older children who want to stay
in touch while out and about is Braille
Touch for iPhone, which allows you to
type messages in Braille.
Physical education
The range of new assistive
technologies to help overcome
challenges and limitations for children
with physical disabilities has grown
enormously over the past few years.
For children with very limited
movement and speech, the use of eyegaze devices – computers controlled
by blinks – has become widespread,
but in recent years the technology has
become wireless, so a child can attach
the device to his wheelchair and have
it with him at all times, making it
easier to integrate and participate in a
much wider variety of activities.
An app which is designed for
children with very limited speech and
movement is the Say Hi! AAC app for
iPad. Designed by the parents of a child
with spinal muscular atrophy, the app
lets a child ‘speak’ through the iPad
without ever touching the screen. The
app’s designers say, “Our hope is that
Say Hi AAC will open the world of
communication for those with severe
physical challenges.”
Teacher tools
New technologies, software and
apps now play a very large role in
all schools, but nowhere is this more
true than in special schools. One
special school that pioneers the use
of new technology is Paddock School
in London. Paddock’s pupils have
severe learning difficulties, and
many of them are on the autistic
spectrum. Head Sarah Santos
explains, “All teachers here embrace
technology and investigate ways to
personalise learning for each pupil.
Some of our students on the autistic
spectrum struggle with the social
elements of learning, so an iPad
gives them a chance to focus on new
skills with fewer distractions. As
with all new innovations, technology
is not a cure-all, but it can help
some children with additional needs
get one step closer to integrating
into society, and one step closer to
independence and autonomy.”
Classroom teachers at the school
make use of targeted technology to
help their students learn, but also to
help create the right environment
for learning to flourish. Teacher
Laura Agel uses Class Dojo to help
reinforce positive behaviour. Each
student has their own named avatar
on the SMART board, under which
any points they are awarded for good
behaviour are displayed. When they get
25 points, they get a present from the
present box. Laura says, “The students
get excited when their number gets
higher. It’s a great tool because it’s not
about being better than anyone else, it’s
about getting points for yourself.”
Many mainstream apps can
be surprisingly useful educational
experiences in classrooms where
children have special needs. Teacher
Jess Heaney uses apps to help her
reception and year one students
develop their concentration. “I use
the Koi Carp app, as it emulates the
water effect and sound, and water is
generally a very motivating sensory
experience for the children. When
children ‘touch’ the water, the fish swim
away, so it helps develop their concept
of cause and effect. I also use the Uzu
app, which is another cause-and-effect
app, where dots on the screen follow
your touch. I use this for children who
don’t have a long concentration span,
but understand they have the ability to
make marks.”
Get connected
There is no doubt that new technologies,
apps and software have helped many
children to connect to a world that has
often previously been out of reach.
Former CEO of Microsoft Steve
Ballmer said, “The number one benefit
of information technology is that it
empowers people to do what they want
to do. It lets people be creative. It lets
people be productive. It lets people
learn things they didn’t think they
could learn before, and so in a sense
it is all about potential.” With the
development of specialist technology
– and its opportunities for education,
entertainment and communication –
far more children will be able to realise
that potential.
April 2015
77
THE BEST SCHOOLS
USE THE BEST TOOLS
All ESF and the majority of international
schools are using Mandarin Matrix – and if
your child is on the Matrix at school, then you
already have access at home.
Combining reading books and an online
classroom, Mandarin Matrix allows students
to login from any computer and listen to
their assigned book being read by a native
Chinese speaker.
Your child can then complete exercises and
tests that encourage character recognition,
independent reading, comprehension, and
play educational games that encourage
language acquisition.
Ask your child’s Mandarin teacher to connect
you to the Matrix – and make learning
Chinese at home easy!
Mandarin Matrix is used at Nord Anglia, ESF, CIS, CDNIS, Discovery College, Renaissance College,
Kiangsu & Chekiang Primary School, Harrow, The Harbour School, Island Christian Academy,
International Christian School, International Christian Primary School and many more!
MANDARIN MATRIX
ONLINE CLASSROOM,
WINNER OF THE 2013
ACADEMICS' CHOICE
SMART MEDIA AWARD
VISIT W W W.MANDARINMATRIX.ORG TO LE ARN MORE
Making
space
A practical approach with luxurious accents and clever storage
is key to warm family living in this chic Discovery Bay home.
Words & styling Ingrid Keneally | Photography Bricks & Mortar
April 2015
81
82
Playtimes
I
"
'm not someone who needs to
accumulate a lot of stuff anymore,"
says owner and design consultant
of Bricks and Mortar Cynthia Lie. On
the face of it that is true enough; Lie's
style is pure contemporary minimalism,
yet she brings a fair amount of warmth
to this thoughtful Discovery Bay interior
along with her well thought-out storage
and delightfully soft furnishings. Careful
consideration was taken and many ideas
bounced around before swift renovations
began on this 1616 sq m three-bedroomplus-study apartment. "It took 11 weeks
for us to renovate," says Lie. "It was very
quick as we were very organised. We
had everything ordered and bought to
start."
The sunny open-plan apartment
houses Lie, her husband and their two
children, aged four and two years. Work
brought the couple to Hong Kong from
Europe 20 years ago, and their love of the
vibrant pulse of the city has given their
children a fantastic start to life. "I love the
international community here and it is a
fantastic city to work in," Lie says.
Construction work and nearby noise in
Mid Levels, led the couple to put an offer
April 2015
83
on the Discovery Bay apartment in 2010.
The close proximity to water and a feeling
of more space first caught their attention.
"Discovery Bay was a good choice as it
is an easy place to live and the lifestyle
seems closer to nature," says Lie.
It's the apartment's open-plan kitchen
with exposed shelving and stainless steel
fittings that Lie describes as the heart of
the house. "It's really where everything is
happening; we love cooking and find our
kitchen is a lovely meeting place for us
all," she says.
At first glance, the apartment's
clean minimalism gives the space an
immaculate sense of order – but Lie has
created hidden storage and lovely soft
divisions that make the space feel fun,
loved and lived-in. A cream floor-toceiling curtain luxuriously separates the
dining room from the lounging area, and
is just one of many ways Lei has turned
the practical into something chic and
unexpected. "I like contrasting material
– it creates more life," she explains. "We
used a mix of polished concrete on the
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86
Playtimes
floors and walls with exposed bricks as
well." To Lie, the end result is New York loft
meets tropical resort-style home.
Although Lie is all for practicality she
took the time to design a room purely for
her husband's LP collection, which houses
an incredible array of vintage vinyls. Her
children's room has two well-considered
areas (play and sleep have their own
sections); the sleeping area was raised
70cm and storage was built beneath two
cots. Lie says every fixture and detail was
custom-made to fit in the home. And her
attention to detail has definitely paid off.
It's the combination of a cool minimalist
aesthetic and lived-in warmth with quirky
practicality that gives the apartment an
inviting feel. Lei says she likes Tree and
Ovo in Hong Kong for interiors and for
some storage inspiration she heads to
Muji and Ikea.
April 2015
87
DENIM CALL
Rubbed, washed, bleached, painted
– denim in all its shapes and sizes!
Styling & words Ingrid Keneally I Photography Melanie
Adamson I Models Jensen, Finn, Ingrid, Lara, Sam, Connor,
Orson & Thea I Location Melanie Adamson Photography Studio
88
Playtimes
Left: Jensen wears denim
long-sleeve shirt, $1,130,
with denim jeans, $1,120,
both from Bonpoint.
Right: Finn wears button up
shirt, $550, with vintage five
pocket denim jeans, $2,390,
both from Ralph Lauren.
Left: Ingrid wears
denim pinafore, $260,
with denim shirt, $210,
both from Mothercare.
Opposite: Lara wears
Ralph Lauren denim
shirt, $760.
Ella wears retro jacket in blue,
$1,190, Patagonia; with grey
velvet jeans, $295, Mothercare.
Evelyn wears Paul Smith puffy
coat, $2,390, Kids 21; and skinny
denim jeans, $295, Mothercare.
Boots are models’ own.
Aaron wears Paul Smith
Left: Sam wears Bonpoint
blue hooded coat with
denim shirt, $1,300, with
padded vest insert,
Ralph Lauren vintage five
$3,190, dress shirt, $1,390,
pocket denim jeans, $2,390.
with slim jeans, $1,190, all
Opposite: Connor wears
from Kids 21. Shoes are
Mothercare denim shirt,
model’s own.
$240, with Ralph Lauren
denim jeans, $1,345.
Left: Orson wears Ralph Lauren
denim jacket, $3,410.
Opposite right: Thea wears
denim short-sleeve shirt, $1,130,
with faded denim jeans,
$1,300, both from Bonpoint.
Opposite far right: Ingrid wears
denim pinafore, $260, with
denim shirt, $210, both from
Mothercare.
Ella wears shelled
hat, $320, and retro
jacket $1,190, both from
Patagonia; with grey
cords, $210, Mothercare.
Boots are model’s own.
market place
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PlaytimesHK
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Playtimes
market place
April 2015
97
market place
Want to reach over 50,000
parents in Hong Kong?
Contact the Playtimes advertising
team to find out how.
Call Jo on 2201 9719 or email
jo.allum@ppp.com.hk
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Playtimes
market place
April 2015
99
market place
Coming in May
All about mum
Marathon mums
Find out why Mums all
over HK are pushing
themselves to train for
marathons
A family affair
Mother and daughter
join forces to run
their own successful
fashion business
Balancing act
How many plates
can you Mums spin at
once?
Rekindling romance
Finding time for your
relationship as well as
taking care of the kids
Editorial deadline: 7 April I Booking deadline: 15 April I Artwork deadline: 17 April
For more information or to book advertising space, please email inquiries@ppp.com.hk.
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April 2015
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Distribution
Playtimes is distributed all over Hong Kong. Here is a list of some of our school, residential and retail distribution outlets. You can also find
Playtimes at learning centres, doctors’ surgeries, hospitals and in corporate offices. For a full list of distributors, please contact the Publisher.
If you would like to distribute Playtimes in your school, pre-school, health or learning centre or office, please email: jo.allum@ppp.com.hk
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
• American International School
• American International School
(Elementary)
• Anfield Primary School
• Australian International School
• Canadian International School
• Carmel School
• Carmel School - JCC Campus
• Delia School of Canada
• ESF Beacon Hill School
• ESF Bradbury School
• ESF Clearwater Bay School
• ESF Glenealy School
• ESF Kennedy School
• ESF Peak School
• ESF Quarry Bay School
• ESF Sha Tin Junior School
• German Swiss International School
• Grace Christian Academy
• Harrow International School
• Hong Kong Academy
• HK Adventist College
• Hong Kong Adventist Academy
• Hong Lok Yuen International School
• International Christian School
• Island Christian Academy/
Generations Christian Education
• Island Christian Academy
• Japanese International School
• Kellett School
• Kiangsu & Chekiang Primary School International Session
• Kiangsu & Chekiang Primary School Local Session
• Marymount Primary School
• Nord Anglia Education
• Norwegian International School
• Po Leung Kuk Camões Tan Siu Lin
Primary School
• Renaissance College (ESF)
• Starters School
• The Harbour School
• The ISF Academy
• Victoria Educational Organisation
• Victoria Shanghai Academy
• Yew Chung International School
RETAIL OUTLETS
• A&M Groceries
• Apple & Pie, Ltd.
• Babushka
• Baby Planner
• Bambini
• BBcare.hk
• Biva, Causeway Bay
• Biva, Stanley Plaza
• Bloom Baby
• Bonnie Baby Asia
• Bookazine, Canton House
• Bookazine, Prince’s Building
• Bookazine, Shui On Centre
• Book Buddy, Stanley
• Book Buddy, Ocean Terminal
• Bumps to Babes, Central; Ap Lei Chau
• Cake-A-licious
• Cosmos Bookstore
• Dymocks, Hong Kong Station
• Early Learning Centre (ELC)
• Edible Arrangements
• EKK Ltd
• Flexa, Sha Tin; Wan Chai; Ap Lei Chau
• Fusion, Clear Water Bay
102
Playtimes
• Fusion, Discovery Bay
• Fusion, Fairview Park
• Fusion, Garden Park
• Fusion, Happy Valley
• Fusion, Park View
• Fusion, Rhine Garden
• Fusion, Westlands Centre
• GREAT, Pacific Place
• Greenery Music Centre
• Healthy Delight
• I Love Kitchen
• Indigo, Cyberport
• Indigo, Ocean Terminal
• Indigo, Repulse Bay
• International, Baguio Villa
• International, Lei King Wan
• International, Hong Leuk Yuen
• International, Pacifica Mall
• International, Windsor House
• Kokoon for Kids, Cyberport
• Kokoon for Kids, Sha Tin
• Kokoon for Kids, Ocean Terminal
• Little Whale, Discovery Bay
• Little Whale, Mid-Levels
• LZYE, Causeway Bay
• LZYE, Ho Man Tin
• LZYE, Quarry Bay
• LZYE, Tin Hau
• Marketplace, Jardine’s Lookout
• Marketplace, May Road
• Marketplace, The Peak
• Marketplace, Cloud View Road
• Marketplace, Nexxus Building,
Central
• Marketplace, Happy Valley
• Marketplace, Repulse Bay
• Marketplace, Island Crest
• Marketplace, Model Lane
• Marketplace, Langham Place
• Marketplace, Clear Water Bay
• Marketplace, Austin Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Marketplace, Manhattan Mid-Town,
Mei Foo
• Marketplace, iSQUARE, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Marketplace, Telford Plaza
• Marketplace, K11, Tsim Sha Tsui
• Marketplace, Hankow Road
• Marketplace, The Edge
• Marketplace, Lions Rise
• Marketplace, Oxford Road
• Marketplace, Sha Tin
• Marketplace, Gold Coast Piazza,
Tuen Mun
• Marriott Hong Kong SkyCity
• Metrobooks, Elements
• Metrobooks, Langham Place
• Mirth Limited
• Mother & Child
• Mothercare, Lai Chi Kok
• Movieland, Discovery Bay; Happy
Valley
• Oliver’s The Delicatessen
• Pantry Magic
• ParknShop, Shouson Hill
• Tadpoles
• TASTE, Celestial Heights
• TASTE, Citygate
• TASTE, East Point City
• TASTE, Festival Walk
• TASTE, Hopewell Centre
• TASTE, Maritime Square
• TASTE, Olympian City
• TASTE, Stanley Plaza
• TASTE, Tuen Mun Plaza
• The Flying Pan, Wan Chai; Central
• ThreeSixty, Elements Mall
• Tiny Footprints
• Toys“R”Us
• Tree
• Uncle Russ, Discovery Bay
• W Hotel
• Wellcome, Causeway Bay
• Wellcome, Palm Springs
• Wellcome, Razor Hill
• Wellcome, Redhill Plaza
• Wellcome, Repulse Bay Arcade
• Wellcome, Sai Kung
• Wellcome, Seymour Terrace
• Wellcome, Watford Road
• Wisekids
PRE-SCHOOLS, KINDERGARTENS &
PLAYGROUPS
• 7X Smarter
• Adeona International Kindergarten
& Nursery
• Alison’s Letterland
• All 4 Kids
• Anfield International Kindergarten
• Baby Buddies, Sheung Wan;
Causeway Bay; Jordan
• Bambino English Playschool, Tsim Sha
Tsui; Tsuen Wan
• Bebegarten
• Blooming Buds Preschool
• Box Hill (HK) International
Kindergarten & Pre-School
• Casa dei Bambini
• Children’s Work International Ltd
• Cosmo Kids
• Deborah Anglo Chinese
Kindergarten
• Discovery Bay International School
• Discovery Mind Kindergarten
• Discovery Montessori
• ESF Abacus International
Kindergarten
• ESF International Kindergarten,
Hillside
• ESF International Kindergarten,
Tsing Yi
• ESF International Kindergarten, Wu
Kai Sha
• Garden House
• Highgate House School
• HKPPA Heng Fa Cheun Playgroups
• HKPPA Leapfrog Playgroups
• International Montessori School, MidLevels; Tin Hau
• International Montessori School
Kindergarten
• Island Children’s Montessori School
• Jing Jing Kindergarten
• La Petite Enfance
• Learning Adventures
• L’Ecole Pierre et Marie Curie
• Littleton Discovery Playgroup
• Manhabit International Nursery &
Kindergarten
• MASS International Pre-School
• Montessori for Children
• Morningstar School
• New Song Christian Kindergarten
• Noble Place
• Oaktree Montessori Chinese
Education
• Parkview International Pre-School (PIPS)
• Pekip
• Pods Kindergarten & Preschool
• Sai Kung International Pre-School
• Salala Kids House
• Southside Kindergarten
• St Nicholas’s English Kindergarten
• Sun Kids
• Sunshine House Discovery Bay
• Sunshine House International Play
School
• Sunshine House International
Pre-School
• Tadpoles
• The Open Classroom
• The Peak Pre-School
• The Woodland Beachside Pre-School
• The Woodland Harbourside
Pre-School
• The Woodland Pre-School (Pokfulam)
• The Woodland Sai Kung Pre-School
• Victoria (Belcher) Kindergarten
• Wellborn International Pre-School
• Wembley International Kindergarten
• Woodland Montessori Pre-School,
Mid-Levels
• Woodland Montessori Pre-School,
Repulse Bay
• Woodland Montessori Pre-School,
Tai Tam
• Woodland Pre-School, Happy Valley
• YMCA of HK International
Kindergarten
• YWCA
• Zebedee International Kindergarten
CLUBS & RESIDENTIAL COMPLEXES
• Aberdeen Marina Club
• Amalfi
• American Women’s Association
• Bamboo Grove
• Chianti
• Clearwater Bay Country Club
• Club Bel-Air
• Club Metro Town
• Cyberport
• Discovery Bay Management
• D’oro Private Club
• Gold Coast Yacht & Country Club
• Greenvale
• Hebe Haven Yacht Club
• Hong Kong Country Club
• Hong Kong Cricket Club
• Hong Kong Disneyland Resort
• Hong Kong Football Club
• Hong Kong Jockey Club
• Hong Kong Parkview
• Hong Kong Public Libraries
• Hong Luk Yuen Country Club
• Ladies’ Recreation Club
• Midvale
• Neo Horizon
• Pacific Club
• Parkridge
• Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club
• The American Club, Central Town
Club; Country Club
• The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country
Club
• The Park Resort
Please note our distribution list is subject
to change.
Stockists
AMERICAN VINTAGE www.americanvintage-store.com
Shop 3086-87, Podium Level 3, ifc Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central
MOTHERCARE www.mothercare.com.hk
2234 7859
BOOKAZINE | www.bookazine.com.hk
Shop 1912, 19/F, Horizon Plaza, Ap Lei Chau
2518 0528
Shop 208, iSQUARE, Tsim Sha Tsui
2312 0070
Shop 201-202, Lee Gardens Two, Causeway Bay
2504 1088
Shop G12, G/F, DB North Plaza, Discovery Bay
2987 1373
Shop 4-6, Level 9, MegaBox, Kowloon Bay
2359 0018
Shop 309, Landmark Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central
2522 1785
Shop 366, Grand Century Place, Mong Kok
2380 1832
Basement, Canton House, 54-56 Queen’s Road, Central
2521 1649
OTG52, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
2735 5738
Shop 305-307, Landmark Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central
2523 5704
G/F, Oriental Crystal Commercial Building, 46 Lyndhurst Terrace,
Central
2970 3999
Shop A110-A112, Phase 3, Level 1, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin
2698 5533
Shop 117, Shui On Centre, 6-8 Harbour Road, Wan Chai
2802 4932
Shop 422, 4/F, Telford Plaza II, Kowloon Bay
2997 3013
Shop 305-07, One Exchange Square, Central
2542 1133
MOTHERS EN VOGUE HONG KONG www.mothersenvogue.com
BOOKBUGZ | www.bookbugz.com.hk
17/F, Crawford House, 70 Queen’s Road Central, Central
13A, Tak Lung Tsin Street, Sai Kung
2866 7171
6405 4947
PAGE ONE | www.pageonegroup.com/1/hongkong.html
BUMPS TO BABES | www.bumpstobabes.com
Shop LG 1-30, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong,
Unit 2114-18, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau
2552 5000
Kowloon
2778 2808
5/F, Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central
2522 7112
Shop 3001A, Level 3 and 4001 Level 4, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
2730 6080
2/F, Stanley Plaza, 23 Carmel Road, Stanley 2555 6318
Shop 922, 9/F, Times Square, 1 Matheson Street, Causeway Bay
2506 0381
Hong Kong International Airport, multiple locations
2261 0080
COCKTAIL www.cocktail.com.hk
G10-11 Leighton Centre, Causeway Bay 2907 4388
POLLUX BOOKS | www.polluxbooks.com
Shop 1083, Elements, Kowloon
2196 8628
2101, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau
2/F Sogo, Causeway Bay
Shop LG1-01B, Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong
2873 6962
2831 8978
2265 7281
FIONA’S PRINCE | www.fionasprince.com
PETIT BATEAU www.petit-bateau.com
Harvey Nichols, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty
3968 2668
L2-16, Level 2, Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong
3188 9279
6F, Sogo, 555 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
2833 8242
2/F, Lee Gardens Two, Causeway Bay
3188 1592
Shop G11, The Peak Tower, 128 Peak Road, The Peak
2849 7200
Shop A191, Level 1, New Town Plaza Phase III, Sha Tin
3621 0520
G-13, G/F, Hankow Centre, 49-51 Peking Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
2311 8368
Shop OTG52A, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
3188 4051
INDIGO LIVING | www.indigo-living.com
TICKITEY-BOO | www.tickitey-boo.com
6/F & 10/F, Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau
2555 0540
Shop 221-224, Landmark Prince’s Building, 10 Chater Road, Central
2801 5512
TINY FOOTPRINTS | www.tinyfootprints.com
G111-112, The Repulse Bay, 109 Repulse Bay Road, Repulse Bay
2592 8721
10/F, 1 Duddell Street, Central
2522 2466
Shop 206-207, HomeSquare, 138 Shatin Rural Committee Road, Sha Tin 2634 1618
Shop 316, The Arcade, 100 Cyberport Road, Cyberport
2989 6557
TOYS CLUB www.itoysclub.com
OTG09, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
2317 0368
1913 Horizon Plaza, 2 Lei Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau
2836 0875
5/F On Hing Building, Central
2167 8474
JACK WILLS www.jackwills.com
Leighton Centre, Shop L02, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
3105 1798
TOYS R US | www.toysrus.com.hk
LCX Mall, Level 3, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
3101 9776
3/F, Citiplaza, Taikoo Shing
2569 2388
New Town Plaza Shop 415, Phase 1, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin, N.T
3580 2858
Man Yee Building, 67 Queen’s Road, Central
2259 9166
Festival Walk Unit LG1-28, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon 3579 4266
MARIMEKKO www.marimekko.com
7/F, Windsor House, 311 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
2881 1728
Shop 23, 2/F, Aberdeen Centre, Site 2, Aberdeen
2518 7128
OTG23, Ocean Terminal, Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui
2730 9462
G/F, 42 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
2203 4218
Shop G01, Olympian City 3, West Kowloon
2884 3268
Shop 42, G/F, Lai Chi Building, 42-52 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
2203 4218
Level 1, Commercial Centre, Discovery Park, Tsuen Wan
2940 1968
Shop 1011-1012, The Element
2701 9288
Shop 2196, Tuen Mun Towne Plaza Phase 2, Tuen Mun
2430 0268
Shop 204 – 205, 2/F, Cityplaza, 18 Taikoo Shing Road, Taikoo Shing
2562 8328
Shop A198-A199, Level 1, New Town Plaza III, Sha Tin
2605 2225
Shop 469, Level 4, New Town Plaza Phase I, Shatin
2808 4438
Shop L2-02, Festival Walk, 80 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong 2265 7933
Units 2 & 5, Level 8, MegaBox, Kowloon Bay
2629 5186
Shop B24A-B33, Site 11, Whampoa Garden, Hung Hom
2356 2688
Metro City Plaza 2, Tseung Kwan O
3194 6399
MARIMEKKO kidswear exclusively sold at:
Shop 1011-1012, Elements
2701 9288
Shop 469, Level 4, New Town Plaza Phase I, Shatin
2808 4438
MAYARYA | www.mayarya.com
G/F, 26 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan 2968 0929
Shop 104, 1/F, Stanley Plaza, Stanley
2968 0939
April 2015
103
last word
Better late than never
M
There is hope for late developers, says
father-of-three Nury Vittachi.
y apologetic teachers always told my parents:
“Er, he’s probably a late developer.” Years
later, I’m beginning to ask how late is late,
exactly?
I hate people destined for early success. Reader Anita Chau
sent me a report about a pregnant British woman, Amanda
Collins, who entered an ultrasound scan of her fetus into a
baby beauty contest.
Contest officials accepted the entry, although waited until
after birth to give the baby her prize certificate. They could
have rolled it up really tightly, I suppose.
But her actions raise the parenting bar to a worryingly
high level for the rest of us. School admissions officer: “Mr
Vittachi, can you list your child’s achievements before birth?”
Me: “Er, well, she kicked a lot, probably, and practised, er,
breathing, no, wait, there’s no air in there, well, she kicked a
lot, probably.” Like that’s going to get her into a decent school.
Can you actually change your fate by sheer determination?
Maybe. A deaf thief robbed a house recently, taking his signlanguage interpreter with him to facilitate the intimidation of
the householder, says a report forwarded to me from a news
site in Scotland. I found that oddly impressive.
You have to admire that guy for not letting his disability
limit his ambition.
But more common are news reports like the one about the
one-legged teenager in Malaysia some years back who joined
a snatch-and-run gang, and got caught by police on his first
job as he hopped away. Why did his school careers advisor not
warn him? “You have one leg. Is snatch-and-run really the
right direction for you?”
104
Playtimes
Yet those experts can be wrong. When my school careers
officer asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said:
“A member of the British royal family.”
She told me that there were limited openings for small
Asian people in that line of work, so I ditched the plan.
You can imagine my fury when in 1995 Princess Diana
fell madly in love with a handsome south Asian guy (Hasnat
Khan) and started dressing in sari blouses to court him.
That could have been me! I could have been married to a
dangerous scheming woman who slept with her bodyguards
and ruined her husband’s life.
Still, I continue to hate the phrase “follow your dream”.
This may have something to do with the fact that my most
common dream is being naked in the supermarket.
A psychologist told me this is an extremely common dream,
which signifies that you feel inadequate as a human being.
I told her, no, it signifies that my local supermarket chain
(Park ’n’ Rob) is run by an organised criminal gang that takes
everything customers (“victims”) have.
So, late bloomers, don’t despair. Novelist Jean Rhys
wrote her first bestseller at 76, and Indian polymath Nirad
Chaudhuri wrote a book at the age of 100.
Meanwhile, there’s another baby beauty contest coming up.
My kids are too old to enter, but I may follow Amanda Collins’
lead and send in an x-ray of my reproductive system.
This may be an arrestable offence, but at least I’ll get some
headlines and finally prove my teachers right.
Nury welcomes your comments and ideas at his Facebook
page: www.facebook.com/nury.vittachi.