Dear parents,
Teacher Joyce was away to take care of her mother last month. The children made cranes (birds of peace) to send their “get well soon” wishes. We hung the cranes at our display corner. I was so moved when I saw the children stand in front of the cranes to pray. I could feel their compassions and love. Teacher Joyce’s mother has been discharged from the hospital and is now recovering.

Last week, our papaya in the garden ripened. We harvested it with the children. As the gardener had covered the ripening fruit to avoid it being eaten by insects or birds, the children were very surprised when they saw the golden fruit. We enjoyed the sweet papaya very much.

This month we have Foong Lin and Swee Kian, two parents, to share with us. I appreciate their contributions. I hope you will gain some insights from their articles. You are most welcome to share your thoughts and experiences with us in the future.

Please remember to write your child’s name on all his/her belongings. This is to avoid any mix-up among the children. Most of the parents still didn’t write names on their children’s belongings after I had highlighted my concern in last month Nania News.

We will celebrate Harvest Festival on 5th October. Please mark the date on your calendar. More information about the festival will be given in September.

Lastly, I wish you a happy holiday. See you again on 3rd September.

　　　　　　　　　　　Teacher Thian

About Moon Cake Festival
The Moon Cake Festival, a Mid-Autumn Festival (Chung Chiu), is the third major festival of the Chinese calendar. Every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, when the moon is at its maximum brightness for the entire year, the Chinese celebrate "Chung Chiu Jie." It is also known as the Moon Cake Festival because a special kind of sweet cake (yueh ping) prepared in the shape of the moon and filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds and duck eggs is served as a traditional Chung Chiu delicacy.

On that day children are told the story of the moon fairy, Chang-o, living in a crystal palace, who comes out to dance on the moon's shadowed surface. The legend surrounding the "lady living in the moon" dates back to ancient times, to a day when ten suns appeared at once in the sky. The Emperor ordered a famous archer to shoot down the nine extra suns. Once the task was accomplished, Goddess of Western Heaven rewarded the archer with a pill that would make him immortal. However, his wife found the pill, took it, and was banished to the moon as a result. Legend says that her beauty is greatest on the day of the Moon festival.

Of course, the most famous legend surrounding the Moon festival concerns its possible role in Chinese history. Overrun by the Mongols in the thirteenth century, the Chinese threw off their oppressors in 1368 AD. It is said that moon cakes - which the Mongols did not eat - were the perfect vehicle for hiding and passing along plans for the rebellion.? Families were instructed not to eat the moon cakes until the day of the moon festival, which is when the rebellion took place. (In another version plans were passed along in moon cakes over several years of Mid-Autumn festivals, but the basic idea is the same).

Parents’ Sharing: Television and Child Development

You may already have heard of the rising concern on the adverse effect of television viewing to children development. I would like to share some general effects that I have learned through my own experience and from others. Through observation of some schools, children who become used to ‘zapping’ from one programme to another lose their awareness of the importance of listening to spoken words. Children’s concentration is also affected. Unintentionally, children are exposed to the advertising of undesirable products. The sitting still state with restricted interaction between children and television set is not really enjoyed by the children. These are the effects that we as parents need to be aware of. It is us to decide what role we want television to play in our children’s lives.

I do recognize that television is a central in most of the home and family. It sounds difficult to control the watching time or even eliminate completely. I was having a tough and joyful experience in my family of moving away from television watching routine. When I decided to eliminate television from children completely, it appeared very difficult to me to change my family routine as my other family members, e.g., my husband and elder aunt have been used to the TV watching routine. Sometimes, my children didn’t really like the TV programme but just wanted to stay in the living room with the family members who were watching TV after dinner hour. I found that children didn’t really enjoy as they sometimes preferred to have movement play than sit still. I was suspicious to my decision in the beginning as I was afraid that my husband and my aunt would not be happy. However, I decided to stick to my decision as I thought of the previous generations were also having happiness without TV.

What I have attempted at first was creating a play corner at the upstairs’ room to move my children away from the living room where TV watching was the family activity during evening hours. I planned movement, singing and craft activities for children in the play corner. This helped but I could not maintain the routine because it was not natural for children to

move to upstairs without my active invitation and accompany. Though my husband and I had different opinion in the transitioning approach and pace, we learned from each other through better communication between us. Finally, I received great support from him not to have TV in the living room when my family moved to new house. We keep the TV in the corner far away from living room. Our family chose to watch DVD instead of ‘astro’ programme as we can control the viewing hour, e.g., during children bedtime. This is really a big step in creating joyful evening hours for our family after the dinner.

My children have their routine of drawing, playing with natural toys, folding origami, viewing story book pictures and interacting with family members through playing and sharing their days’ story. It is a warm environment for my youngest daughter who is 19 months to imitate and learn. She started to scribble and ‘cook’ with natural toys. She folds origami paper using her whole body weight as I guess she thinks that the paper is hard to be folded. The other big surprise that I have is my husband, aunt and sister-in-law also enjoy the routine without TV. They enjoy observing the children play and growth, which are so fulfilling to each of us. They substitute their evening hours with reading newspaper and magazine which my husband intentionally purchases more copies as replacement media for TV. My aunt starts to bring back her previous skills of craft work. For example, she makes clothes with my children together. So, it is not as difficult as I think initially. With patience and better communication within family members to get their support, our evening hours are nourished with joy and fulfillment.

　　　　　　　　　By Swee Kian (Chia Zheng and Chia Yui’s mother)

I am Foong Lin, mother of Jing Qi and Shu Qing. Jing Qi graduated last year from Taska Nania and Shu Qing is currently in the English class. I am writing this letter to share my experiences with you.

Last December, I shared with you my family’s daily routine. We wanted to match our home rhythm to the daily routine at Nania to our home for our children when they reach home. I have seen the positive results in my family. I will share about them in my next letter.

This sharing is my concern about watching television. When my family moved to Penang, we decided not to have TV at home. My family has benefited from this decision especially in our relationship with our children. My husband and I shared the same opinion that watching TV brings more harm than benefits to children. Besides, there are many activities that can replace TV’s role. Parents need to plan these activities for the children. Some activities need parents’ participation while others do not. Some examples are drawing, singing, origami, reading, games and outdoor activities.

In my family, Monday to Friday nights, we read together for about half an hour after the dinner. While we read the newspaper, we explain the pictures to the children. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, we go swimming, hiking, play games in park or attend Taska Nania’s Saturday class. In the afternoons, we usually take a nap and play at home. At night, we take a walk together. Then we sing, read or do craft work.

At first, we faced some problems. Everyone needs time to adjust to the new family routine. It took us almost a year. The most important thing is to plan activities that are suitable for the whole family. The activities depend on each family’s interests or hobbies. Our family consists only of parents and children, so it is much easier to plan the family activities as compared to the families with grandparents or other family members. If the other family members need to have a TV at home, may be you could locate it far from the center of living room or lock it in the cabinet. Besides, we also can choose the TV programmes or limit the viewing hours.

Why do people watch TV? In my opinion, most people get information and entertainment through watching TV. However, some people become addicted to the TV. They are used to switching on TV at night or when they get back home. They hope to find some programmes that will interest them. Unfortunately, they will continue watching another programme when one is finished. Actually, nowadays to watch TV or not is a tough decision that wars in our minds.

Today, TV has not only changed our lifestyles, but it has taken away our wonderful time with the children. Children don’t want to communicate with us and we can’t have time with them to talk or educate them. Childhood can be wonderful if we take away the TV from our children.

TV advertisements and ‘soap operas’ have stimulated children’s desires. Children absorb unhealthy information and imitate the cartoon characters. At this stage, children can’t analyze the TV information. They absorb all messages into their mind. This makes them confused.

Children do not need TV. It is we, the adults, who bring TV into their lives. We have the choice to take away the TV from them or to control their viewing time. Actually, children are influenced by our lifestyles. Don’t make TV the ‘nanny’ or let TV arrange your child’s time. “Rescue’ your child from this magic box and let them experience Mother Nature. Let them enjoy the family time with you to nourish their physical and psychological growth. Today, work and other things have occupied most of our time, so don’t let TV take away our limited family time. Use these precious moments to develop our relationship with our children. Even though we need to ‘leave’ the TV, it is worth the sacrifice.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　By Foong Lin (Shu Qing’s mother)

Coming events

Moon Cake Festival (25th September 2007)
Teacher will tell the story about the moon fairy, Chang-o, on that day. Later, the children will bring back a vegetarian moon cake each.

June 2007 (E68)

Dear parents,
I am happy to have all the children back after the school holidays. Paul and Livia have gone back to Austria for their holidays. We will see them again at the end of July.

After the school holidays, the display hall has been transformed into a warm and calm place with candles and handmade lanterns. The children who have experienced this before know that the Lantern Festival is coming. We are practicing poems, finger games and songs during ring time for the festival. Lantern Festival is one of the most exciting festivals for me since I was small. Every year, when I make lanterns with the children at Nania, I recall the sweet memory I had with my father. When I was a child, he helped me to make a lantern. I wish to meet all of you on that festival evening.

Last week, I asked the children to take out their stickers from their water bottles and bags. I told the children that cartoon characters only live in their TV world. They shouldn’t come to class. I would like to share my rational for making this decision with you. Please refer to the next columm.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Teacher Thian

Children below the age of 7 learn through imitation. They imitate whatever they see or hear from their surroundings. It is not only words and behaviour that they imitate. Children also pick up moods and attitudes through imitating other people’s feelings and inner qualities.

Unlike adults whose thinking abilities are more developed, children can’t choose what to hear and what to see. They are an “open sense organ” and most importantly, they believe everything they see in this world is true. Understanding children’s development, I am concerned about our modern children who are exposed to TV and many cartoon characters from a very young age.

I can see the boys imitating the actions of some cartoon characters or making electronic-type action sounds. Girls wish to wear beautiful dresses like Barbie Doll.

Our children are not only influenced by the TV. We can see all sorts of merchandise like toys, stickers, T-shirts, dresses, bags, books and etc in the market. Children demand such merchandise because of the cartoon characters they like. Shouldn’t adults, who are paying the money, have more say in these decisions?

In Nania, we discourage imitation of TV cartoon characters. Such play is somewhat prescribed, limited in scope and not as rich on social interaction, imagination and speech formation. Consequently, we discourage children from bringing merchandise associated with them to the class. I am looking for your cooperation to minimize the influence of TV and cartoon characters on our children. .

About the Lantern Festival Celebration

The Lantern Festival is one of the big festivals we celebrate with parents at Nania. The Nania Lantern Festival brings together elements from the Chinese Moon Cake Festival and the Japanese Summer Bon Festival.

Bon is one of Japan’s summer festivals and is a time when people make offerings of food and other things to their ancestors and pray for the happiness of their ancestors’ souls in the next world. It takes place from the 13th to 15th of August, and during this time the folk dance known as Bon Odori can be seen in cities, towns and villages all over Japan.

Moon Cake Festival otherwise kwown as the Mid-Autumn Festival, is the third major festival of the Chinese calendar. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. This festival is also known as the Moon Cake Festival because a special kind of sweet cake prepared in the shape of the moon and filled with sesame seeds, ground lotus seeds and duck eggs is served as a delicacy.

This year we will celebrate the festival on 19th July (Thursday) . (Please take note the change of date. This change is necessary because we were not able to book the parking space on 20th July). We will celebrate this festival in the evening at Nania’s garden if it does not rain

On the festival day, children will make dango (rice dumpling) in the morning for the evening festival snack. They will start the evening with songs, a dance and then enjoy the snack they have made themselves. Then,they will do a lantern walk with their handmade lanterns.

At Nania we use candles for story time, birthdays and farewells. Candles, as lights on the Earth, are used to represent the lights in Heaven in our cultural activities. The sight of Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon and Mr. Star fill the children with wonder and awe. As Mr. Candle’s light graces their activity it brings a sense of solemnity and dignity to the children. The lantern walk during the Lantern Festival offers a moment of communion in the children’s hearts between the lights on earth and the lights in the heavens.

The children have painted the paper that they will use to make their lanterns. Parents are encouraged to make lanterns with the children’s siblings for the lantern walk on that night.

Coming events
Tanabata Celebration (Friday 6th July 2007)
This is the day of the year, according to a Chinese and Japanese folktale, when the Weaver Princes and the Cowherd can meet across the Milky Way to renew their love for each other. The children will make Tanzaku for this celebration. Tanzuka and other ornaments are hung on a bamboo branch during tanabata and placed in the house as a way of entreating better things to come.

Lantern Festival (Thursday 19th July 2007)
On that day, the children will be going home early (after lunch at 12:15pm). Later, they will come back to Nania for the Lantern Festival with their parents and siblings after dinner at 6.15pm. Enclosed with this news letter are the details and a song sheet for the festival.

April 2007 (E66)

Dear parents,
The children enjoyed the Easter Spring celebration very much. They decorated their eggs into colourful Easter eggs in the morning. Children were excited when they found eggs in the garden after the puppet show. Some seeds that they had planted have sprouted and are growing well.

Puppet show during Easter Spring celebration

Seed sowing and watering the plants

Egg hunting at the garden

Junko has written 10 articles about the Whys and How concerning the way we do things in Nania. We introduced it under a column entitled “At Nania” in Nania News (E31 to E54). Some parents who joined us in 2006 or 2007 may not have read all the articles. Please visit to our home page www.taskanania.com to read them. They are entitled, “At Nania 1-10”. If you have no access to the internet, you may ask for a printed copy from the office.

Enclosed is the Sports/Family Day programme. The Penang Japanese School hall has a wooden floor. Kindly prepare a pair of clean sport shoes for indoor use only for each family member. I look forward to seeing all of you on the Sports/Family Day.

Please take note that Nania will be open on 26th April (Thursday) although it is a government public holiday for the celebration of the King’s coronation.

Finally, I wish you a happy holiday (starting from 30th April). I hope that I will learn a lot during the 2nd Asian Waldorf Teachers Conference in Bangkok.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Teacher Thian

Coming events:

Kodomo-no-hi / Boys’ Day (5th May)

It is a Japanese custom for families with boys to put up the koinobori, or carp streamers, in their garden or on the roof on this day. The koinobori carps appear to be swimming vigorously against the current as they flatter in the wind. It symbolizes boys should face and overcome their personal challenges with the same positive spirit.
At Nania, we celebrate this event on 7th May 2007. The children will make a koinobori and a Samurai hat as part of their class activity and take them home on that day.

Koinobori carps

Mothers’ Day
We will celebrate Mothers’ Day on 11th May. Children will make flowers and a wall decoration to bring home for their mothers.

Bento [Lunch Box] Picnic Day
This year, we will have our Bento Day on 24th May. Children will make ‘money’ during the morning artistic activity time. They will then buy lunch boxes from ‘Aunty Janet’s Restaurant’ and enjoy a picnic in the garden, under the shade, of course.

Holidays
30th April (Monday) - Sports Day replacement holiday
1St May (Tuesday) - Labour Day
2nd May (Wednesday) - Wesak Day (Replacement holiday)
3rd & 4th (Thursday and Friday) - Nania’s holiday
* The Nania’s holiday is to allow teachers to attend the Asian Waldorf Teachers’ Conference that will be held in Bangkok.