Post 133 Good manners
The character building of children should start from home. I should suggest that parents start from basic manners and social etiquettes. Children ought to be taught not to talk while eating, to sit properly at the dining table in order not to obstruct the persons sitting next to him, not to make noise while chewing food, and not to drip the soup onto the table while spooning the soup. Children must finish their food and not to waste them. Children must also taught to greet others, to be polite and not to shout to be heard, interrupt others while they are talking or address elders and seniors by their names, for all these behaviours are considered to be rude.
Parents ought also to set a good example for children to emulate at home. For example he will push the chair in under the table after meals and keep books and stationery in their original places so as not to waste time looking for them later on. In this way parents are seen to have been instrumental in nurturing the innate goodness and talents of their children who would grow up to be urbane and debonair in nature. Through good nurturing from young at home, children will then conduct themselves in a responsible way. In a wider perspective children will possess personal morals and social morality, making themselves accountable to the group, the nation and the people. Family education effectively delivered will see the making of pleasant personalities in children.
Good manners are good culture manifested.- Quote by Ho Nee Yong
28 February 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Migration
Post 132 The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
Having witnessed many of my classmates, college mates and friends migrating overseas, I come to understand the meaning of the idiom ‘The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence’ better. A pasture full of grass is meaningless when its abundance is out of bound and so one is forced to change one’s mind set. One then has to break through the ‘fence’ in one’s thought before deciding to move on to the new and greener pasture. This action of going to a better place or job is one’s choice.
Before retiring in July 2008, Bill Gates gave his ten advices to high school students. Bill Gates told the young people his top golden rule: “Life is not fair - get used to it.” He says no one in the world can change this because injustice prevails in the society. The students were told to try to adapt it. For those who break the fence to cross to the other side of the pasture, they know the rule and adapt it by shifting their goal posts. When people choose to live the life they want, any value judgment on them is not justified. I wish all those whom I know in the new pastures the best of everything.
A person has choices while facing the challenges in life. He can choose to be a parasite throughout his life and live on hand-outs thereby losing whatever dignity he has; one can walk tall and believe in his ability to be independent; or one can move around globally in realising one’s dream.
No one can see the future but our attitudes in life can tell. - quote by Ho Nee Yong
21 February 2012
Having witnessed many of my classmates, college mates and friends migrating overseas, I come to understand the meaning of the idiom ‘The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence’ better. A pasture full of grass is meaningless when its abundance is out of bound and so one is forced to change one’s mind set. One then has to break through the ‘fence’ in one’s thought before deciding to move on to the new and greener pasture. This action of going to a better place or job is one’s choice.
Before retiring in July 2008, Bill Gates gave his ten advices to high school students. Bill Gates told the young people his top golden rule: “Life is not fair - get used to it.” He says no one in the world can change this because injustice prevails in the society. The students were told to try to adapt it. For those who break the fence to cross to the other side of the pasture, they know the rule and adapt it by shifting their goal posts. When people choose to live the life they want, any value judgment on them is not justified. I wish all those whom I know in the new pastures the best of everything.
A person has choices while facing the challenges in life. He can choose to be a parasite throughout his life and live on hand-outs thereby losing whatever dignity he has; one can walk tall and believe in his ability to be independent; or one can move around globally in realising one’s dream.
No one can see the future but our attitudes in life can tell. - quote by Ho Nee Yong
21 February 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Gathering of old classmates
Post 131 Keep the old friends
I am a regular among a group of old classmates who meet for lunch or dinner for old times’ sake. As we have already long retired from the rat race, we are not interested in comparing notes on our success or failure in life. We would talk of the good old days in school, the unforgettable mischievous acts of a few live wires in class, and current affairs. At times we would also show concern on classmates we know and who are in ill-health.
When a person is in a happy, cheerful mood, people like being with him whereas a person who is anti-social lacks friends. It is a pity that two or three of our classmates whom we know are withdrawn and do not like to join in social functions. They just want to be an island and be left alone. It is a fact that as we grow old, we need old friends to be with us. They allow us to joke and be playful, and to encourage one another.
It is said that the best mirror in the world is an old friend. An old friend knows us well enough to offer us good advice without inhibitions. An old friend is to be treasured because he has passed the test of being your bosom friend who would never let you down.
It takes a long time to make a new friend an old one. –quote by Ho Nee Yong
14 February 2012
I am a regular among a group of old classmates who meet for lunch or dinner for old times’ sake. As we have already long retired from the rat race, we are not interested in comparing notes on our success or failure in life. We would talk of the good old days in school, the unforgettable mischievous acts of a few live wires in class, and current affairs. At times we would also show concern on classmates we know and who are in ill-health.
When a person is in a happy, cheerful mood, people like being with him whereas a person who is anti-social lacks friends. It is a pity that two or three of our classmates whom we know are withdrawn and do not like to join in social functions. They just want to be an island and be left alone. It is a fact that as we grow old, we need old friends to be with us. They allow us to joke and be playful, and to encourage one another.
It is said that the best mirror in the world is an old friend. An old friend knows us well enough to offer us good advice without inhibitions. An old friend is to be treasured because he has passed the test of being your bosom friend who would never let you down.
It takes a long time to make a new friend an old one. –quote by Ho Nee Yong
14 February 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Digital inventions
Post 130 Venture into the world of knowledge
An opportunity is the combination of timeliness, favourable environment, and support of people. Children of today are advantaged to be born at the right time to reap the benefits of digital inventions. The environment for learning is excellent because of the availability of resource centres, laptops and computers. Besides, they have all the learned people around to be their mentors in teaching them the finesse in life. What they need to do is just to ask, and ask humbly. At the time when I was young, listening to our favourite programmes over radio was something we looked forward to.
There is a Chinese saying ‘han niu chong dong’ (汗牛充栋) which literary means there are enough books to make the ox carrying them sweat. It can be likened to the English version of having an immense number of books to fill a house to the rafters. With the advent of internet, the number of reading materials made available to pupils can figuratively fill the air. Thus, pupils are at the threshold of a vast accumulation of both ancient and present literature for them to explore.
A workman must first sharpen his tools if he is to do his work well. Similarly if a pupil wants to do well in his study or career, he has to also first sharpen his tools. The tools that need to be sharpened are firstly his mastery of languages, and secondly his power of critical thinking. The modern digital inventions open up avenues for them to sharpen both the tools.
Intellectual tools are sharpened not by stones but the accumulation of knowledge.
- Quote by Ho Nee Yong
7 February 2012
An opportunity is the combination of timeliness, favourable environment, and support of people. Children of today are advantaged to be born at the right time to reap the benefits of digital inventions. The environment for learning is excellent because of the availability of resource centres, laptops and computers. Besides, they have all the learned people around to be their mentors in teaching them the finesse in life. What they need to do is just to ask, and ask humbly. At the time when I was young, listening to our favourite programmes over radio was something we looked forward to.
There is a Chinese saying ‘han niu chong dong’ (汗牛充栋) which literary means there are enough books to make the ox carrying them sweat. It can be likened to the English version of having an immense number of books to fill a house to the rafters. With the advent of internet, the number of reading materials made available to pupils can figuratively fill the air. Thus, pupils are at the threshold of a vast accumulation of both ancient and present literature for them to explore.
A workman must first sharpen his tools if he is to do his work well. Similarly if a pupil wants to do well in his study or career, he has to also first sharpen his tools. The tools that need to be sharpened are firstly his mastery of languages, and secondly his power of critical thinking. The modern digital inventions open up avenues for them to sharpen both the tools.
Intellectual tools are sharpened not by stones but the accumulation of knowledge.
- Quote by Ho Nee Yong
7 February 2012
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