Kidz4Mation and Mikey the Monkey will be celebrating World Book Day at WHSmith, Greenwich Retail Park, Charlton, SE London Tel 020 8269 2264.

Nearly one in six children - and almost one quarter of boys - have difficulty learning to talk, research suggests

A YouGov online survey of 1,015 parents found only half of children with speech problems received expert help.

Schools should open where "reasonably practicable" in the severe weather, England's education department says.

To read more go to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8448262.stm

The headteacher is also thinking that if they don't shut the schools down, the absences might damage their Ofsted reports.

But I think the main concern for the headteacher is the safety of pupils and the staff. They wouldn't surely take the decision of shutting the schools down just for the Ofsted report. Or they would not have the school open if it won't be safe for the staff and the pupils to get to the schools!

Whatever the case I hope and pray that everyone stays safe in this weather and good luck to all as more snow is expected over the weekend!

Have a warm, cosy, snowy weekend!

P.S. Please look out for elderly neighbours and relatives especially in this weather!

2009 is almost coming to an end and everyone is getting ready to welcome the New Year 2010!

Let us all in this New Year

Take a vow to proud our parents,

Take a vow to praise our children,

Take a vow to help the needy,

Take a vow to be kind all the time!

I wish good health to all,

I wish wealth to the poor,

I wish happiness to all,

I wish strength and courage to all!

WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Children's services in nine local authority areas, including Haringey where Baby Peter was killed, have been rated as "poor" in a report by Ofsted.

For more information please visit the link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8402573.stm 

Parents stress so much before starting their child at a nursery or with any other childcare services. They ask other parents for feedback, they look at reviews of the nurseries, they look at ofsted reports! All this stress so that the child could have a safe place to go to everyday and that the parents can attend to their work commitments peacefully.

 But sometimes, we want our nurseries to be tough! The law may have been toughened after Baby P's death but we as parents and carers of our children should also toughen up and so should the staff at the nursery.

It reminds me of an incident that happened with a friend of mine. She had two sons aged 3 and 1 but because the gap was just two years, there was a lot of sibling rivarly between the brothers. Both parents handled it well making sure not to hurt anyone's feelings. But on one occasion the yonger one was bit by the older on near the eye. The older one realised what he did was unacceptable but what's done was done and the younger one calmed down too after a while but he went to the nursery next day with a bruise. And believe me, the staff did not let the mother go to work until the manager was called and the mother was taken inside the office to talk. The manager was convinvced after half an hour that it was a sibling rivarly case and nothing else. I applaud that nurserly for toughening up towards the parents and the mother was also convinced that she made the right decision of putting her child into that nursery.

After Baby P's death, we should be aware of our surroundings too. If you are suspicisous about unusual behaviour from our neighbours, if you hear a child next door crying most of the time, or if you see anything that you feel is not right, you must contact the local authorities straight away. You never know, you could save a child's life!

Thank you,

http://www.kidz4mation.com/