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November 21, 2025
November 21, 2025
Dear Parents,
A comment by a child this week while sitting at the side of the playground made me stop and think. I asked the child why they were not playing, “I’m tired” was the reply. I don’t think that the child was tired, but was giving an excuse to not join in. Social interaction with peers can be challenging for some children, especially those without brothers or sisters So a child may excuse themselves from a play situation and sit or play by themselves.
Children learn a lot of different skills during their early years. Making friends is one of them, often children need guidance in what to do or say and must learn how to make and maintain friendships. Adults are easier to play with as an adult will adapt their behavior and help guide a child, peers do not! Adults, both teachers and parents, can guide children in how to play with others and make suggestions in what a child can say to others to initiate play. We should not assume that a child knows how to play with others.
Every child is unique, and their stage of development is unique too, however Executive Functions skills can be taught and practiced. The degree to which the different skills have developed will affect how well your child can make friends.
Inhibition Control – this is the emotional control needed to be able to pause and think about your own response instead of reacting quickly in a way peers may not like. This also help children to stop and wait instead of snatching toys they want from others. Children also learn to stop and think before they respond, so that they do not interrupt others or say the wrong thing.
Working Memory – helps children remember conversations, the rules of a game, remember friends names and to maintain focus during social interactions rather than just wandering off in the middle of a game
Cognitive Flexibility – the ability to adapt to changing situations such as a sudden change of plans or other unexpected changes. If a child wants to play a certain way and friends do not, children need to have flexibility to accept others ideas or suggestions.
As children develop their Executive Function skills, they also develop the ability to plan and organize social interactions – having a play date can help these skills – who do we want to invite? What toys shall we play with?
Another key component of "social executive function" is the ability to understand others' thoughts and feelings and how your own actions might be perceived by others. As children get older (R2s) they start to understand others’ feelings more.
Here is an article about helping children make friends.
Blessings
Gillian Wu
Kindergarten Assistant Principal
Important Dates for Nov & Dec
Nov 24 & 25 - Regular School for KG
Nov 26 - 28 - No School for KG
Dec 5 - Second dose of Influenza Vaccinations (if required)
Dec 8 - Day after HK Elections - No School
Dec 18 - Last Day of School for KG before Christmas Break
Dec 19 - ProD day for teachers (am) - No School for KG
Kindergarten & Elementary Students:
Join Our Shoebox Blessing Project!
Kindergarten & Elementary Students:
Join Our Shoebox Blessing Project!
Let's fill a shoebox with gifts that provide help and happiness to a child in this holiday season.
Hygiene Items: e.g. toothpaste, soap, a small towel
School Supplies: New supplies like crayons or a notebook
1 WOW Item! Something special that brings joy
Please bring your donated shoeboxes to the Service Learning Office (Room 204) between Nov 17 and Dec 5.
If a different adult is coming to pick up your child from school, please notify the Kindergarten Office giving us their full name, Hong Kong Identity card number and their telephone number.
All people coming to pick up your child must:
Be on the authorized list on PowerSchool i.e. a parent has given us permission to release their child to that person.
Bring the purple pick-up card (original card, photographs will not be accepted).
In absence of the pick-up card, for persons we do not recognize we will either - check their Hong Kong Identity Card or call the phone number you have given us.
If we are unsure of the identity of the person picking up your child, we will check their identity.
If the person is not listed on PowerSchool, and you have not informed us, we will call parents to confirm.
If your child usually takes the bus home and changes to being picked up from school, please notify us. Please ensure that the person coming to school is on our authorized list. If in doubt, please give us their name
If you change or employ a new Domestic Helper, please remove your previous helper or add a new helper to the pick-up contacts on PowerSchool.
Parents, be empowered and equipped with the knowledge and resources you need to support your child's growth and success. This page provides resources, and we hope to help parents navigate the challenges of parenting and support your child's overall well-being. Make sure to check out our parent page HERE!
If your child is sick, please keep your child at home to rest and recover and notify the school by completing the relevant e-collect form on PowerSchool of:
Your child’s absence / number of days your child is likely to be off school
Your child’s body temperature (please state actual temperature, not just “has a fever”)
Once recovering from a fever (38C or above), please let us know the day and time your child’s fever subsided without medication. If you do not specify a time, we will use the time from your email. We can then specify how soon your child may return to school (48 hours after fever subsided).
Your child’s symptoms (not just “unwell”).
If your child has Chickenpox, Hand Foot and Mouth or other notifiable disease - please send in a doctor’s note confirming diagnosis. We also require a doctor’s note stating that your child is fit to return to school.
Red Eyes—conjunctivitis can be very infectious. If your child has red eyes, please give us a doctor’s note stating that your child is not infectious before they can come to school.
Department of Health requirements state that if a child has a fever (38C or above), or repeated diarrhea they need to stay home for at least 48 hours after the symptoms have subsided (without medication).
Even though your child’s fever may have gone, a child may still have a runny nose or bad cough and are not fit to return to school. Please keep them at home to rest.
Please do not send your child to school if they are still taking medication following an illness. The medicine may make your child sleepy and they still need time to recover and rest at home.
If your child has recovered but still has a mild cough (not chesty or coughing up phlegm), they may return to school but should wear a face mask.
International Christian School – Kindergarten
852-3156-1234 | kindergarten@ics.edu.hk | G/F, Kam Ho House (Block H), Kam Fung Court, Ma On Shan, N.T., Hong Kong
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