Aunt Mali’s Children

Dear Children,

Hope after last week’s advise all of you are having fun while being safe when riding your bicycles.

As promised last week, here are some of the road rules that you should follow when riding:

Bicycles are considered vehicles, and cyclists have the same rights and the same responsibilities to follow the rules of the road as motorists.

When riding, always:

* Go With the Traffic Flow. Ride on the left in the same direction as other vehicles. Go with the flow - not against it.

* Obey All Traffic Laws. A bicycle is a vehicle and you’re a driver. When you ride in the street, obey all traffic signs, signals, and lane markings.

* Yield to Traffic When Appropriate. Almost always, drivers on a smaller road must yield (wait) for traffic on a major or larger road. If there is no stop sign or traffic signal and you are coming from a smaller roadway (out of a lane, from a sidewalk, etc.), you must slow down and look to see if the way is clear before proceeding. This also means yielding to pedestrians who have already entered a crosswalk.

* Be Predictable. Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars. Signal your moves to others.

* Stay Alert at All Times. Use your eyes AND ears. Watch out for potholes, cracks, wet leaves, railroad tracks, or anything that could make you lose control of your bike. You need your ears to hear traffic and avoid dangerous situations; it is not cool to wear a headset when you ride.

* Look Before Turning. When turning left or right, always look behind you for a break in traffic, then signal before making the turn. Watch for left - or right - turning traffic.

* Watch for Parked Cars. Ride far enough out from the curb to avoid the unexpected from parked cars (like doors opening, or cars pulling out).

* Stop at corners of sidewalks and streets to look for cars and to make sure the drivers see you before crossing.

* Enter a street at a corner and not between parked cars. Alert pedestrians that you are near by saying, “Excuse me,” or use a bell or horn.

Until next week, take care,
Uncle Les

Panda stamps are a children’s delight

Both pandas and panda stamps are a children’s delight. They are supposed to be an endangered species of animals loved and admired by all the world’s children as well as adults.

Pandas’ native land is China and they are so Chinese so much, that to think of pandas, we have necessarily to think of China and no other country. But about three years ago panda population got a big boost in America in that twins were born to a panda there. Mother panda’s name is Hua Mei. Place of birth was the San Diego Zoo in the U.S.

From whatever countries the panda stamps come, they are extremely popular among collectors and are on high demand against insufficient supplies. There is no hard and fast rule for planning and producing stamps on any popular subject.

If such stamps are issued as Sri Lanka stamps they will be equally be acceptable and popular as any other country’s stamps. To open the way for foreign exchange to flow into our country a practicable idea is to plan new issues on important themes and produce stamps that the world collectors are searching for.

Let us know something more about pandas as we are dealing with stamps featuring them today. Pandas live on bamboo shoots and roots and for this purpose they have very strong jaws and big jaw muscles. These help them to crush and pulverise the tough leaves and stems of the bamboo.

We are told that an adult animal consume up to 20 kilo-grammes of bamboo each day. A grown up panda is about 1.2 to 1.5 metres long and weighing up to 75 to 160 kilo-grammes. Chinese scientists have discovered that the giant panda evolved from an ancient bear, the “Guanming Daily” once reported. It (the giant panda) is still considered to be something of a zoological mystery.

In our picture of stamps, you will note that China and Mongolia have issued comparatively more stamps on the theme of pandas and other countries which have to their credit at least a few stamps each are Japan, Nederland, North Korea, Hungary, America, Oman, Cuba and the former USSR.

Next week, we hope to come out with some sensational stamp news from our neighbouring country India which will/to the delight of all stamp enthusiasts.

Francis P. Gunasekera

Folk tales of Sri Lanka:

The peacock’s grievance

Retold by R. S. Karunaratne

Once upon a time there lived a peacock in the wilds of Sri Lanka. Although he had beautiful plumage, he always complained of his unpleasant voice.

One day he met Nightingale who was singing a beautiful song.

“My dear fellow, you are gifted with a sweet voice. Everybody loves to hear your songs. But I don’t have such a sweet voice. I am very unhappy about it,” Peacock told Nightingale.

“My dear friend, there’s nothing I can do about it,” said Nightingale.

“I know you can’t help me. But do you know anybody who can solve my problem?”

“Yes, of course. There’s a princess in a kingdom adjoining the forest. Why don’t you go there and seek her advice?”

“Is she a wise princess?” Peacock questioned.

“She is both wise and beautiful. She also loves animals, flowers, trees and everything Nature has created.” “Then I must meet her and seek her counsel one of these days,” said Peacock.

On a bright morning Peacock set off to meet the Princess. Surprisingly, the Princess too was heading for the forest to enjoy the beauty of Nature. Peacock met the Princess in the forest itself and he felt elated by her appearance.

“Good morning, Princess. I heard that you are a beautiful and a wise princess,” Peacock said.

“Thank you for the compliment. I love animals, flowers and everything Nature has created. But I am not proud of my beautify or wisdom.”

“That’s very good. However, I have a big problem,” said Peacock.

“What’s that? Tell me everything,” said the Princess.

“My friends say I have beautiful plumage. But I can’t sing like Nightingale. Can you give me a sweet voice?”

“Don’t worry. This is the way of the world. You will not get everything you want in this life. You have beautiful plumage.

You must be modestly proud of it. Nightingale can sing beautifully, but he has no beautiful plumage. Remember, Nightingale will never ask for your beautiful plumage. She is quite happy with her voice. Likewise, be happy with what you have; advised the Princess.

“Thank you. Now I understand my folly. Hereafter I’ll remain happy and content with what I have - like Nightingale!” said Peacock wishing goodbye to the Princess.

Young Scribes

Value of the Family Society

Family society is the basic unit of the society. Mother and Father are the closest members in the Family society. The new born child learn his mother tongue from his family members through acquisition.

The first two teachers of a child are parents. Buddha called Pubbachariya to them. Family society provides a great part of informal education of the child. Child learns important health habits, good manners, family tradition from his family. Mental needs are also provided by family. The first lesson of the child, socialization is learned from his family.

The basic competencies needed for the life are mainly given by the family society. When the father is addicted to alcohol, others are in the family cannot enjoy their life completely.

There is more protection for the child in a extended family than a nuclear family. There are more than 2 generations in an extended family. The child can get more love, affection from an extended family.

Child doesn’t learn all the bad things from his family. In most families economic side of the family is shouldered by the father and social side of the family is shouldered by the mother. There are so many values we can get from family and we can learn them and be a good citizen in the world.

E.A. Duleesha Tarangani

Grade 9 A (English Medium)

G/ Anula Devi Balika Vidyalaya

Galle

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I Love my mum

You were my everything in the past.

You are my everything now.

You will be my everything forever;

I can’t think of a life without you.

If I’m the moon you are my lightening Sun

If I’m the tree you are my inflexible root.

If I’m a flower I bloom just because of you

I’ve no words to explain

But the thought and the feelings

Which could never turn into words

All I have to say is,

I love you mum and I love you

You are my best Mum in the World

Alfred Edwin Worthington.

Grade 4 Topaz

OKI International School

Wattala

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My school

My school is Kingston College International. It is a big school with a huge gate. There are 45 teachers in our school. There are 500 children in our school.

Our school principal’s name is Mrs. Pakkiyaraja. Our school chairman’s name is Mr. Kumaravel.

In my class, there are 16 children. My school is situated in 84, De La Salle Rd, Mutwal, Colombo 15. My class teacher’s name is Miss Amalaverny. I love my school very much.

V. Dirya,

Grade 3 C,

Kingston College

International,

Mutwal

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My Self

My name is Shanuka Perera

I am a boy

I study at St Benedict’s College

I am in grade two

I like to play cricket

I live in Wattala