XN000022-1979-01-28 — Page 2

SUNDAY, JANUARY 28, 1979

USEFUL POINTERS FOR PARENTS

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A 35-YEAR-OLD MONG KOK HOUSEWIFE IS A MUCH HAPPIER WOMAN TODAY BECAUSE SHE NOW KNOWS ALL THE DO'S AND DON'TS IN COMMUNICATING WITH HER SIX-YEAR-OLD SON WHO, IN HER OWN WORDS, +IS A SELFISH AND SELF-CENTRED CHILD+.

THIS ALL CAME ABOUT AFTER SHE VISITED THE +RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD EXHIBITION+ AT OCEAN TERMINAL LATE LAST YEAR DURING WHICH SHE DISCUSSED HER CHILD'S PROBLEM WITH THE FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION OFFICERS THERE AND OBTAINED ALL THE USEFUL POINTERS TO GUIDE HER CHILD AWAY FROM HIS BAD BEHAVIOUR.

THIS HOUSEWIFE IS JUST ONE OF MANY PARENTS WHO HAVE SOUGHT ADVICE ON THE IR PROBLEM CHILDREN+ AT THE EXHIBITION ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AS PART OF THE CURRENT FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.

JUST HOW MANY SUCCESSFUL CASES RESULTED FROM THE EXHIBITION WOULD BE A PREMATURE ASSESSMENT, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID TODAY (SUNDAY)

BUT THE NEED FOR SUCH COUNSELLING CAN BE GAUGED BY THE FACT THAT THE EXHIBITION SUBSEQUENTLY HELD AT TWO OTHER LOCATIONS ATTRACTED MORE THAN 70,000 PEOPLE.

APART FROM THE EXHIBITION, THE FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ALSO EMBRACES A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER ACTIVITIES VARIETY SHOWS, CARNIVALS, CAMPS, PICNICS, ESSAY AND QUIZ CONTESTS.

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DEBATES AND SEMINARS ARE ALSO REGULARLY HELD. TO DATE, THESE

HAVE ATTRACTED WELL OVER 265,000 PEOPLE.

COMMENTING ON THE CAMPAIGN'S RESPONSE, THE PROJECT CO-ORDINATOR, MRS. HENREITTA CHEN OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT SAID IT HAD BEEN MOST ENCOURAGING.

+MORE PEOPLE ARE NOW AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS. THIS CAN BE SEEN FROM THE ARTICLES WRITTEN TO THE MEDIA BY PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE AND ALSO THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY HAVE DONATED TOWARDS THE CAMPAIGN, SHE SAID.

LAST YEAR, THE DONATION AMOUNTED TO MORE THAN $40,000.

+FURTHERMORE, THE FILMS, SLIDES AND EXHIBITS PRODUCED BY OUR DEPARTMENT ARÉ IN GREAT DEMAND. THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN HEAVILY BOOKED BY VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, SCHOOLS AND WELFARE ORGANISATIONS.

+TO PROVIDE VOLUNTEERS WITH MORE KNOWLEDGE ON DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF FAMILY LIFE AS WELL AS THE TECHNIQUES OF PROMOTING FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION, PLANS ARE IN HAND TO ORGANISE COURSES FOR THEM, SHE SAID.

+LAST YEAR, A TRAINING COURSE WAS ARRANGED FOR ABOUT 80 VOLUNTARY WORKERS, SHE ADDED.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS SPENT MORE THAN $700,000 SINCE THE FIRST PHASE OF THE CAMPAIGN STARTED LAST YEAR.

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