For those who celebrated Father’s Day a few days ago with your dads, you must be wondering how this special occassion started!

Well, some 4000 years ago, a young boy named Elmusu carved out a father’s day card on a clay tablet, wishing his father a long and healthy life. And in 1910, Miss Sonara Louise Smart Dodd, whose mother died at childbirth and was brought up by her father started the campaign to pay tribute to her father who brought up six children on his own. She succeeded in lobbying for this occassion to be celebrated and in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a Presidential Proclamation to declare the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day and this was also reiterated by President Richard Nixon in 1972 who helped to establish Father’s Day as a national occassion.

Sources:
History of Father’s Day -www.enidnews.com
History of Father’s Day-www.lankanewspapers.com

For books on dads, you can check out these books!

All Rights Reserved, New York, N.Y. : NorthSouth Books

Daddies by Lila Prap
Call Number: JP English PRA
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : NorthSouth Books
View item availability here

All Rights Reserved, New York, N.Y. : G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Your Daddy Was Just Like You by Kelly Bennett
Call Number: JP English BEN
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : G. P. Putnam’s Sons
View item availability here

All Rights Reserved, New York, N.Y. : HarperCollinsPublishers

It’s The Best Day Ever, Dad! by Brooke Shields
Call Number: JP English SHI
Publisher: New York, N.Y. : HarperCollinsPublishers
View item availability here

Posted By:

Ms Chen Wanying
Children’s Librarian
Children’s Services

According to the Straits Times published May 2009:

“The number of teenagers getting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV has risen in the past few years, the Education Ministry said on Thursday. Last year, 787 teens caught STIs, more than three times the 238 cases in 2002; for HIV, the figure rose from one in 2002 to nine in 2007. These figures, the ministry said yesterday, are a key reason its sexuality education programme is necessary.” [1]

This increase might come from not being properly educated about sexual matters and only seeing the glossed over images from popular media.

Despite being exposed to sex in the media, children and teens who already know the facts will be able to differentiate between fictitious media hype, and behaviour that will result in a consequence. And unprotected teen sex usually leads to a consequence that nobody wants.

Sexuality education programmes are currently implemented in all schools but parents are given the choice to opt their child out from it. I would like to assume that parents who do opt their child out would still have them undergo sexuality education but through other means such as external programmes that are sometimes offered by religious organizations and family service centres or at home.

Teaching the facts about sex to children at home can be done with the help of the right resources such as authoritative books and websites. Having an open communication about the topic at home might make children feel comfortable to ask their questions and air out their concerns with parents instead of finding the distorted facts elsewhere. If parents do not wish to give lengthy answers to the questions, they can look to the books as reference and point out the relevant sections or pages children can read to get their answers. Parents can also sit with their child as they read those pages in order to prepare themselves for any further questions the child might have.

Here are some titles about sexuality education available in our libraries.

Image source: www.drsharonmaxwell.com/mybook.html

The Talk: what your kids need to hear from you about sex By Sharon Maxwell
Call Number: 649.65 MAX -[FAM]

Book Description:
A groundbreaking resource to help jump start an ongoing discussion between parents and teens about sex and sexuality Internet chat rooms, boy/girl sleepovers, reality TV . . . there’s more to “the talk” than ever before. Faced with a culture that pushes our kids to be “sexy” before puberty begins, how do we explain the power of sexuality in a way that promotes healthy, age-appropriate behavior?
The Talk is a breakthrough resource for parents and educators that prepares kids for a hypersexualized world and lays the foundation for ethical sexual behavior that can guide our children from elementary school through college.
Using real-life situations, Dr. Sharon Maxwell demonstrates how dramatically the world of preteen and teen sexual exploration has changed. She helps parents think through the message they want to give to their kids about sexual behavior, and how that message must evolve as their kids get older. Focusing on the importance of love and intimacy, Dr. Maxwell helps parents define their values about sex and gives concrete ways to share those values with teens.
The Talk shows parents how to:
* Set family guidelines for safe Internet use
* Address the social power that comes from looking sexy, and the personal responsibility each of us has to use that power appropriately
* Discuss the moral aspects of sexuality in ways teens will understand
* Help children recognize the difference between feelings of sexual desire and love
* Develop principles with our teens that will help them figure out when it’s okay to be sexual with someone and when it’s not

Dr. Maxwell connects the dots between reproduction, the potent power of sexiness, sexual desire, emotional intimacy, and the spiritual dimension of sexuality. Offering an innovative framework for looking at human sexuality, this book has the potential to change the national conversation on sex education.

The puberty book By Wendy Darvill & Kelsey Powell
Call Number: Y 612.661 DAR

Book Description:
In straightforward yet humorous language, Wendy Darvill and Kelsey Powell discuss the changes that happen at puberty. This book is a guide for children and teenagers, full of up-to-date information about themselves, their bodies and growing up. In simple, straightforward language, it discusses the changes that happen at puberty, sex and sexuality, health and looking after yourself, relationships, pregnancy and birth. The authors recognise the primary role of parents and carers in the sexual education of their children, but this book is written for children rather than parents. It is illustrated throughout with witty and informative cartoons, and all of the questions that are used are based on the kinds of questions that children and teenagers everywhere ask all the time.

About the Author
Wendy Darvill and Kelsey Powell have been actively involved in sex education in primary and secondary schools and with community organisations for many years. They live in Australia.

Image source: www.fairwindspress.com/description.asp?isbn=9781592333592#

My teen has had sex : now what do I do? : how to help teens make safe, sensible, self-reliant choices when they’ve already said “yes” By Maureen Lyon and Christina Breda Antoniades
Call Number: 649.65 LYO -[FAM]

Book Description:
A real-world guide to parenting a sexually active child that gives frank, expert advice on how to parent, rather than punish, your child into smart, safe, sensible choices
My Teen Has Had Sex, Now What Do I Do? gives parents unvarnished advice on how to deal with the myriad of parenting issues and concerns having a sexually active teen entails, including health risks such as STD’s and pregnancy, disciplinary and boundary issues, heightened emotional vulnerability, and sexual peer pressure. Sample dialogues and scenarios help parents deal with common situations such as setting boundaries around sexual activity in the house, what to do if your child’s partner is of legal age, and what your (and your child’s) legal rights are around getting birth control and medical information. Parents also get advice on what signs to look for and what actions to take if their child is engaging in risky sexual behavior, including multiple partners or submitting to sexual pressure from peers or online. Most importantly, parents learn how to coach their children to be responsible, savvy, and accountable for their sexual decisions.

About the Author
Maureen E. Lyon, Ph. D., A.B.P.P. is a licensed clinical psychologist and associate research professor in pediatrics. She has extensive experience in dealing with teens and HIV/AIDS, and in counseling families and teens.Christina Breda Antoniades is a freelance journalist with fifteen years of experience writing for print and online publications.

All websites are last accessed on 28 May 2009. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
All images and book descriptions are extracted from http://www.amazon.com unless otherwise stated
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Source:
[1]. Tan, Amelia (May 22 2009). Sex education needed . The Straits Times, Retrieved May 28 2009, from http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_380110.html

Posted by Ms Sharifah
Associate Librarian, Children’s Services

Kids ASK! about Myths & Facts

I must confess that I have always somewhat believed that if a baby is born on a plane, he or she will get free air travel on that carrier for the rest of his/her life. The truth is, airlines do not offer free air travel for babies born on their flights. It is an urban legend that has caught on in the public’s imagination, and one people believe is the reason for airlines’ restrictions on having pregnant women on board.

The real reason why airlines are very particular about having pregnant women in their third trimester on board is more medical than anything else. Pregnancy, if complications occur, can be dangerous for the mother and baby without professional help. Pregnant women also run risks of blood clot and inflammation in the veins of their legs when sitting too long. Air humidity in planes is kept at 8 percent and therefore it is easy to be dehydrated when on a plane. Different airlines have different regulations and many require a doctor’s letter if traveling within 30 days of due date of birth.

You can read here for information of restrictions some airlines have and here on risks of travel when pregnant.

That said, there have been 2 cases where babies have been given a lifetime of free travel from the airline carrier they were born in. In 1995, Dararasami Thongcharoen was born 2 months earlier than scheduled and it happened on Thai Airways. In addition to being able to fly for free on Thai Airways, she also got an educational scholarship and is considered a “daughter of Thai Airways”. The other baby, Mohd Aliff Mohd Fuad, was born in 1996 on Asia Pacific Airlines and he too got a lifetime of free air travel and education sponsored by the airline.

The other question commonly asked is of course what citizenship a child gets if he or she is born on a plane or on a ship in international waters. What do you think?

Reference:
Mikkelson, B. (2007, July 18). The plane truth. Retrieved January 24, 2009, from snopes.com Web site: http://www.snopes.com/pregnant/airbaby.asp

Easmon, C. (2005, April 1). Pregnancy and travel. Retrieved January 24, 2009, from netdoctor.co.uk Web site: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/diseases/ &pregnancy_and_travel.htm

If you want to read more about urban legends, here are books you can check out at our libraries.

For Children:

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

Urban legends by Rachel Lynette
Publisher: Detroit : KidHaven Press, c2008
Call Number: J English 398.2 LYN -[FOL]

Image retrieved from shopping.discovery.com

Mythbusters: don’t try this at home! by Mary Packard
Publisher: San Francisco, Calif. : Jossey-Bass, c2006
Call Number: J English 507.8 PAC

For Adults:

Image retrieved from www.amazon.com

Lemmings don’t leap: 180 myths, misconceptions and urban legends exploded by Edwin Moore
Publisher: Edinburgh : Chambers, 2006.
Call Number: English 001.96 MOO

Singapore urban legends: myths & mysteries, edited by Tee Hun
Publisher: Singapore : SPH Magazines, 2005.
Call Number: SING English 398.2095957 SIN

All websites are last accessed on 24 January 2009. Please refer to the terms and conditions on the homepages for use.
For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Answered by Felicia Chan,

Librarian, Children’s Services

With the recent outbreak of Hand, Mouth and Foot Disease (HFMD), a concerned library customer posed the above question to us. We decided to ask the experts and wrote to the Ministry of Health’s Communicable Diseases Division (www.moh.gov.sg). Below is the reply:

“There is no need to disinfect the returned books as enteroviruses cannot remain indefinitely in the environment. No special precautions are necessary for staff handling the books, but basic hand hygiene should be continued by all staff.”

For additional information on HMFD, a list of FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) is available below at the Health Promotion Board’s website  (http://www.hpb.gov.sg/hpb/default.asp?pg_id=865&aid=272&altid=0)

1. What is Hand, Foot and Mouth disease?

2. How is HFMD transmitted?

3. What is the incubation period of HFMD?

4. When is an infected child contagious?  When will the child stop to be contagious?

5. Is HFMD associated with fatalities?

6. Does HFMD affect only children?

7. What is the treatment for HFMD?

8. What is the HFMD situation in Singapore?

9. What should parents do if their child has HFMD?

10. Are there any precautions that parents can take to prevent transmission of HFMD?

Here are books on children’s diseases available in the libraries:

    1. The complete guide to children’s health/ Norman Saunders and Jeremy Friedman, general editors.  Call no.: 618.92 COM -[HEA]

    2. Baby & child health/ editor, Jane Collins.  Call no.: q613.0432 BAB -[HEA]

To check the availability of titles, please visit our online catalogue (http://vistaweb.nlb.gov.sg/)

Posted by Kweh Soon Huat,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

ASK! about Family and Parenting 

When do you celebrate Mother’s Day? It was done on 11 May in Singapore this year, but if you know the ‘politically correct’ answer (of course you do), we should celebrate our Mother’s love everyday (like Valentine’s Day). Here are some little known facts about mothers and Mother’s Day:

How did Mother’s Day begin?
In the United States, the first known suggestion for Mother’s Day was made by Julia Ward Howe in 1872.

Nation-wide observance of Mother’s Day started with Anna Jarvis in 1907. She promoted celebration of the second Sunday of May for mothers, and churches in several areas soon followed suit thereafter. Anna Jarvis is recognised as the originator of Mother’s Day.

On 9 May 1914, the day was given official recognition by President Woodrow Wilson.

Flowers for Mother’s Day
Anna Jarvis wore a white carnation during her mother’s memorial service on 12 May 1907; thus started the association of carnations with Mother’s Day. White carnations signify that one’s mother has deceased. Coloured carnations mean that the bearer’s mother is still living.

When is Mother’s Day?
Mother’s Day is celebrated in USA , Australia, and Canada on the second Sunday of May.  In UK, it is called Mothering Day and falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent.

What does M-O-T-H-E-R mean?

A 1915 tune by Theodore Morse and Howard Johnson explained “mother” in their first verse as:

M “is for the million things she gave me”
O “means only that she’s growing old”
T “is for the tears were shed to save me”
H “is for her heart of purest gold”
E “is for her eyes, with love-light shining”
R “means right, and right she’ll always be”

Reference:
- World book encyclopedia v20, Chicago: Field Enterprises Educational Corp., 1917-
- “Mother’s Day”, Encyclopaedia Brittanica’s Guide to Women’s History, http://search.eb.com/women, 21 May 08, http://search.eb.com/women/article-9389227
- The new Penguin encyclopedia, London : Penguin Books, 2002.
- Newman, S. and Fittipaldi, H., 15,003 answers: the ultimate trivia encyclopedia, New York: Random House Reference, c2007.

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Just yesterday, some of my fellow colleagues brought to my attention on two newspapers articles from The Straits Times: “Caller ID shows 999? It’s not the police, it’s a fraudster” (1 Apr 2008) and “Court summons scam: 35 complaints filed“ (27 Oct 2007)*.

Essentially, these two articles tells us about the same story — That people (gullible perhaps) are falling victims to tricksters in swindling our money thru either telephone or Internet means.

It is by far and large, impossible to nab all of these fraudsters. One may be caught, but yet others will emerge very soon. The only realistic way of protecting ourselves against these scams is to be armed with the necessary knowledge of how the Internet works and of the various ways to prevent (or at least minimize) such security lapses.

We have prepared a pathfinder on ways to surf the Internet safely. Please feel free to download it but do note that the materials and their copyrights belong to NLB, and the downloads are for personal use only. Drop us an email at ask@nlb.gov.sg for further enquiries.

Safer Internet pathfinder
(downloadable)

In the meantime, do watch your back (or rather watch your front)!!!

If you have any enquiries or comments, please drop us an email at ask@nlb.gov.sg and we will reply within 3 working days.

*To retrieve the newspaper article, you can access the electronic database “Factiva” at terminals in NLB Library branches or also remotely from home. (Select the header “eResources” and the option “eDatabases” from NLB’s homepage)

Posted by
Mr Justin Tan
Librarian
Adult and Young People’s Services

ASK about Health & Fitness 

21 March has been officially earmarked by the Down Syndrome International (DSI) to be World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD).

Why 21 March? The inspiration comes from the genetic sequence of people with Down syndrome. Generally, an extra copy of chromosome 21 occurs, leading to three chromosome 21 (see picture above). Thus 21 March symbolises this phenomenon, called Trisomy 21.

Instead of 46 chromosomes, people with Down syndrome have 47.

This is just the scientific face of it, but what about the human and social aspect of the condition? Have you come across anyone with Down syndrome? What comes to your mind when you do? Do you really believe that they can lead a good life, or do you say it out of pity or political correctness?

Whatever you may feel, everyone is unique. There are many stories of Down syndrome individuals leading typical lives (you may have heard of one yourself). To get a glimpse of their lives, take a look at these blogs and websites:

- Blog for Down Syndrome  A blog by a parent whose child has Down syndrome and autism.

- Down Syndrome Life A parent shares stories of his family and his youngest child who has Down syndrome. He writes: “I have created the “Down Syndrome Life” blog in the hopes of sharing a father’s everyday thoughts and experiences of raising a family of four children, one with Down Syndrome. My contributions will be of the good, the bad and the ugly.” This blog, both personal and intimate, will move even the hardest hearts.

- World Down Syndrome Day Check out the congratulatory messages and links to other international websites for Down syndrome.

- Down Syndrome Association Singapore Look through this website for related programmes, facts, and publications.

Reference:

“Down Syndrome”, Medline Plus Medical Encyclopaedia, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/encyclopedia.html, 1 April 08, URL: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000997.htm

“Down Syndrome: Trisonomy 21, Trisonomy G”, www.merck.com/, Merck Manual Online Medical Library, 01 April 08, URL: http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec19/ch294/ch294b.html

Image from Mayo Clinic.com, Children’s health: Down Syndrome “The genetic basis of Down Syndrome, 6 April 2007, retrieved: 14 March 2008, URL: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/down-syndrome/DS00182/DSECTION=3

Posted by Ang Mei Jun,

Librarian, Adult & Young People’s Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

Kids ASK! about Health & Fitness

We know that regular exercise is important for a variety of reasons, from being healthy to keeping fit and looking good. However, how important is it for children, who are by nature active and whose muscles have not yet fully developed? How advisable is it to cultivate an affinity for sports and exercise from a young age?

We hear of child geniuses who complete their degrees at the age of 13, or child prodigies who master their instrument at a young age, but seldom do we read of children who are able to compete alongside adults in the sporting arena. This raises the question of whether it is possible for a child to be destined to be great in sport – is sporting excellence an inborn talent or a cultivated skill?

The fact is, unlike mental capabilities which typically define if a child is gifted or has high IQ, sports has largely to do with a person’s physical and muscular development, which, unless the child is Clark Kent, is more a product of nurture than nature.

Some examples of famous sporting personalities who started training in their fields at a young age include Chinese diver Fu Mingxia and golf sensation Tiger Woods. Fu started diving training at age 8 after being deemed too old for gymnastics, and at age 11 won her first gold medal at the Goodwill Games in 1990 in Seattle. Woods on the other hand started playing golf as soon as he could walk and by age 6 had recorded two holes in one.

Then there’s the ugly side of exploiting the young into becoming sporting phenomena. Recently, it was reported that a boy from India became the world’s youngest marathoner after he completed a 65 kilometer run at the age of 4½ in 2006. Human rights bodies questioned whether this constituted child abuse. At the expense of his health, Budhia Singh completed the torturing run and in return gained numerous television advertisements and invitations to tour abroad. His coach claimed he did not pressure the boy and the boy wanted to run on his own, but there can be no doubt of the strain on the child’s little limbs doing a punishing distance that even adults have difficulty with.

With the inaugural Youth Olympics to be held in two years here in Singapore (see ASK blog post on the official announcement), our sporting profile is set to increase further and people should soon have confidence in sports as a viable career option.

For further reading on children and sports, you may wish to check out these publications:

How to teach your baby to be physically superb : birth to age six, by Glenn J. Doman
Publisher : Garden City Park, N.Y. : SquareOne Pub., c2006
Call No. : 649.1 DOM –[FAM]
Description : Explores the early development of mobility in newborns in playing a vital part of their future ability to learn and grow to full potential.

Why Johnny hates sports, by Fred Engh
Publisher : Garden City Park, N.Y. : SquareOne Pub., c2002
Call No. : 796.0830973 ENG -[REC]
Description : In his book, the author argues that children should be allowed to have fun and learn the fundamentals of the game without the pressures of overzealous parents, coaches, and administrators looking to mold the next Ken Griffey or Kobe Bryant.

A running start, by Rae Pica
Publisher : New York : Marlowe & Company, c2006.
Call No. : 372.86 PIC
Description : Young kids can spend their free time finger painting, playing in the sandbox, inventing games, and still turn out to be smart, talented, successful adults. In A Running Start, renowned educational expert Rae Pica looks at the many misconceptions under which today’s parents are laboring. Among them are beliefs that “earlier is better” when it comes to athletics and academics; achievement is more important than play.

Fit Kids : Smarter Kids, by Jeff Galloway
Publisher : Oxford : Meyer & Meyer Sport, c2007
Call No. : 613.7042 GAL -[HEA]
Description : A guide for parents, teachers and youth leaders on how to make exercise fun, with research showing how fit kids learn better and are more successful.

Children’s book of yoga : games & exercises mimic plants & animals & objects, by Thia Luby
Publisher : Santa Fe, NM : Clear Light Publishers, 1998.
Call No. : J 613.7 LUB
Description : Presents six complete yoga workouts designed for children from three to twelve years of age.

Sports Illustrated for Kids : Year in Sports
Publisher : New York : Scholastic, Inc.
Call No. : J 796 SIKYS
Description : An almanac for children for all that they need to know in sports, in the form of handy, concise sports facts.

Peak, by Roland Smith
Publisher : Orlando : Harcourt, Inc., c2007
Call No. : Y SMI
Description : An emotional, tension-filled story of a fourteen-year-old boy’s attempt to be the youngest person to reach the top of Mount Everest.

All websites were last accessed on 19 March 2008. Please check the websites’ homepages for the terms and conditions of use.
All images were extracted from www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.
Book summaries were taken from book descriptions listed at www.amazon.com and www.bn.com.

For the availability of the above book titles, please check the library catalogue.

Posted by Galvin Soh
Librarian
Children’s Services

Found this post interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to ask@nlb.gov.sg instead of sending a comment.

ASK about Events and Outreach

Librarians, Roy, , Joycelyn, Cheng Soon, Peck Keong and Mei Jun participated in the Disability Awareness Public Education (DAPE) 2007 fair at Sengkang Community Centre on 2 Dec 07. The cheerful lady borrowing a book in the photo above is from Bizlink, one of the organisations at the fair.

DAPE was launched in 2006 with the aim of promoting the employment of individuals with special needs. The event on Sunday started off with a Thematic Walk. Though it was a really hot day, the walkers were undeterred by the sun, and arrived at the exhibition tent (where booths like ours were set up) boisterous and sweaty after the work out. Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean also took part in the walk and visited our booth.

What does NLB have to do with this fair? We are the middle man of information. The library is after all a treasure trove of information. We brought down books related to the employment and engagement of handicapped people which people can borrow and read. If you are interested in reading about the subject, below are some inspiring stories about these ‘extraordinary’ people:

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon
Call No.: Y English HAD
About a teenage with Asperger’s Syndrome who tries to solve the murder of a dog, and discovers strength in himself along the way. An award-winning book. Haddon himself has ever worked with Asperger children, which is perhaps why he is able to relate the story in such realistic light.

Reflections of a peacemaker: A portrait through heartsongs by Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Call no.: 811.54 STE
A moving collection of poetry by a child called Mattie since he was three. Mattie has been afflicted with a life-threatening muscular disease since birth, and has passed away in 2004. Before his death, Mattie asked his mother if he had ‘done enough’ in his life to contribute to hope and peace for the future. His optimism and motivation lives on in his Heartsongs, poetry he penned to express his life experiences, poetry he wrote as a gift to inspire others.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri
Call no.: Y English SPY
A classic about a swiss orphan leaves her grandfather and home to care for a wheelchair-bound girl in the mountains of Frankfurt, Germany.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Call No.: J English BUR / Y English BUR
A classic about an orphan child who meets a boy who thinks that he is destined to be a useless cripple.

Posted by Ang Mei Jun, Adult & Young People Services

Found this question interesting? What do you think? Post your comments.
If you have a different question, please email to mailto:ask@nlb.gov.sg?subject=ASK_blog- instead of sending a comment.