The school year is almost at an end - the summer break is not far away and in many homes the talk is about how this time is going to be spent. How the children would like to spend it is often not how the adults want it to happen! Little Ming and Little Fung are overheard in serious conversation with Granma T.

GT: Some of the first jobs to be done this holiday are your rooms. They need a major tidying up if Wai Ping and Wah Ming (the workmen) are to decorate ... then there are the files at the back of Mai Ling's office. You pair said that you would sort, label and store them away ... then there is the yard that desperately needs clearing and sweeping and...

LM: But Granma, it's our holiday coming up - we have worked hard all year at school.

LF: It is time for us to relax, play with our friends, go into town, look around and enjoy ourselves.

GT: And get into mischief - like last holidays - remember the broken window? NO this holiday - work first - play later!

LF: You can't blame that window on us although we were there it was - Wai Yenn who hit the ball.

LM: And we did not have to pay anything for it!

GT: No I did not, but the fuss that it caused! No you pair will start work the day after school finishes. That is assuming there is no summer school to go to.

LF: We could discuss this later Granma as we have homework to do now..

GT: Oh no. Let's sort this out now - work first. I will re phrase that: Catch up on all the chores NOT DONE then WE consider how to spend the holiday.

LM: But we don't want to go visiting relatives and sight seeing. We want to...

GT: ENOUGH...and before you go help me clear up the clutter from this table.

LF: Oh dear, this is not going to be that easy!

LM: You are right. Granma will have her way, she always does.

LF: But we so wanted to go cycling, fishing and boating this holiday, in fact I have put our names down to join in with the other students.

LM: That won't make a shred of difference - there is a list of chores ...

LF: ...that are in Granma's mind and won't go away.

LM: Then why don't we start them now and work at them this weekend?

LF: Nice idea in theory but do you want to tidy our rooms NOW.

LF: No I thought not. C'mon let us put the carts away, lock up and tidy the yard ready for tomorrow. We can plot our next move over supper.

LM: There ARE no next moves. We have to start all the jobs Granma wants doing and we start sooner not later!

LF: Urm four days to go...

..... In the meantime

...children you might like to:

i. complete the silhouettes of the lobster, yacht and cyclist (2 sets of tangrams are needed for the last one)
ii. discuss and list all the things you would like to do during your holidays. Consider all the plans you need to make.
iii. find out how different people intend spending their holiday time. Can you categorize their responses?
iv. consider and write about what would be your ideal holiday.
v. look up the word numistmatist - and possibly begin your studies from there.
vi. consider why many foreign currencies are based on coins/ notes with the values 1,2,5,10,20, 50, 100.

parents you might like to:

i. say how you anticipate how your children will be spending the holiday time. Perhaps discuss the chores you have in mind for the children to do.
ii. consider what holidays are for and why some of them - the bank holidays are instituted.
iii. examine some of the history encapsulated on foreign coins and bank notes.
iv. consider how holiday taking as changed for subsequent generations of your family. What have been the most significant changes to have taken place?
v. compare the days off taken in other countries e.g. Saints Days

teachers you might like to:

i. look at and discuss the different holidays and 'holy days' that are now taken. What is the history behind the 'bank holiday'?
ii. get the children to estimate then calculate the percentage of time spent on 'holiday'. How accurate were your different estimations.
iii. discuss what makes the 'ideal' holiday from a child's point of view and compare it with that of an adult.
iv. examine the advertising techniques used by the holiday industry. What conclusions can you make? With what implications?
v. look at the different currencies used when going abroad. Just what do the terms: 'we buy at'; 'we sell at' mean? Is there an easy way to convert the value of one currency to another? Why are most currencies based around the face values 1,2,5,10,20, 50, 100?