With the Sars season now behind us, let's make 'fresh air' our guiding principle for whatever educational and recreational pursuits we might choose for our children and family to follow during the forthcoming summer vacation.
After weeks under the grip of Sars - social activities restricted severily - it's time to break the mould and ensure that we all do something out of the ordinary this year.
The expression 'fresh air' refers not only to the atmospheric benefits of the great outdoors, it also suggests a fresh start and a new approach to whatever it is that we decide to do.
What can Hong Kong's students of English do during this coming summer to breathe new life into their second-language learning? Whatever you and your family do, wherever you may go, this is surely a year to be different.
It is time to remind ourselves of the inherent truthfulness of the old adage that says: 'If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always gotten.' Instead of forcing our young English learners into more and more tutorial classes in formal grammar, why not enrol them in courses which make use of English to teach something else?
Have you ever considered a yoga class, a cooking class, learning how to paint or swim? If the youngster can learn a new hobby or skill from an English-speaking instructor, there's every chance of double happiness, as the child learns a new pastime and enjoys interaction in another language.