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SCMP Reporter

Treasure every second you have 
Things in life  happen unexpectedly. Who in Hong Kong would expect their  home to collapse? 
The collapse of the To Kwa Wan tenement block last month even made the headlines overseas. The accident did not occur in some rural village, but in a modern city and an international financial centre.   
One of the people who died was a hard-working teenager, who was studying for his A-levels. This is a particular tragedy. He had so much to look forward to.   
The accident did remind us, however, of the importance of living life to the fullest. We should treasure every second and make the most of everything we have. 
Ng Ka-yuet 
The queue for nursing home places 
The government  wants to set up a means test for elderly people who want to apply for a nursing  home place, in order to reduce the waiting time. Generally, the wait  is  so long that many people die before they are given  a place.  
I do not believe a means test  would be the right way to cut down the waiting time. Elderly people may  be unable to live alone  even if they   have a lot of money.
Instead, the government  should  check their health or ability to look after themselves. In this way, people who need help can get a place to live and support  more quickly. 
Alma Lai 
Cut down on parental pressure  
Nowadays, parents seem to treat art, music, sports  and foreign languages as  a  way to get their children  into a good secondary school.  
Primary school students already have a lot of children. Spending  any spare time   music, art  and so on leaves them no time to relax. Extra-curricular activities  should be for  relaxation, but if children do not enjoy  them, they may become stressful. 
According to  experts, frustration and exhaustion may harm three aspects of a child's health:  physical, emotional and mental.  
In terms of the physical aspect,  if children do not have enough rest, they may  feel too tired to get up and go to school, or even to do their homework. Extra-curricular activities will seem exhausting.  
As to the emotional aspect, children may easily become frustrated.  If their lives are totally controlled by their parents, they may think of themselves as puppets. They may  lack confidence, and often feel negative, especially about themselves.  
 As to the mental aspect,  they may  lack critical thinking and the ability to fend for themselves. There have been many occasions when a child who is so dependent on his parents misses an exam, simply because he could not take care of his schedule himself.  
All parents  want the best for their children. This includes getting them into the best schools. But parents should carefully consider what extra work they make their children do just for the sake of a better school. 
Li Ka-man, SKH Li Fook Hing Secondary School
Listen to the 20-somethings The Hong Kong-Guangzhou high-speed rail link is one of the most frequently discussed social issues of recent months.
I support the post-80s-generation, who protested against this frankly unnecessary development and are fighting for the rights of the people affected. In my opinion, building a high-speed rail link is a waste of money.
The Tsoi Yuen villagers are mostly elderly citizens who have lived there for many years. The rail project is taking away their homes and their culture.   Although the government is paying compensation, I don't think this is enough. 
The government should not only focus on the financial aspect, but should pay more attention to how citizens feel.
Wendy Chan Tat-lin, Po On Commercial Association Wong Siu Ching Secondary School



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