loader image

Written by:Dr. Chang Kit

There are many advertisements on television that target the children’s market, including clothes, food supplements, powdered milk, stationery, tables and chairs, and so on. One of the main points is that making children smarter, or making the most of their intelligence, is a good selling point. This selling technique captures a key point in every parent’s mind, that their child is the best.

Let’s not discuss the truth, logic and objectivity of this statement, but all parents with children will agree with it, including me. However, in the process of raising children, this “smartest theory” may influence us to expect too much on our children. Therefore, we can take a step back and look more clearly. In our daily work, here are five behaviors that fathers often praise their children for.

1. “Two-year-old kids know a lot of tablet functions.

Because the tablet screen is controlled by fingers, the child’s random pointing movement makes it easy to manipulate the screen. There are no adult logic limitations, so it is not difficult to discover new functions that most children can do.

2. “Six-month-old kids can read people’s faces and react with pouting and temper actions.

This response has been medically proven to be one of the developmental milestones for all children. This two-way response to behavior through the reactions of others is a learned response, and children who lack this response are likely to be suspected of having perceptual problems or the first signs of autism.

3. “Three-year-old children can use adult words.

Research shows that children can learn up to six languages at the same time during early childhood, which means that their brains are constantly listening to the words and phrases around them. Even if they don’t understand the meaning, they can repeat it like a parrot learning to speak. Adults who think they are not teaching their children directly, but they know, may think that this is a genius mode of learning, which is not true.

4. “It’s amazing how children sometimes ask questions that even I can’t answer.

One of the reasons why the complaint culture is so prevalent in Hong Kong is that there is no cost: as long as a complaint comes out of your mouth, someone will always follow it up for you, without any effort at all. The same is true for children’s questions. They just ask words like “why”, “why” and “what” and parents try to answer them as best as they can. In actuality, these questions are simply an expression of the child’s disobedience, not a real learning process. Therefore, it has nothing to do with intelligence.

5. “They like to disobey the rules when they play and make up their own new rules.

Following rules is a social law set by the adult world. Children, like people in undeveloped areas, need to learn how to live together and follow rules. So, if you know you need to follow the rules and don’t do it, it’s just a rebellious act, not necessarily a smart one. On the contrary, it is wiser to learn the basic rules first before negotiating for improvement.

After understanding the above misconceptions, it is easy to understand that a truly smart child is probably

1. not only show the flexibility to operate the tablet or smart phone, but also understand how to use the functions.

2. know how to capture the psychology of adults is the child’s natural ability, know how to control their own emotions is more intelligent.

 

3. Language ability is not the only part of our assessment of intelligence; the “quality” and “quantity” of vocabulary are both important.

4. It is not unusual to surpass a child’s personal developmental milestones at only one stage, but it is the longer-term surpassing without pushing the valley that is noteworthy.

 

While intelligence is good, good character is also important.

Parents Daily 為全港父母提供關於親子育兒、升學的豐富短片和內容,專輯內容包括「有星有Say」、「校長有話兒」等節目。我們以輕鬆活潑的方式為父母們提供培養孩子的資訊,更會邀請幼小校長、名人、資深教育工作者等分享教學、親子心得和實戰經驗,讓父母可以在這裡得到實用資訊之餘,更可認識更多互相分享、互相扶持的同行者。

撰文:張傑醫生

現代資訊流通發達,許多有關健康護理的知識都很容易找得到。其中一種大家會愈來愈理解的,就是防曬的重要性。過多的紫外線會加速皮膚老化,而且增加黑色素的產生,形成色斑。雖然紫外線本身有效協助製造維生素D,並且能吸收鈣質,但由於香港屬於亞熱帶地區的邊緣,每年能夠接觸到陽光的時間比北半球上部(如加拿大和歐洲地區)為多,所以即使用了防曬產品,但接觸陽光的機會仍有很多。

小孩子就不需要做防曬嗎?

成人,尤其是女性,都會知道防曬的工夫。包括每天定時塗防曬乳霜、定時補充防曬乳霜和避免在陽光最猛的時間(早上 10 時至下午 2 時)在戶外活動。另外,也可使用闊邊帽和穿長袖衣服。不過,大家有沒有聽過父母這樣說:「只有大人要做防曬,小孩子就不用了!」有不少父母認為孩子不需要做防曬。原因有三個:

1.          孩子要多曬太陽才會健康

2.          防曬乳霜是化學物質,對孩子幼嫩的皮膚不好

 

3.          孩子多曬一點,沒有甚麼大不了,應該問題不大

其實,這不是正確的想法。首先,孩子基本上自己不懂保護自己,也不懂如何避開陽光,所以是「高危人士」。而且,孩子的皮膚較成人薄和幼嫩,更容易被曬傷和出現曬斑,所以反而需要更多保護。另一方面,香港和中國的地區的日照時間,相比歐洲和北美地區為長,對陽光的接觸已經十分足夠,所以只要有正常的戶外活動,便不怕沒有足夠的紫外線,也不怕不夠維生素D

選擇合適的防曬乳霜

至於防曬乳霜的化學本質問題,大家要知道防曬乳霜有兩種,包括化學性和物理性。前者需要皮膚吸收了,才可有防曬作用,後者卻是在皮膚表面反射陽光。所以,如果擔心防曬品的有害影響,可以選擇物理性一類便可,例如氧化鋅等。還有,父母別忘記衣服本身也是最有效的防曬用品,所以闊邊帽、長袖衫和長褲是十分重要的

如果防曬做得不好,會有甚麼反應呢?

1.          一般色斑和雀斑,尤其在鼻子和兩側顴骨上

2.          因為重複曬傷後,造成皮膚敏感

3.          膚色不均,尤其同時有汗斑存在

4.          皮膚變得粗糙

 

5.          表皮上長出微絲血管和櫻桃痣

當父母明白了以上防曬的重要性,應該不會再告訴別人:「孩子不需要用!」

Parents Daily 為全港父母提供關於親子育兒、升學的豐富短片和內容,專輯內容包括「有星有Say」、「校長有話兒」等節目。我們以輕鬆活潑的方式為父母們提供培養孩子的資訊,更會邀請幼小校長、名人、資深教育工作者等分享教學、親子心得和實戰經驗,讓父母可以在這裡得到實用資訊之餘,更可認識更多互相分享、互相扶持的同行者。