The Community Chest Straighten Up School Scheme – Excellent Straighten Up School
The Community Chest Straighten Up School Scheme - Excellent Straighten Up School
Month: October 2024
International Youth Tech Olympics 2024 Unplugged Robotics Coding (K3) – Intercollegiate Runner-up
International Youth Tech Olympics 2024 Unplugged Robotics Coding (K3) - Intercollegiate Runner-up
The 52nd Open Dance Contest Singing and Dancing Kindergarten Group – Silver Award
The 52nd Open Dance Contest Singing and Dancing Kindergarten Group - Silver Award
Parenting Tips
October 2024
Written by: Family Dynamics Psychotherapist Yuen Wai-man
Little Hsuen is in the first grade. Her father passed away from illness when she was one year old. For a long time, her mother relied on her husband’s savings to take care of Hsuen at home. However, in recent years, as financial circumstances became strained, her mother had to take on a part-time job to support the family’s expenses. Recently, Hsuen has been unable to attend school peacefully; every time her mother takes her to school, she cries and throws a tantrum, refusing to let her mother leave. During class, she insists that her mother stay outside the classroom for over an hour so she can see her through the classroom window before she can reluctantly settle down to learn.
Recently, Hsuen’s pet cat, which she cared for, unfortunately passed away due to illness, leaving her feeling gloomy and worried that other unfortunate events might occur, such as her mother passing away one day. Since then, Hsuen has become afraid to sleep alone and frequently experiences physical discomfort, including symptoms of vomiting and headaches.
This situation has persisted for two weeks, and her mother is exhausted and increasingly worried and anxious. Through a friend’s recommendation, she sought help from a psychotherapist.
The psychotherapist used play therapy to create a safe therapeutic environment for Hsuen, establishing a trusting relationship with her so that she could gradually explore and express her anxieties independently. Hsuen has always shown a timid and shy temperament, and since her mother started working part-time, the secure attachment relationship between Hsuen and her mother has been destabilized. Therefore, the psychotherapist focused on helping Hsuen realize that the world is warm and safe, encouraging her to share her inner world.
Hsuen’s mother revealed to the psychotherapist that because she has to work outside, she feels she hasn’t adequately cared for Hsuen. As a result, she has become overly accommodating at home, doing her best to protect Hsuen from harm. For example, when Hsuen needs to handle simple paper-cutting crafts, her mother repeatedly warns her to be careful and threatens to take her to the hospital if she gets hurt. Due to the pandemic, her mother cannot be by her side. However, this excessive protective parenting style has caused Hsuen to feel very anxious, fearing separation from her mother and believing that she too will die like her beloved cat. At night, she repeatedly experiences nightmares about being separated from her mother and her cat.
Methods to Alleviate Children’s Separation Anxiety
The psychotherapist helped Hsuen and her mother reconstruct a safe and warm world through the following methods, enabling Hsuen to develop independent behavior and improve her separation anxiety symptoms:
- Her mother prepared pictures of the cat for Hsuen to draw and say goodbye properly.
- Hsuen can choose a photo of herself with her mother to carry in her backpack, providing her with a sense of security.
- Her mother changed her excessively protective parenting style to avoid causing unnecessary psychological pressure on Hsuen.
- When her mother needs to leave the school, she clearly tells Hsuen where she is going and how long she will be gone.
- Her mother informs the teacher about Hsuen’s worries so that the teacher can appropriately assist in comforting her.
- When her mother is with Hsuen, she gives her more hugs and comfort to help her feel cared for.
- Whenever Hsuen is able to stay at school calmly, her mother rewards her with her favorite food.
Parenting Tips
October 2024
Written by: Certified Children’s Financial Literacy Instructor Miranda Lee
Children growing up during the pandemic have had limited opportunities to go to school and even less chance to go shopping. Many parents are concerned that their children may be missing out on important experiences and are troubled about how to provide “nourishment” for their children’s minds.
Recently, a friend mentioned that her 8-year-old daughter has learned to shop online by herself. Not long ago, she bought a large quantity of stationery and books from an online bookstore, using her parents’ online payment platform. During the purchasing process, the daughter initially intended to buy only two storybooks, but she was attracted by the incessant pop-up ads and promotions, inadvertently adding many extra “wanted” items to her cart.
Indeed, adults occasionally experience “wanting syndrome,” being tempted by the appearance of products and advertisements, leading to impulsive spending. For children with weaker financial literacy, it can be easy to mistakenly believe that online shopping is “zero burden” as long as their parents handle electronic payments, creating a consumption model where “if you want it, you can have it.”
How to Cultivate Correct Spending Habits?
Research shows that parents’ attitudes toward money and their financial habits directly influence their children’s financial perspectives. Therefore, “role modeling” is crucial. Parents should allow their children to observe their spending processes, experiencing how they face the temptation of “wants.” Before shopping, they should ask themselves three questions: Is it worth the money? Do I already have something similar? Am I going to use it regularly? When parents have clarity in their minds, they can naturally avoid impulsive spending.
To incorporate learning into shopping, I first allow my children to select the items they need. The payment process becomes a great opportunity to teach them about “financial literacy.” I encourage them to review their shopping cart to identify what is a “need,” considering the value and practicality of the items. I remind them that while fulfilling “wants” can satisfy desires, it’s essential to assess whether it’s a “need” that should be purchased immediately and whether they should use their own allowance to cover the cost. This approach directly requires them to take money from their wallets to pay. As a result, children become more cautious, hesitating and struggling with the decision of “to buy or not to buy,” which can be quite amusing.
Encouraging children to use physical money helps them understand that items must be purchased with money and cannot be wasted casually.
Parents’ use of money serves as a reflection for children in establishing their financial perspectives. Therefore, setting a good example is very important, making the most of everyday opportunities. The concept of “wants” is endless, while money is limited; thus, we must think carefully before consuming, distinguishing between “needs” and “wants,” and living within our means. Especially during the pandemic, teaching children to be grateful and content is the most valuable financial wisdom we can impart to them for a lifetime.
Parenting Tips
October 2024
“Why don’t you listen?” “Look at how well-behaved that child is.” Have you ever found these phrases familiar? The issue of children not listening is a common problem that many parents struggle to resolve. Some parents resort to scolding, which can worsen the parent-child relationship, while others choose to ignore the behavior, fearing their children will become worse as they grow up.
If you want your children to grow up healthy and happy while also being able to follow instructions, it’s actually not difficult—the key lies in the hands of the parents.
1. Avoid Bombarding with Demands
Put yourself in their shoes. Imagine that when you arrive at work, your boss immediately throws ten tasks at you. You would likely feel frustrated, unsure of where to start, and overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work. The same goes for children; receiving too many instructions at once can leave them feeling confused, and they may not have the ability to prioritize those tasks, leading them to simply “pretend not to hear.” Parents should wait for their children to complete one task before giving them another, rather than listing all demands at once.
2. Avoid Using Interrogative Phrasing
Some parents like to give instructions in the form of questions, such as “How about you clean up after eating?” For children, this is not an instruction but rather a question that they can choose to ignore. If parents want their children to clean up after meals, they should say directly, “You need to clean up after eating.”
3. Choose a Time When Everyone is Focused
When to give instructions is also an important aspect. Sometimes, when children are watching TV or using their phones, they may not hear your instructions at all; they might just respond with a reflexive “Oh” or “Okay,” and then forget completely. Parents can wait until after the children have finished watching TV, or directly ask them for a minute of their attention to ensure that they understand the request. Additionally, when making requests, parents should also put aside other tasks to model focused communication for their children.
