theSun, Tues, 9 Nov 2010
My daughter’s current ambition is to be a singer-cum-guitarist in a rock band, so she asked for singing and guitar lessons. At age four, she was totally enamoured with the drums and pestered us for drum lessons. Once, she was fascinated with some children’s artwork displayed outside an art school so she requested for art lessons. Then, there were requests for dance, piano and kung fu classes. To cut the story short, there have been many other instances of such requests along the way.
As a parent, I am pleased that she has the desire and curiosity to want to learn new things. But it is also a challenge to juggle the benefits of allowing her to explore and learn, with her ability to focus and be committed to each activity. And not to mention determining which she could have since time and money were important considerations in these pursuits.
Other parents lament that their kids are not interested in anything besides their toys, games and the television, and that they have to coax and find ways to get them interested. Being on either side of the extreme is neither good nor bad. It is just a matter of keeping perspectives right.
Often times, especially in our current competitive world, we are pressured to want our children to do well in everything they pursue. We tend to compare our child’s performance with others.
While we love our children and want the best for them, we sometimes inadvertently push them a little too much, and even unknowingly try to live out our lives through them. Because we ourselves had desired to be a doctor but did not make it somehow, we want our child to study medicine for example.
Children should be given the freedom to explore, find their passion and develop their individual talents. A child is a unique individual and therefore cannot be compared with any other child, not even his or her twin.
Paul Zucker, author of parenting book "Loving Our Children, Loving Ourselves - How We Achieve Our Mutual Happiness And Fulfillment" said, “Our responsibility as parents is to allow our children to discover and express their uniqueness, combination of intelligence, talents, and abilities. If we believe they are unique and thus gifted, different and special, then we know we don't have to impose our desires on them. We also know that all children are special, because they are all unique, so we give up making it a competition. Other parent's children can do what they do, and our kids can do what they do and there is room for everyone; their kids can't do what ours can in some way and vice versa.
We allow children to discover and express their uniqueness by not imposing specific outcomes. In other words, we do not make them play a sport or instrument, dance, learn to cook, ride a bike, go water skiing, learn a hobby, if they are not willing and enthusiastic. Our job as parents is to provide opportunities for our children to explore, try, and experience life.”
That’s a good reminder. We need to free our children from the pressure and conflict within themselves created by our plans and desires for them. Give your children the opportunity to experience many things. They will eventually discover their passion, talent and abilities, and excel.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Cybernet for kids
Teaching children about Internet safety is necessary these days to prevent abuse and bullying on the Net
theSun, Tues 26 Oct 2010
IT IS said that for every ‘good’ thing, there may be a ‘bad’ side. We need to know how to exploit the pros for our benefit and control the cons to be safe.
So it is with our usage of the Internet. If adults can become victims of Internet addictions, stalkers, scammers and other dangerous elements, young children and teenagers who are innocent and more trusting would face higher risks when they venture into the Internet world.
Even if they don’t join chat rooms and befriend strangers on the Internet, our children’s privacy has been found to be compromised.
In a Sept 17 report in the online version of the Wall Street Journal titled On the Web, Children Face Intensive Tracking, Steve Stecklow reported the Journal’s investigation and findings on "tiny tracking tools used by data-collection companies to follow people as they surf the Internet".
Profiles detailing your online activities, behaviour and personal interests are then built and sold to advertisers. Although the profiles don’t include names, they can include "age, tastes, hobbies, shopping habits, race, likelihood to post comments and general location, such as city".
It is important to remember that when we allow our children to use the Internet, we also need to teach them about Internet safety. We need to supervise or monitor their online activities regularly to ensure that their exposure to risks and dangers are minimised.
For young children, it is best that you be with them when they are searching for information or playing games online. At times, a spelling mistake when typing a keyword into a search engine could lead to sites that are unsuitable. Bookmark the sites that your child frequently visits for easier and direct access.
Place your computer in a common and open area in the house, not in a bedroom, so that the computer screen is visible to you as you go about your chores around the house.
Talk to your children and create awareness of cyber-bullying, sexual victimisation and other possible online risks. Tell them never to divulge any personal information such as their name, home address, school name or phone number. They should not upload or email pictures of themselves to people they don’t know personally, or to arrange any face-to-face meetings with someone they met online.
Teach them that not everything they read or are told online is true, or some people may not be who they say they are. They should not respond to messages from strangers or those that are harassing or obscene.
Be aware of the privacy policies and the type and amount of personal information required by sites that you or your child register with and use. Install filtering and blocking software, or those that can monitor and track online activities.
If your child uses any computer outside your home, such as in school, at the library or a friend’s home, find out if they have such measures in place to protect the users.
Teach them to use the Internet responsibly. Show them the benefits of using it for their studies and homework, and how to play educational games and communicate with their friends safely.
Also keep them occupied with other activities such as music, sports or other projects. These are much healthier and safer activities compared to joining a chat room full of strangers and spending too much time surfing the Web while snacking on junk food.
theSun, Tues 26 Oct 2010
IT IS said that for every ‘good’ thing, there may be a ‘bad’ side. We need to know how to exploit the pros for our benefit and control the cons to be safe.
So it is with our usage of the Internet. If adults can become victims of Internet addictions, stalkers, scammers and other dangerous elements, young children and teenagers who are innocent and more trusting would face higher risks when they venture into the Internet world.
Even if they don’t join chat rooms and befriend strangers on the Internet, our children’s privacy has been found to be compromised.
In a Sept 17 report in the online version of the Wall Street Journal titled On the Web, Children Face Intensive Tracking, Steve Stecklow reported the Journal’s investigation and findings on "tiny tracking tools used by data-collection companies to follow people as they surf the Internet".
Profiles detailing your online activities, behaviour and personal interests are then built and sold to advertisers. Although the profiles don’t include names, they can include "age, tastes, hobbies, shopping habits, race, likelihood to post comments and general location, such as city".
It is important to remember that when we allow our children to use the Internet, we also need to teach them about Internet safety. We need to supervise or monitor their online activities regularly to ensure that their exposure to risks and dangers are minimised.
For young children, it is best that you be with them when they are searching for information or playing games online. At times, a spelling mistake when typing a keyword into a search engine could lead to sites that are unsuitable. Bookmark the sites that your child frequently visits for easier and direct access.
Place your computer in a common and open area in the house, not in a bedroom, so that the computer screen is visible to you as you go about your chores around the house.
Talk to your children and create awareness of cyber-bullying, sexual victimisation and other possible online risks. Tell them never to divulge any personal information such as their name, home address, school name or phone number. They should not upload or email pictures of themselves to people they don’t know personally, or to arrange any face-to-face meetings with someone they met online.
Teach them that not everything they read or are told online is true, or some people may not be who they say they are. They should not respond to messages from strangers or those that are harassing or obscene.
Be aware of the privacy policies and the type and amount of personal information required by sites that you or your child register with and use. Install filtering and blocking software, or those that can monitor and track online activities.
If your child uses any computer outside your home, such as in school, at the library or a friend’s home, find out if they have such measures in place to protect the users.
Teach them to use the Internet responsibly. Show them the benefits of using it for their studies and homework, and how to play educational games and communicate with their friends safely.
Also keep them occupied with other activities such as music, sports or other projects. These are much healthier and safer activities compared to joining a chat room full of strangers and spending too much time surfing the Web while snacking on junk food.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Home work
It’s still a constant struggle to balance career and family even if the office is in the house
theSun, Tue, 12 Oct 2010
ONE OF the challenges a work-at-home-mother (WAHM) faces is balancing work and family. We want to do well in our work, yet we must fulfil our responsibilities to our family. After all, our children are the main reason we left the rat race to work from home.
While we all have our good and bad days, we tell ourselves that it is a good, or for some, the best, decision we’ve made in our lives.
That, however, doesn’t remove the fact that it’s a constant struggle to spend our time effectively to achieve all we set out to do.
When organising our time to care for our children as a WAHM, we need to be realistic. Bringing up children without having to work is already a huge task in itself. Once you throw in a work-from-home job, tell yourself that there’s no such thing as perfection all the time.
The picture of a neat and tidy home with a woman sitting in front of her computer working calmly, while her children are quietly doing their homework is usually just that – a picture. That seldom happens in reality, so don’t tear your hair out to make that happen.
Don’t expect to be able to keep your house in tip-top condition, especially when you do not have hired help who can dust and tidy for you all day long.
You can however enlist your children to help. Give them age-appropriate chores. They need to learn to be responsible for their own room, books and toys.
Cultivate the spirit of teamwork within the family.
With cooking, don’t try to be the Iron Chef. Opt for nutritious yet convenient recipes. Use your steamer, crockpot and helpful utensils that reduce cooking and preparation time such as a food processor or pressure cooker.
Cook in bulk and freeze, and plan ahead your menu and grocery shopping for the week. Make a list to avoid wasting time and money having to make a last-minute dash to get a bunch of stuff.
Know your priorities and if your work has reached your eyeballs, it’s time to slow down. Re-schedule, re-prioritise or take on fewer assignments if possible.
Find out the best time of day when you can work uninterrupted – in the mornings when everyone is at work and school, at night when they are asleep, or when they are napping or watching television during the day.
Take time off for yourself, even if it is just for half an hour. Better yet, schedule ‘me’ time once a week where you can get out of the house and do as you please.
You may need to learn to let go and trust others to man the fort at home. You need to have the support of your spouse or learn to be ‘thick-skinned’ enough to ask others for help in babysitting.
When you are working, be disciplined. Avoid distractions and procrastination by making a to-do list. Stay focused, work on one thing at a time.
Sometimes you may make more mistakes when you overdo it with multitasking.
Having shared all these, I must admit that I have not been the most exemplary WAHM when it comes to following my own tips.
I am human after all, and if you are in the same boat, remember that it is the means, and not the end that matters all the time.
theSun, Tue, 12 Oct 2010
ONE OF the challenges a work-at-home-mother (WAHM) faces is balancing work and family. We want to do well in our work, yet we must fulfil our responsibilities to our family. After all, our children are the main reason we left the rat race to work from home.
While we all have our good and bad days, we tell ourselves that it is a good, or for some, the best, decision we’ve made in our lives.
That, however, doesn’t remove the fact that it’s a constant struggle to spend our time effectively to achieve all we set out to do.
When organising our time to care for our children as a WAHM, we need to be realistic. Bringing up children without having to work is already a huge task in itself. Once you throw in a work-from-home job, tell yourself that there’s no such thing as perfection all the time.
The picture of a neat and tidy home with a woman sitting in front of her computer working calmly, while her children are quietly doing their homework is usually just that – a picture. That seldom happens in reality, so don’t tear your hair out to make that happen.
Don’t expect to be able to keep your house in tip-top condition, especially when you do not have hired help who can dust and tidy for you all day long.
You can however enlist your children to help. Give them age-appropriate chores. They need to learn to be responsible for their own room, books and toys.
Cultivate the spirit of teamwork within the family.
With cooking, don’t try to be the Iron Chef. Opt for nutritious yet convenient recipes. Use your steamer, crockpot and helpful utensils that reduce cooking and preparation time such as a food processor or pressure cooker.
Cook in bulk and freeze, and plan ahead your menu and grocery shopping for the week. Make a list to avoid wasting time and money having to make a last-minute dash to get a bunch of stuff.
Know your priorities and if your work has reached your eyeballs, it’s time to slow down. Re-schedule, re-prioritise or take on fewer assignments if possible.
Find out the best time of day when you can work uninterrupted – in the mornings when everyone is at work and school, at night when they are asleep, or when they are napping or watching television during the day.
Take time off for yourself, even if it is just for half an hour. Better yet, schedule ‘me’ time once a week where you can get out of the house and do as you please.
You may need to learn to let go and trust others to man the fort at home. You need to have the support of your spouse or learn to be ‘thick-skinned’ enough to ask others for help in babysitting.
When you are working, be disciplined. Avoid distractions and procrastination by making a to-do list. Stay focused, work on one thing at a time.
Sometimes you may make more mistakes when you overdo it with multitasking.
Having shared all these, I must admit that I have not been the most exemplary WAHM when it comes to following my own tips.
I am human after all, and if you are in the same boat, remember that it is the means, and not the end that matters all the time.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Taking the biting out
Instead of punishing the child who likes to bite others, try to find out what drives the child to do it
theSun, Tues, 28 Sept 2010
Your toddler returns from nursery school one day with a bite mark. Your first thought as a protective mother is to find out which brat did that to your precious one and probably give that child a taste of his or her own medicine.
Many of us parents have surely encountered such an experience, either with our child being the victim or more embarrassingly, the biter.
Biting the culprit back, according to experts, is definitely not the remedy.
We should never allow our child to seek revenge because if we do, it tells them that biting or violence is an acceptable way to resolve problems.
What is paramount is to learn why children bite.
You must understand that it is natural for children to do so. When they start teething, they bite to find relief from the discomfort of swelling and tender gums.
They will sink their teeth into anything from toys, the spoon they are eating from, or your finger.
Nursing mothers will share their painful tales too as the young ones are unable to differentiate between biting an object or a person.
Children love to explore. They do it by smelling, touching, hearing and tasting. Biting is another way. They are discovering cause and effect.
They sometimes bite to find out what will happen, and are not aware that it hurts someone when they bite them.
Some children bite to gain attention and get what they want. When they tussle for a toy, one child might bite the other to gain power over the toy, or to chase the other child away.
Children learn by imitating. They see others biting and may want to try it out. When they get bitten and lose the tussle for the toy they want, they might just bite back in self-defence, or use this tactic the next time they get into a similar situation.
Parents and caregivers need to respond calmly but quickly when a child bites another. Comfort the victim and attend to the wound. Then be firm with the biter, telling him sternly that she/he must not bite and that it hurts the other child.
Separate them and give them different activities to do.
If they are fighting over a toy, you may want to distract one of them with another interesting toy or activity if they are still too young to understand the concept of sharing.
When they have learnt to share, remember to praise them specifically for their behaviour. Children love to be praised and will be encouraged to continue practising the good habit when you tell them how proud you are of them.
As they have yet to develop the skills to fully express their feelings and needs, children sometimes resort to biting, hitting, kicking or pushing to express their anger and frustration.
Encourage them to use words to express their feelings. Talk to them and help them use the correct words. Tell them firmly that it is wrong to bite and teach them to say: "I’m angry, I want that toy" or to go to you or their caregiver immediately when they get into such situations.
This could minimise the chances of them biting out of frustration, anger or in self-defence.
theSun, Tues, 28 Sept 2010
Your toddler returns from nursery school one day with a bite mark. Your first thought as a protective mother is to find out which brat did that to your precious one and probably give that child a taste of his or her own medicine.
Many of us parents have surely encountered such an experience, either with our child being the victim or more embarrassingly, the biter.
Biting the culprit back, according to experts, is definitely not the remedy.
We should never allow our child to seek revenge because if we do, it tells them that biting or violence is an acceptable way to resolve problems.
What is paramount is to learn why children bite.
You must understand that it is natural for children to do so. When they start teething, they bite to find relief from the discomfort of swelling and tender gums.
They will sink their teeth into anything from toys, the spoon they are eating from, or your finger.
Nursing mothers will share their painful tales too as the young ones are unable to differentiate between biting an object or a person.
Children love to explore. They do it by smelling, touching, hearing and tasting. Biting is another way. They are discovering cause and effect.
They sometimes bite to find out what will happen, and are not aware that it hurts someone when they bite them.
Some children bite to gain attention and get what they want. When they tussle for a toy, one child might bite the other to gain power over the toy, or to chase the other child away.
Children learn by imitating. They see others biting and may want to try it out. When they get bitten and lose the tussle for the toy they want, they might just bite back in self-defence, or use this tactic the next time they get into a similar situation.
Parents and caregivers need to respond calmly but quickly when a child bites another. Comfort the victim and attend to the wound. Then be firm with the biter, telling him sternly that she/he must not bite and that it hurts the other child.
Separate them and give them different activities to do.
If they are fighting over a toy, you may want to distract one of them with another interesting toy or activity if they are still too young to understand the concept of sharing.
When they have learnt to share, remember to praise them specifically for their behaviour. Children love to be praised and will be encouraged to continue practising the good habit when you tell them how proud you are of them.
As they have yet to develop the skills to fully express their feelings and needs, children sometimes resort to biting, hitting, kicking or pushing to express their anger and frustration.
Encourage them to use words to express their feelings. Talk to them and help them use the correct words. Tell them firmly that it is wrong to bite and teach them to say: "I’m angry, I want that toy" or to go to you or their caregiver immediately when they get into such situations.
This could minimise the chances of them biting out of frustration, anger or in self-defence.
Friday, September 17, 2010
More than child's play
Playing dress-up will sharpen children’s creativity as well as their imagination
theSun, Tue, 14 Sep 2010
CHILDREN, both girls and boys alike, aged four or five enjoy trying on clothes and accessories. They simply love to experiment with how they look.
Girls may try out a dozen hair clips or necklaces and mummy’s high heels, while boys will want to dress up like daddy by trying on ties, and requesting for fancy jeans, belts or shoes.
At that age, they grow more conscious of their appearance and would want to choose their own clothes. With your guidance, they learn how to make decisions.
As long as your daughter is dressing up appropriately for the occasion or weather, just give in at times if she decides to wear orange socks with her pink polka-dot dress, for example.
According to Dr Dorothy Einon, author of Creative Play for 2-5s, around this age, "your child now moves more like a little adult than a baby, and being a little adult also characterises many of her other skills and attributes. She now has a great deal more in common with herself at 16 years than herself at 16 months."
In her book, the writer recommends playing dress-up for children at this age. Playing dress-up is an activity that allows your child to have fun while developing their creativity and imagination.
Leave them to their own devices and you’ll be amazed at the characters they come up with. You will see how clever they are at improvising with things to make the props or costumes they need.
Start a collection of dress-up clothes like old scarves, shawls, hats, cloaks, jewellery, bags, sunglasses, hair clips, etc.
Also include props like a toy mobile phone, briefcase, apron, utensils, fireman’s helmet, stethoscope, wand, sword, eye patch - anything that helps them create a character they can dress up as.
Make these easily accessible by keeping them in a special box or drawer.
Besides sparking their creativity and imagination, the act of putting on and taking off clothes, buckling up, fastening or unfastening buttons gives them fine motor skill practice.
Playing dress-up also helps them overcome fears and learn new things. Playing doctor, nurse or dentist could help your child not be afraid of going to the clinic, taking shots or medicine. Playing teacher could reassure your child that going to preschool is fun, while playing engineer or mechanic could teach your child how a car works.
When children play together, they learn to share not only props but ideas. They develop interpersonal skills and learn to be tolerant, to share and cooperate.
They practise communication and negotiation skills when they choose costumes, decide on the pretend-play scenario and storyline they want, and who plays the villain or hero, for instance. They learn to be expressive and improve their vocabulary.
By playing ‘good’ and ‘bad’ roles, they learn the difference between right and wrong. They learn to how to amuse themselves and see their role in the family. They become clearer about their gender identity and understand differences between men and women.
They also learn about the world around them and understand the many different roles and responsibilities people have. They will grow up with self-confidence.
theSun, Tue, 14 Sep 2010
CHILDREN, both girls and boys alike, aged four or five enjoy trying on clothes and accessories. They simply love to experiment with how they look.
Girls may try out a dozen hair clips or necklaces and mummy’s high heels, while boys will want to dress up like daddy by trying on ties, and requesting for fancy jeans, belts or shoes.
At that age, they grow more conscious of their appearance and would want to choose their own clothes. With your guidance, they learn how to make decisions.
As long as your daughter is dressing up appropriately for the occasion or weather, just give in at times if she decides to wear orange socks with her pink polka-dot dress, for example.
According to Dr Dorothy Einon, author of Creative Play for 2-5s, around this age, "your child now moves more like a little adult than a baby, and being a little adult also characterises many of her other skills and attributes. She now has a great deal more in common with herself at 16 years than herself at 16 months."
In her book, the writer recommends playing dress-up for children at this age. Playing dress-up is an activity that allows your child to have fun while developing their creativity and imagination.
Leave them to their own devices and you’ll be amazed at the characters they come up with. You will see how clever they are at improvising with things to make the props or costumes they need.
Start a collection of dress-up clothes like old scarves, shawls, hats, cloaks, jewellery, bags, sunglasses, hair clips, etc.
Also include props like a toy mobile phone, briefcase, apron, utensils, fireman’s helmet, stethoscope, wand, sword, eye patch - anything that helps them create a character they can dress up as.
Make these easily accessible by keeping them in a special box or drawer.
Besides sparking their creativity and imagination, the act of putting on and taking off clothes, buckling up, fastening or unfastening buttons gives them fine motor skill practice.
Playing dress-up also helps them overcome fears and learn new things. Playing doctor, nurse or dentist could help your child not be afraid of going to the clinic, taking shots or medicine. Playing teacher could reassure your child that going to preschool is fun, while playing engineer or mechanic could teach your child how a car works.
When children play together, they learn to share not only props but ideas. They develop interpersonal skills and learn to be tolerant, to share and cooperate.
They practise communication and negotiation skills when they choose costumes, decide on the pretend-play scenario and storyline they want, and who plays the villain or hero, for instance. They learn to be expressive and improve their vocabulary.
By playing ‘good’ and ‘bad’ roles, they learn the difference between right and wrong. They learn to how to amuse themselves and see their role in the family. They become clearer about their gender identity and understand differences between men and women.
They also learn about the world around them and understand the many different roles and responsibilities people have. They will grow up with self-confidence.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Classic board-games
Playing chess, Scrabble and Monopoly is fun and educational for both young and old
theSun, Tue, 24 Aug 2010
THESE DAYS, children have the privilege to pick and choose colourful custom-made toys and games from mega toy stores. On top of that, with today’s advanced technology, the young (and old) are spoilt for choice with electronic handheld games, video and computer games.
Many classic board-games such as chess, checkers, Scrabble or Monopoly tend to get sidelined for these more modern versions of fun. Board-games, however, are beneficial for children, and adults, in many ways.
They are a wonderful alternative and allow you to spend quality family time at home during weekends instead of traipsing around crowded malls window-shopping.
In a quieter and more relaxed home environment, where everyone is gathered around a game, conversations will naturally take place. Talk could initially be about the game but you’ll never know what golden opportunities for bonding and teaching morals and values you may have with them when they open up to share their ideas, problems, and feelings.
Board-games enhance educational and social skills. By playing board-games, children learn a variety of lessons. Young children get to practise counting, matching, colour recognition, reading and vocabulary.
There are games that develop motor skills, manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination for the younger children. There are also those that promote strategy, problem-solving and planning skills for the older ones.
Word-games, such as Scrabble or Boggle, develop language skills such as vocabulary and spelling while others that involve quizzes and questions may test your child’s general knowledge. Games that use ‘play money’ like Monopoly may teach children about various denominations, counting change and managing money. It also helps develop reasoning and social skills.
Studies have also shown that playing games like chess improves logical thinking, math and reading skills. Simple games like Snakes and Ladders can teach young children counting and, at the same time, how to handle disappointment. These games help children learn about life – that we do not win all the time and that there will be ups and downs.
With younger children, it may be all right to bend the rules or give in to them a little to help them win at first. This can help build their self-confidence, sustain their interest in the game, and have an enjoyable experience playing board-games.
Meanwhile, with older children, learning to play by the rules and not cheat can teach them about compliance, sportsmanship and honesty.
Many studies have shown that playing games is beneficial for everyone regardless of sex, socio-economic class, or age. It is also reported that playing board-games reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s in the elderly.
Another formal study, The Venezuela ‘Learning to Think Project’, concluded that chess, methodically taught, helps increase the IQ of elementary schoolchildren of both sexes.
Learning aside, playing board-games together as a family is a great way to relieve stress. It is a wholesome and fun activity that brings family and even friends together for a meaningful time of sharing. In such a setting, you share fun, laughter, and even food.
So if you’re thinking of doing something different this weekend with your children, how about wiping the dust off your board-game collection and start spinning some dice?
theSun, Tue, 24 Aug 2010
THESE DAYS, children have the privilege to pick and choose colourful custom-made toys and games from mega toy stores. On top of that, with today’s advanced technology, the young (and old) are spoilt for choice with electronic handheld games, video and computer games.
Many classic board-games such as chess, checkers, Scrabble or Monopoly tend to get sidelined for these more modern versions of fun. Board-games, however, are beneficial for children, and adults, in many ways.
They are a wonderful alternative and allow you to spend quality family time at home during weekends instead of traipsing around crowded malls window-shopping.
In a quieter and more relaxed home environment, where everyone is gathered around a game, conversations will naturally take place. Talk could initially be about the game but you’ll never know what golden opportunities for bonding and teaching morals and values you may have with them when they open up to share their ideas, problems, and feelings.
Board-games enhance educational and social skills. By playing board-games, children learn a variety of lessons. Young children get to practise counting, matching, colour recognition, reading and vocabulary.
There are games that develop motor skills, manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination for the younger children. There are also those that promote strategy, problem-solving and planning skills for the older ones.
Word-games, such as Scrabble or Boggle, develop language skills such as vocabulary and spelling while others that involve quizzes and questions may test your child’s general knowledge. Games that use ‘play money’ like Monopoly may teach children about various denominations, counting change and managing money. It also helps develop reasoning and social skills.
Studies have also shown that playing games like chess improves logical thinking, math and reading skills. Simple games like Snakes and Ladders can teach young children counting and, at the same time, how to handle disappointment. These games help children learn about life – that we do not win all the time and that there will be ups and downs.
With younger children, it may be all right to bend the rules or give in to them a little to help them win at first. This can help build their self-confidence, sustain their interest in the game, and have an enjoyable experience playing board-games.
Meanwhile, with older children, learning to play by the rules and not cheat can teach them about compliance, sportsmanship and honesty.
Many studies have shown that playing games is beneficial for everyone regardless of sex, socio-economic class, or age. It is also reported that playing board-games reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s in the elderly.
Another formal study, The Venezuela ‘Learning to Think Project’, concluded that chess, methodically taught, helps increase the IQ of elementary schoolchildren of both sexes.
Learning aside, playing board-games together as a family is a great way to relieve stress. It is a wholesome and fun activity that brings family and even friends together for a meaningful time of sharing. In such a setting, you share fun, laughter, and even food.
So if you’re thinking of doing something different this weekend with your children, how about wiping the dust off your board-game collection and start spinning some dice?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Finding the right balance
theSun, Tue, 10 Aug 2010
CHILDREN are not spared when we see the increasing number of cardiovascular, obesity and diabetes cases around the world, even in Malaysia.
An article on childhood obesity, published in the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (March 2004), quoted research by Segal D.G. and Sanchez J.C. (2001) that "after an obese child reaches six years of age, the probability that obesity will persist into adulthood exceeds 50%, and [that] 70% to 80% of obese adolescents will remain so as adults".
The writers also quoted that as increasing numbers of overweight children and adolescents progress to adulthood, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine and psychosocial problems are expected to reach epidemic proportions.
While eating out or buying take-away lunches are more convenient options for our busy lifestyles, try to schedule some family meal times for certain meals such as dinner, or on certain days of the week when everyone is available to sit down together for a home-cooked meal.
Eating together not only provides family time for bonding, it also gives you the opportunity to prepare a well-balanced meal for the family. You can work more fruits and vegetables into the menu, and cut down on fried and processed foods.
Eating together also gives you the opportunity to introduce new types of food to younger children. It may, however, require a few attempts and some patience to get junior to eat mashed potatoes instead of French fries for instance.
While carrot and celery sticks, or apples and bananas may be boring compared to a bag of chips or candy, some creativity could change perspectives.
Serve them with healthy dips or accompaniments such as peanut butter, cheese or tomato salsa. And include fruits into your wholemeal pancakes, and diced vegetables into your omelettes for example.
Do not bribe children with candy or junk food. Do not force them to finish everything on their plate if they can’t. This will help them learn to ‘listen’ to their appetite and not overeat when they are older.
Involve your children as much as you can when shopping and preparing food. Take them with you for grocery shopping. Show them the various food you need to complete the food pyramid for a balanced diet. Teach them to read food labels. Tell them the different nutrients your body need and in which types of food they can be found.
If you have a garden, get them involved by planting vegetables they like. Ask them to help you wash, cut, peel and chop when cooking. Children tend to be more interested in eating the food they have helped to grow and prepare.
Healthy eating ideas can also be imparted to children when you role-play with them and when you read books about health and food together with them.
Among some fun titles to pore over are Oh the Things You Can Do That are Good for You!: All About Staying Healthy (part of the Cat in the Hat Learning Library Series) by Tish Rabe, Cookie by Lisa Woomer and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
It is without doubt that parents play an important role in teaching children to eat healthily. When children learn to do this from young, they are more likely to continue this habit as they grow older.
CHILDREN are not spared when we see the increasing number of cardiovascular, obesity and diabetes cases around the world, even in Malaysia.
An article on childhood obesity, published in the Malaysian Journal of Nutrition (March 2004), quoted research by Segal D.G. and Sanchez J.C. (2001) that "after an obese child reaches six years of age, the probability that obesity will persist into adulthood exceeds 50%, and [that] 70% to 80% of obese adolescents will remain so as adults".
The writers also quoted that as increasing numbers of overweight children and adolescents progress to adulthood, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine and psychosocial problems are expected to reach epidemic proportions.
While eating out or buying take-away lunches are more convenient options for our busy lifestyles, try to schedule some family meal times for certain meals such as dinner, or on certain days of the week when everyone is available to sit down together for a home-cooked meal.
Eating together not only provides family time for bonding, it also gives you the opportunity to prepare a well-balanced meal for the family. You can work more fruits and vegetables into the menu, and cut down on fried and processed foods.
Eating together also gives you the opportunity to introduce new types of food to younger children. It may, however, require a few attempts and some patience to get junior to eat mashed potatoes instead of French fries for instance.
While carrot and celery sticks, or apples and bananas may be boring compared to a bag of chips or candy, some creativity could change perspectives.
Serve them with healthy dips or accompaniments such as peanut butter, cheese or tomato salsa. And include fruits into your wholemeal pancakes, and diced vegetables into your omelettes for example.
Do not bribe children with candy or junk food. Do not force them to finish everything on their plate if they can’t. This will help them learn to ‘listen’ to their appetite and not overeat when they are older.
Involve your children as much as you can when shopping and preparing food. Take them with you for grocery shopping. Show them the various food you need to complete the food pyramid for a balanced diet. Teach them to read food labels. Tell them the different nutrients your body need and in which types of food they can be found.
If you have a garden, get them involved by planting vegetables they like. Ask them to help you wash, cut, peel and chop when cooking. Children tend to be more interested in eating the food they have helped to grow and prepare.
Healthy eating ideas can also be imparted to children when you role-play with them and when you read books about health and food together with them.
Among some fun titles to pore over are Oh the Things You Can Do That are Good for You!: All About Staying Healthy (part of the Cat in the Hat Learning Library Series) by Tish Rabe, Cookie by Lisa Woomer and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain.
It is without doubt that parents play an important role in teaching children to eat healthily. When children learn to do this from young, they are more likely to continue this habit as they grow older.
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