Source: Speech Therapist Mom Miss CarleyVocabulary skills can be divided into two categories: expressive and receptive. Expressive vocabulary refers to the words that children can say, while receptive vocabulary refers to the words that children can understand when they hear or see them.Generally, children have a larger receptive vocabulary than expressive vocabulary. For example, a one-year-old child can say about five words, such as "Daddy," "Mommy," "Grandma," "street," and "ball." However, they can understand more words than they can express. For instance, if a parent says,...

by Dr. Cheuk Wong Wing SzeRecently, with the unstable weather and frequent rain, I encountered a group of high school students waiting in line for the bus. To my surprise, one female student was without an umbrella, looking very disheveled. Quickly, I shared my umbrella with her. They were all in the same school uniform, possibly not well-acquainted with each other, yet seeing a fellow student in such a state, I wondered why no one else was willing to share their umbrella with her. This incident...

As parents, we all want our children to excel. Parents bear a tremendous responsibility to raise children in the best possible way. But what constitutes good parenting? Good parenting emerges when parents provide a stable, nurturing home environment, serve as positive role models, and actively engage in their children's lives. Good parenting is about fostering a child's holistic development, imparting moral education, and guiding children through open communication and mutual respect. Responsible parents tailor their approach, instill good values, use rewards and punishments judiciously, and positively...

"Will my son be too thin if he doesn't eat much?" Written By: Founder of Kat-Spirit Nutrition Centre Senior Dietitian Ng Yiu FunMany parents will bring their children to see me and say, "Is my son too thin? or "His bones are very obvious" or "Look, his ribs are visible, and his arms are still very small! In fact, many parents feel that their children are thin, but in fact, are these cases really thin? In fact, whether it is thin or not, we have to look at...

What can I eat to refresh my brain and enhance my memory? Written by : Registered Dietitian (Australia)Chung Yong ManIt's exam season and students are studying hard for their exams. Many parents ask, "What are the best foods to help your child refresh and maintain a good memory?CarbohydratesCarbohydrates are digested and converted into glucose, which provides sufficient energy for the brain. Therefore, I recommend eating an appropriate amount of carbohydrates at each meal to maintain the effective functioning of the brain. Food sources include grains and...

Nurturing children's interest in reading Written by : New Horizons Development Centre                  Registered Educational Psychologist Pang Chi WahA hundred years ago, illiteracy was a normal thing. But since education became widespread decades ago, it is now necessary to go to school to receive an education. Learning is not only through the direct transmission of knowledge by teachers through language, students also need to read textbooks by themselves. When doing homework or taking exams, students are tested on their concentration and speed when reading.More than 30...

How to build self-confidence from a young age? Source: Aristle International Kindergarten, School Supervisor, Vivian WuParents may ask what tips are available to help children build confidence easily from a young age. I think young children need love. He may be more self-centered and place a lot of emphasis on his relationship with his caregivers, so I think relationships with parents and caregivers are very important. If he has enough trust in the people around him, it will be easier for him to build relationships with...

What can parents do when preparing their children for elementary school？ Source: Unleashing Mind, Psychotherapist, Dr. Lee Wai TongNext semester, K3 children will start to prepare for elementary school. Apart from getting to know the new school, preparing stationery, and learning to wear school uniforms, what else can parents do to help their children transition smoothly and make a good transition to elementary school? It is often the case that children will feel anxious when they encounter many unknown things. To deal with the anxiety of...

Growing up, but not willing to walk. How to improve the children's twisting and hugging habits? Source: Psychotherapist, Lee Wai TongAt the age of one, children gradually learn to walk. At first, children will be very excited to explore everywhere. But gradually, they will ask adults to hold them and not be willing to walk by themselves. Parents will be feeling headaches, sometimes the child may be really tired, and sometimes they just want to be held out of a sense of affection. What can parents...

To love children, first to love themselves, 3 moves to teach you to maintain the best mental state Written by : Family Dynamics Child Play Therapist                    Marriage and Family Therapist, Ms. Lee Wai ZiIn today's society, it is indeed not easy for parents to maintain a good state of mind and body. I have met with many parents and found that the difficulty most parents face is not that they do not understand their children's feelings and...

3 big tricks to let young children know the emotions & improve their social skills Written by: Speech Therapist Mother, Miss CarleySince children are only about two or three years old, their knowledge of the world will become deeper and deeper, teaching them to understand emotions can help them express their feelings and encourage them to put themselves in the position of understanding the feelings of others, thereby enhancing their social skills.Tip 1: Parents and children watch cartoons together Parents can watch more cartoons with their children....

Before becoming enraged at their children, parents should ask themselves these three questions Written by: Caritas Rehabilitation Services,Clinical Psychologist, Yu Kwok TingSome parents may be more impulsive and even have a habit of blaming their children for  problems such as disobedience, deliberate anger, or naughtiness. When children fail to do  what they want, they become angry with their parents, but this will gradually alienate them from their parents, which will damage the parent-child relationship in the long run.Parents' personalities, families of origin, and parenting methods learned...

Let your child learn to face failure Written by: Director of Curriculum and Training, Financial Education Association  Mr. Kwan Hin Bun In many cases, the biggest blow to a child is not the failure itself, but his or her understanding of the failure. For example, if a child is not selected to represent the school in an inter-school competition, the usual reason they think of is that they are not as good as their classmates. But there may be other reasons behind it. Maybe the teacher is worried...

Letting go and letting your child become an independent person Written by: Founder& Volunteer Director of Good Love Passion　Lam Ho Pui Yee From childhood toadulthood, independence does not happen overnight. From the cradle to society,this journey is made up of countless small steps, and every small step in a child's development is an opportunity for parents to learn to let go. Because we can't be with our children all our lives and take care of them until they grow old, we as parents should know how to...

"No!" "Not allowed!" "No!" Does it really work? Written by : Child Behavioral Emotional Therapist　　　        Ip Wai LunMany times, parents get angry because their children don't follow the rules or challenge some bottom line. For example, if a parent doesn't want a child to touch something, the parent will just say, "Hey! Don't touch it!" and "No!" and "Stop", the child will hear many of these "No! and "No! In fact, this will often make children feel that they have done something wrong, which in turn...

Children are reluctant to open their mouths. Does listening to music help? Written By: Pang Chi Wah, Certified Educational Psychologist, New Horizons Development Centre  Parents expect their children to learn to speak, and the feeling of their children "opening their mouths" for the first time is something that only parents who have been parents can understand. Parents want their children to start talking as soon as possible and do everything they can to guide their children to speak. While oral training is important for the development of speech,...

Emotional Language for Parents and Children Written by : Family Dynamics Child Play Therapist                   Marriage and Family Therapist, Ms. Lee Wai ZiGrowing up, we are seldom taught to express our emotions verbally. Schools and society focus on nurturing children's cognitive, analytical, and problem-solving skills, so we are used to discussing things and opinions, and rarely express our emotions directly in words. Even when families communicate and talk to each other, we are not used to sharing our feelings.Some...

It is common for families to disagree on how to maintain a family. Written by: Director, The Hong Kong Institute of Family Education　　             Dr. Tik Chi-yuenTo maintain good and intimate family relationships, three elements are needed, including family planning, family communication and family empathy. Whether it is an individual, a group or a community, there is a need to have a plan. These plans should include directions, goals, actions and solutions to problems. Likewise, every family needs to have its own family plan. In simpler terms,...

Self-protection mechanism of children Written by: Psychotherapist Lee Wai-Tong, Unleashing Mind                   Professional  Counselling AcademyOne day, a colleague told me that he/she had received a call from a mother who was anxious to bring her son to see me. On the phone, I learned that the boy had pointed a knife at his neck several times in the past month, threatening his mother to give her change to buy snacks, or else he would stab himself in the neck....

Drawings peek into the inner world of children Written by: Unleashing Mind  Professional  Counselling Academy                  Psychotherapist  Lee Wai-Tong Painting can give us room to express our feelings. I use a brush to create a dialogue with myself in another language, soothing my emotions or gaining insight and unlocking my heart. Crying over trivial stuffIn my past child counseling sessions, some parents came to me for help. They did not understand why their son, Ming, often cried over trivial things,...

Don't be the "audience" for your child's "acting" Written by: Founder & Volunteer Director of Good Love Passion　Lam Ho Pui YeePraise is often misunderstood and misused. Some parents think that praise is a "cure-all" medicine and that their children will accept any praise they are given. In fact, children can't accept sarcastic praise, and it will only turn them off and backfire. Appropriate praise is more effective than harsh punishment. Some comments can be hurtful and can even affect a child's personality development for the rest...

Is it true that children who can sit still are learning well? Source: Family Dynamics Counselor, Chan Tsz WaiUnder the current social trend, many parents are worried that their children will not be as smart as other children, that they will not be able to go to a good school, and that they will not have a future. But in fact, the earlier a child can sit still and listen to instructions, the better he or she will learn in the future. We first need to understand...

Four behaviors that damage the parent-child relationship Source: Senior Parenting Expert, BallyMany parents often ask, "Why is the child so disobedient?" "Why does he hate me so much?" or "He is ignoring me more and more." In fact, there are four types of behaviors that, over time, will cause our children to despise themselves. Many of the parents that I have met in my day-to-day life often unconsciously say or do things that make their children hate themselves. This is what parents do not notice.First, comparison....

How should parents express their love for their children? Source: Parenting Specialist, Ken Sir,Some mothers often ask me, "How should I show my love for my children?" Will it be spoiled by expressing too much? I think that Chinese people are more introverted and are often afraid to express their love. Especially when you want to express your concern for him but end up with a different attitude.I once saw a mother and her little child lost in Shatin and then reunited. How did the mother...

Relying on milk bottles affects the development of the dental cavity. There are ways to quit naturally. Written by: Registered educational psychologist, Pang Chi WahChildren need to eat with the help of milk bottles during infant and toddler time. However, many children reach the age of three and use other cups to drink other beverages, but still   rely on milk bottles when drinking milk. Long-term use of milk bottles can affect the        development of children's dental cavities. What can parents do to help their children quit  ...

Three steps to teach children to eat on their own Written by: Senior Parenting Specialist,BallyWhen children go to school, they have to eat on their own. It is not an easy challenge to    teach children to eat well, as they have to eat attentively and refrain from playing with      food. In fact, parents only need three steps to teach their children to eat on their own.First, parents need to teach their children to eat on their own. Parents are frequently          anxious for their children to finish...

Be a parent with multiple expressions and poses! Written: Founder & Volunteer Director of Good Love Passion, Lam Ho Pui YeeWhen a child is around 6 months old, they start babbling, constantly making sounds and single words. They also enjoy playing with toys that make sounds. However, even before they learn to speak, they already understand how to communicate with the people around them using crying, sounds, facial expressions, gestures, or body language. In fact, children first learn to communicate with people using facial expressions and...

Did not take medicine when sick, waiting for the body to recover on its own and then develop antibodies? Source：Pediatric Specialist Doctor, Chiu Cheung ShingWhen children get sick, some parents may become very anxious and immediately take their child to the doctor or give them medicine. However, some parents believe that if they wait for a while, the child will naturally recover. In reality, this approach is somewhat correct to a certain extent. For mild illnesses like the common cold or cough, allowing the child to...

Source: Psychiatrist Dr. Wong Chun Yin As parents, we have to juggle work and family responsibilities. Under significant stress, it's easy to experience anxiety. Anxiety is a natural, built-in response, and it can protect us when our lives are threatened. However, excessive worry can lead to physical discomforts like a racing heart, stomachaches, muscle tension, rapid breathing, headaches, trembling hands, sweating, or frequent urination. If not addressed in a timely manner, it can lead to more serious emotional issues and can also affect family relationships. Here are three...

Source: Pediatric Behavioral Therapist, Yip Wai Lun Many times, as parents, when we see our children experiencing negative emotions like anger, tantrums, or extreme unhappiness, we often want to quickly resolve the situation by saying things like, "Don't be so angry!" or we may scold them, sometimes even yelling, "Shut up right now!" or using a countdown like "One! Two! Three!" to command them. Some parents may try to reason with their children, saying, "We shouldn't behave like this; we should stay calm." However, these methods are...

Source : Chinese Medicine Practitioner, Chiu Shi Cheung Many children today spend a lot of time looking at computers, phones, or reading, which can strain their eyes. There are some acupoint massages that can help children relieve eye strain. The first acupoint we'll introduce is the "Zan Chuk" point. It's located at the very front end of the eyebrows, about half an inch downward, at the corner of the eye socket. Another acupoint is called the "Jing Ming" point. It's located at the side of the nasal bridge,...

Source : Education Expert, School Supervisor,Wu Shan-ying Parents often worry about their children and ask, "Have you made any friends at school?" However, when the child responds with "I don't have any friends" or consistently mentions the same friend, parents may begin to worry if their child has tendencies toward autism or social disorders. In reality, some children have been this way since childhood. They may have a preference for playing with objects or toys rather than socializing with peers. Even in higher grades, they might immerse themselves...

I participated in a professional development exchange program for teachers in Taiwan earlier, and I was inspired by the emphasis on sports in Taiwan education, which I would like to share with parents. One of the schools on the exchange was the "Tiger Forest Elementary School", a version of the Sports Institute Elementary School. As soon as we entered the school, the students welcomed us with a gymnastic exercise promoted by the government. They moved their hands and feet together to the beat and made all...

Written by: Director of Program Development, Carmen Leung In the midst of the epidemic, there is a wide range of educational animations or online children's programs for parents to choose from. Many parents also download different tablet apps for their children to use in the hope that they can learn through interactive or interesting images and sounds. Which animations and apps are good for children's learning? What should parents pay attention to when using multimedia to help their children learn? Time to use e-learning according to age In early...

Written by: Psychotherapist Lee Wai-Tong, Unleashing Mind Professional  Counselling Academy One day, a colleague told me that he/she had received a call from a mother who was anxious to bring her son to see me. On the phone, I learned that the boy had pointed a knife at his neck several times in the past month, threatening his mother to give her change to buy snacks, or else he would stab himself in the neck. The mother, on one hand, of course, was surprised at her son's behavior, and...

Activities of the "Playtime with Children" series aim to encourage parents to play with their children, increase mutual communication, build a stronger bond and enhance their relationship. To let parents understand the importance of play to children’s development, the Education Bureau (EDB) organised a territory-wide “Play with Your Children Day” on 11 December 2022 at Hong Kong Baptist University Affiliated School Wong Kam Fai Secondary and Primary School.  On that day, the Under Secretary for Education, Mr Sze Chun-fai was the officiating guest and kicked started...

(Chinese Version Only) Source: https://www.parent.edu.hk/article/ten-tips-online

(Chinese Version Only)因應學校由2023年2月起逐步有序恢復全日面授課堂，教育局於2023年1月26日在「校園‧好精神」網站推出「校園復常‧好精神」專頁，為學校及家長提供多元化的實用資源﹙如錦囊、資源包及短片等﹚，協助他們提升一般學生的適應力、及早識別有精神健康風險的學生，以及就學生的不同需要﹙包括有精神病患的學生及有自閉症的學生等﹚提供針對性支援，幫助學生重拾正常的學習和社交生活。 提升一般學生的適應力方面，家長可參考「協助子女適應全日面授課堂」小貼士，儘早與子女建立常規，以及妥善分配作息時間等。此外，由臨床心理學家主講的「壓力處理我有計」家長教育短片已上載及連接至專頁，方便家長觀看。 及早識別有精神健康風險的學生方面，家長可於「認識及支援有自我傷害行為的學生」專頁下載「如何幫助有自我傷害行為的學生」家長小冊子，及早留意警號，協助子女處理其困擾。 教育局亦針對學生的不同需要﹙例如有精神病患的學生及有自閉症的學生等﹚提供建議及資源，幫助學生處理壓力及焦慮。對於有精神病患的子女，家長可參考「關愛孩子好精神」家長教育系列，以了解不同種類的精神病患的徵狀、處理方法及家校支援策略，系列內的八個小冊子均備有中文、英文及八種少數族裔語文版本。對於有自閉症的子女，家長可參考「全日上學去 - 協助有自閉症的學生適應全日面授課堂」家長錦囊，透過具體的建議行動清單，與子女一起迎接校園生活。 我們期望學校和家長共同努力支援學生，強化他們的抗逆能力，並提升他們的適應能力。如察覺學生面對壓力，學校和家長應多向他們表達關心，並幫助他們運用有效的方法照顧自己的精神健康。Source：家長智NET (https://www.parent.edu.hk/en/article/resumeschooling)

Source：家長智NET (https://www.parent.edu.hk/en/article/helpingchild)

The Education Bureau has produced a new Television Announcements in Public Interest (TV API) on positive parent education, along with a newly released theme song of the Positive Parent Campaign, “Accompany Your Child to Grow Up with Love” sung by Singer Ms. Cindy Au, with an aim to promote to the parents and the public the proper ways and attitudes on nurturing children. The TV API is titled “Parental care and love help children grow up with confidence”. In the video, members of the Light Family,...

Written by: Hong Kong Speech and Swallowing Therapy CentreSenior Speech Therapist Eunice SiuIn our daily interactions with others, we not only observe others' behaviors, but also "explain" and "predict" others' behaviors. Theory of mind is the ability to infer or substitute other people's mental states, such as their thoughts, beliefs, desires, and intentions, etc., and to use this ability to explain other people's thoughts, perceptions, and predict their behaviors. Theory of mind can be subdivided into "emotion recognition", "beliefs" and "pretend play".The developmental period for children's...

Written by :Family Dynamics Child Play Therapist                   Marriage and Family Therapist, Ms. Lee Wai Zi In today's society, it is indeed not easy for parents to maintain a good state of mind and body. I have met with many parents and found that the difficulty most parents face is not that they do not understand their children's feelings and needs, or that they do not know how their behavior affects their children, but that it is difficult to...