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, parents should not neglect auditory training because it is an important prerequisite for language training. Relationship between Auditory Stimulation and Speech ExpressionListening and expression, reception and output, are closely

Emotional Language for Parents and Children Written by : Family Dynamics Child Play Therapist                    Marriage and Family Therapist, Ms. Lee Wai Zi Growing 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 parents may ask, “Isn’t it enough for me to express my care for my child through actions (such as hugging or kissing him/her)? Is it necessary for

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-yuen To 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, planning for home ownership, savings, travel, and children requires clear planning and action. In the process of talking about these plans, it is important for all family members

Self-protection mechanism of children 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 on the other hand, worried that he might stab himself accidentally, so she had to