撰文﹕協康教育心理學家團隊
不少4至5歲的孩子吃飯時喜歡東張西望、弄這弄那、不專心，原來有機會跟他們操作餐具「笨手笨腳」有關之餘，還可能與他們的專注力時間較短、時間觀念仍在發展、對四周圍環境充滿好奇，甚或想逃避吃飯有關。
專注時間較短
4至5歲的孩子，一般都需要比成年人較長的用餐時間，一方面由於他們對餐具的運用還能是不太熟悉，會出現「論盡」情況；另一方面，孩子的咀嚼及 腸胃的消化能力未成熟，所以花上較長時間用餐，也是可以理解的。 此外，有些孩子因為專注時間較短，自製能力低，又沒有時間的觀念，他們容易受到四周的環境吸引，看得高興忘我時，就連前面的飯菜也忘記了，往往要父母再三催促提醒， 才能繼續進膳，導致拖長了吃飯時間。
父母面對專注時間較短的孩子，可以嘗試營造一個固定、安靜、熟悉及佈置簡約的用膳環境，給孩子定立一個合理吃飯時間的上限，並不時提醒孩子吃飯的時限，務求在時限前完成進食。
Written by: Heep Hong Society Educational Psychologist Team
Many children aged 4 to 5 tend to look around and fidget during meals because they are not yet adept at using utensils. Additionally, their short attention spans, still-developing sense of time, curiosity about their surroundings, or even a desire to avoid eating may contribute to their lack of focus.
Short Attention Spans
Children aged 4 to 5 generally need longer meal times than adults. This is partly because they are not yet familiar with using utensils, which can lead to clumsiness, and partly because their chewing and digestive abilities are still developing, necessitating longer meal times. Furthermore, due to their short attention spans, low self-control, and lack of time awareness, they are easily distracted by their environment. When they become engrossed in something interesting, they may even forget about their meal in front of them, often requiring repeated reminders from parents to continue eating, which prolongs mealtime.
Parents dealing with children who have short attention spans can try to create a consistent, quiet, familiar, and simply arranged dining environment. They can set a reasonable time limit for meals and remind the children periodically of the time limit to ensure they finish their meals within that timeframe.
對四周環境好奇
另外，也有些是天生「觀察型」學習的孩子，他們的好奇心強，經常透過眼睛觀察去學習新的事物，就連在吃飯的時候也會用眼睛「東張西望」繼續學習，雖然他們在 吃飯的時候會四處張望，給人很不專心的感覺，然而，他們很少會因此而「忘記」了吃飯，只是在一邊吃時一邊望，陶醉於他們的眼睛觀察當中。 對於觀察學習型的孩子，與其讓孩子東張西望，家長不妨在孩子吃飯的時候，與他們一起閱覽圖書，培養孩子閱讀的興趣。
當然，也有些是「混合型」的孩子，也有些東張西望的孩子，則是為了逃避自己不喜歡吃的飯菜，故意拖延時間，又或是故意做些小動作來吸引別人的注意罷了。 所以，若要解決孩子吃飯時東張西望的狀況，家長先要細心觀察及了解孩子的問題所在。
吃飯毋須過急
香港人生活節奏急速，吃飯的時間也越來越短，有時為了趕時間，看見孩子慢條斯理地吃飯的模樣，真叫家長心裡著急起來。 說到底，若是時間許可的話，還是應該給予孩子充足的用餐時間，讓他們可以慢慢咀嚼，品嚐食物的滋味。 ；最後，家長也可考慮適度減少孩子進食的份量，讓他們較容易在飯桌上完成飯餐，一方面可減少父母與孩子在飯桌上衝突的機會，另一方面當孩子因為感到肚餓而 要求更多飯餸，直接增加他們進食的動機。
Curiosity About the
Surroundings
Additionally,
some children are naturally “observational” learners with strong
curiosity, often learning new things by observing through their eyes. Even
during meals, they might look around, continuing to learn. Although this
behavior might seem like they are not concentrating, they rarely
“forget” to eat; they simply continue eating while indulging in their
observations. For such observational learners, instead of letting them look
around, parents might consider engaging them with books during meals to foster
a reading interest.
Of
course, there are also “mixed-type” children and those who look
around to avoid eating foods they dislike, deliberately delaying or performing
small actions to draw attention. Therefore, to address the issue of children
looking around during meals, parents need to carefully observe and understand
the underlying problems.
No Need to Rush Meals
The
pace of life in Hong Kong is fast, and meal times are becoming increasingly
shorter. Sometimes, seeing children eat slowly can make parents anxious.
Ultimately, if time permits, children should be given ample time to chew slowly
and savor the taste of their food. Lastly, parents might consider reducing the
portion sizes for their children, making it easier for them to finish their
meals at the table. This approach can reduce potential conflicts at the dining
table and increase the children’s motivation to eat more when they feel hungry.
