月份: 2023 年 5 月
資料來源：兒童遊戲治療導師賴舜薇
仔仔喜歡公主書及模型，又喜歡粉紅色
小朋友喜歡的公仔玩具有很多類型，不少家長可能會擔心，自己的兒子喜歡公主，喜歡粉紅色，又或擔心女兒喜歡玩玩具車。這種擔心是甚麼呢？家長又真的需要擔心嗎？我們總是習慣了女孩子穿著粉紅色裙子和戴著粉紅色帽子，但見到她玩消防車與耍劍，就會覺得不妥，其實在心理學上叫作「性別角色期待」。
性別角色期待，是指社會和文化期待某種性別從事某種活動內容，所以大家對自己的子女有一定的性別角色期待其實是很正常。不過我們要留意的是，如果我們將這種期待變成了對某種類別人士固有的看法，這樣會很容易抹殺了個人差異和他的特質了。
Source: Children’s Play Therapy Instructor Lai Shun-Mei
Little boy likes princess books and models, and also likes pink.
There are many types of dolls and toys that children like, and many parents may worry that their son likes princesses and pink or worry that their daughter likes to play with toy cars. What is this worry? Do parents really need to worry? We are used to seeing girls wearing pink dresses and hats, but when we see them playing with fire trucks and swords, we feel uneasy. This is actually called “gender role expectations” in psychology.
Gender role expectations refer to the social and cultural expectations that certain genders engage in certain activities. Therefore, it is normal for everyone to have certain gender role expectations for their children. But we need to be aware that if we turn these expectations into innate views of certain types of people, it will be easy to get rid of the differences between people and what makes them unique.
以性別教導男孩或女孩應該有何指定表現，以及決定他們的志趣和性格，這個我們叫做「性別角色定型」。性別角色定型會限制他們天賦潛能發展，如果我們想培養他興趣廣泛又有創意，以及剛柔並濟健康人格的小朋友，我們便要保護他們自由探索空間。尤其要留意他們會否在這個探索過程中，受到社會上其他人言語欺凌。
“Gender role stereotyping” means teaching boys and girls how they should act and figuring out their interests and personalities based on their gender. Gender role stereotyping can limit their innate potential for development. If we want to cultivate children who have diverse interests, creativity, and a balanced and healthy personality, we must protect their freedom to explore. We especially need to pay attention to whether they are subjected to verbal bullying from others in society during this exploration process.
另外家長可能擔心孩子性別認同問題。性別認同，是指對自己屬於哪一種性別的內在認知，並渴望以這一種性別來生活和表達自己，這一個是屬於個人認知發展範疇問題。隨著小朋友的年齡增長，他的腦部得到發展，對社會和自己有更多學習和認知，慢慢便清晰對自己性別認知。單從玩具和顏色喜好選擇，是不可以說明小朋友有性別認同的困難，因為小朋友的玩具是沒有分性別的。不管他選擇玩車，還是玩公仔，他們都是在發揮自己的想像力，傾訴自己的故事，所以我們做家長應放鬆心情，聆聽小朋友的心情，好好享受和陪伴他們一起玩樂的時光。
Parents may also worry about their children’s gender identity. Gender identity refers to the internal recognition of which gender one belongs and the desire to live and express oneself in that gender. This is a personal cognitive development issue. As children grow older and their brains develop, they learn and recognize more about themselves and society, gradually clarifying their gender identity. The choice of toys and colors alone cannot indicate a child’s gender identity difficulties, as toys do not have gender. Whether they choose to play with cars or dolls, they are expressing their imagination and sharing their stories. Therefore, as parents, we should relax and listen to our children’s emotions, and enjoy the time spent playing with and accompanying them.
資料來源：家庭動力心理輔導員賴舜薇
小朋友每次做功課，都訛稱自己肚痛、要上洗手間或想睡覺，千萬種謊言與藉口。重視品格培養的家長自然會感到嬲怒，因為他們對子女不誠實的行為都是零容忍的。但為甚麼孩子總是逃避做功課？為甚麼他們又要以謊言去掩飾呢？
小朋友逃避做功課，很多時不是他們不願意做，而是做不到。小朋友都會希望自己又乖巧又聰明，但當他們發現自己做不到功課，便會認為自己不夠聰明。他無法接受，便會以說謊來掩飾和逃避。一般而言，智力正常但有學習障礙的小朋友，他們的學業表現都會受到一定程度的影響，但在其他方面，他們一樣可以表現出色。而且不論他們智力水平高低，只要使用對的方法，加上適量訓練，他們亦能建立相應能力。
Written by: Family Dynamics Psychological Counselor, Lai Shun Mei
Every time a child does homework, he or she falsely claims to have a stomachache, to go to the bathroom, or to go to sleep. Thousands of lies and excuses. Parents who value character development are naturally outraged because they have zero tolerance for dishonesty in their children. But why do children always avoid doing their homework? Why do they have to lie to cover it up?
Often, children avoid doing homework not because they don’t want to, but because they can’t. Children want to be good and smart, but when they find out they can’t do their homework, they think they are not smart enough. They can’t accept this and will lie to cover it up and avoid it. Generally speaking, children with normal intelligence but learning disabilities will have their academic performance affected to some degree, but they can excel in other areas as well. And regardless of their intelligence level, as long as they use the right approach, coupled with the right amount of training, they can also build the corresponding ability.
但人為甚麼會說謊呢？當一個人覺得自己處於不安的環境時，便會啟動防衛機制保護自己。而說謊便是其中一種以逃避方式來應對危機的表現。如果家長希望幫到子女，便要讓他勇於說真話，這樣家長才能理解子女真正不明白的地方。
如何令子女勇於說真說話？你要讓子女知道，即使他不夠聰明，你依然會這麼愛她，以他為喜樂，對他有耐性，並且會一起想辦法協助他解決困難，從而建立他的安全感，讓他安心透露內心的不明白與困難。但相反，若其經驗令他認為因他不夠聰明，會引來媽媽對他發脾氣及埋怨，他便不敢說真話，甚至啟動自我保護機制，用大人一看便能拆穿的謊言保護自己。
But why do people lie? When a person feels that he or she is in an uncomfortable situation, he or she will activate the defense mechanism to protect himself or herself. Lying is one of the ways to cope with a crisis by avoiding it. If parents want to help their children, they should allow them to tell the truth so that they can understand what their children really don’t understand.
How do you instill in children the courage to speak the truth? You have to let your child know that even if he is not smart enough, you will still love him so much, take him as your joy, be patient with him, and find ways to help him solve his problems together, thus building up his sense of security and making him feel at ease to reveal his inner uncertainties and difficulties. On the contrary, if his experience makes him think that he is not smart enough, which will lead to his mother’s anger and complaints, he will not dare to tell the truth and even activate his self-protection mechanism to protect himself with lies that adults can uncover at first glance.
這時候孩子不但無法保護自己，更會惹來更大的麻煩，因為媽媽會更生氣，便會主動認錯，又會承諾不再說謊。惟事實上，他功課的困難並未解決，形成造成惡性循環。因此，我們鼓勵家長學習接納子女的不足，令子女對你有信心，覺得安全，自然對你敞開心扉。
At this point, the child will not only fail to protect himself but will also get into more trouble because the mother will be rehabilitated and will take the initiative to admit her mistake and promise not to lie again. But in fact, his homework difficulties are not resolved, creating a vicious cycle. Therefore, we encourage parents to learn to accept their children’s shortcomings so that they will have confidence in you and feel safe to open up to you.
資料來源：親職教育專家Ken Sir
父母可能會擔心對孩子表達過多的愛，會造成溺愛，因而不懂如何對孩子表達愛。一般而言，中國人較為內斂，對愛的表現很多時候都不敢說出來。尤其當你本來想表達你很緊張他，但往往變成另一種態度。
有次我在沙田見到一個媽媽和她的小朋友走失了，然後再重聚，重聚後媽媽的表現是怎樣呢？就是捉著他的手打他 ，一邊打一邊説：「我剛剛見不到你，你知不知道我很害怕。我很擔心你，見不到你怎麽辦呀？」
其實大家都知道媽媽是愛他的，但小朋友就感受不到。我經常在講座分享一個例子去表達愛，就是在我小時候爸爸叫了一杯飲料，因為當時錢不多，當叫完一杯熱飲後就問侍應多拿一個杯子。在我面前不停把飲料倒來倒去，想盡快把飲料弄涼，讓小朋友喝的時候不會燙傷嘴巴，而且可以快點喝得到，但我發現如果當小朋友問父母的時候或我問過很多學生的父母，他們都是會答：「這樣會快點變涼。」
Source: Parenting Education Specialist, Ken Sir
Parents may worry that expressing too much love to their children will spoil them and therefore do not know how to express love to them. Generally speaking, Chinese are more introverted and often dare not express their love. Especially when you originally wanted to express that you were very worried about your child, it often turns into another attitude.
Once, I saw a mother and her child get lost in Shatin and then reunite. What was the mother’s behavior like after the reunion? She grabbed the child’s hand and hit him while saying, “I couldn’t find you earlier; do you know how scared I was? I was so worried. What would I do if I didn’t find you?”
In fact, everyone knows that the mother loves her child, but the child doesn’t feel it. I often share an example during lectures to express love. When I was young, my father ordered a drink, but because money was tight, he asked the waiter to bring an extra cup after ordering one hot drink. He kept pouring the drink back and forth in front of me, trying to cool it down quickly so that the child wouldn’t burn his mouth and could drink it faster. But I found that when children ask their parents or when I asked many students’ parents, they would answer, “This will make it cool faster.”
家長在回應小朋友時應該表達最深的層次，就是因為我愛你，我不愛你我怎麽會做這事情呢？難道我為旁邊那個做？為旁邊的小朋友做嗎？所以其實我們在生活上很多事情可以表達愛，但有一種事一定要記住，如果你害怕造成溺愛，一定要切記以下兩點。
第一點小朋友可以做到的事，應該要讓他做，你不應該爭著做。第二點就是小朋友犯錯，我們要指正他。在指正的過程中，盡量用到溫柔而堅定，需要嚴肅的時候要嚴肅。但要提醒小朋友記著要説上解決方法，而不是只說NO，只說不對。這樣的話，小朋友是不會進步的。
When responding to children, parents should express their feelings at the deepest level: “I love you; why would I do this if I didn’t love you? Am I doing it for someone else? For another child? So in fact, there are many things in our lives that can express love, but there is one thing that must be remembered. If you are afraid of being overindulgent, remember the following two points:
First, if the child can do something, let them do it. You should not fight to do it. Second, when the child makes a mistake, we should correct them. In the process of correction, try to be gentle and firm. When seriousness is needed, be serious. But remind the child to say the solution, not just say no or that it’s wrong. Otherwise, the child will not progress.
資料來源：註冊營養學家（公共衛生）（英國）吳珮瑜
很多小朋友有一些皮膚乾燥，甚至有濕疹問題。家長也會很努力幫助小朋友，尋找適合他們使用的保濕品或護膚品。其實除了外用的護膚品，我們也要留意小朋友的飲食，最直接的方法當然是多喝水，喝水要喝多少才足夠呢？
原來我們身體對水分的需求，其實深受天氣影響，例如天氣乾燥就需要多些水分、有小朋友的活動量及他流了多少汗。食物裡的水分也影響了他們對水的需求，如果小朋友在大概3至4個小時裡有一次小便，而小便是淺黃色的，也沒有明顯的尿味，大便也不會很硬，不會排便很辛苦，通常都代表水分足夠。
Source: Registered Dietitian (Public Health) (UK), Ng Pui-Yu
Many kids have dry skin or even eczema, and their parents work hard to find the right moisturizers and other skin care products for them. In fact, in addition to topical skincare products, we should also pay attention to children’s diets. The most direct way, of course, is to drink more water. How much water should be drunk?
In fact, our body’s need for water is deeply influenced by the weather. For example, in dry weather, we need more water, as well as to account for children’s activity levels and how much they sweat. The water content in food also affects their need for water. If a child urinates every 3 to 4 hours and the urine is light yellow with no strong odor and the stool is not very hard and does not cause difficulty during bowel movements, it usually means that their water intake is sufficient.
而2至5歲的幼兒一天，大概就需要4至5杯流質，當然是以水分為主是最好的。另外不飽和脂肪酸，例如奧米加3對維持細胞膜完整很重要，它可以阻隔了一些有害的物質，使皮膚比較濕潤及有彈性。如果有皮膚敏感或濕疹等問題，奧米加3脂肪酸更加可以幫助舒緩一些過激的免疫反應。
另外我們要避免一些食物，例如糖果、餅乾及白麵包這些精製的食物，多選擇一些低升糖指數的食物，例如糙米及全麥麵包，這些對控制敏感情況很重要。當然還有抗氧化物質，包括常見的維他命A、C及E，其實這些在不同顏色的蔬菜、水果或果仁中也會有維他命A、C及E，它亦是一些很好的抗氧化來源。
For children aged 2 to 5, they need about 4 to 5 cups of fluid a day, and water should be the main source. Unsaturated fatty acids, like omega-3, are also important for maintaining the integrity of cell membranes, which keep harmful substances out and keep the skin moist and flexible. Omega-3 fatty acids can also help calm immune responses that are too strong in people with skin allergies or eczema.
We should also avoid certain foods, such as candies, cookies, and white bread, which are refined foods. Instead, we should choose low-glycemic index foods, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread, which are important for controlling sensitive conditions. Antioxidants, including common vitamins A, C, and E, are also important and can be found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts of different colors, making them great sources of antioxidants.
總結來說，要有健康的皮膚，除了要有足夠的水分，每個星期應該食兩次脂肪含量高的魚，例如三文魚或黃花魚，也可以用原味的果仁、水果等等，來代替一些餅乾、糖果作為小食，多吃不同種類的蔬果是比較理想的。
順帶一提，如果小朋友咀嚼能力還未發展良好，有機會進食果仁時怕他噎到，所以我們要找一些例如松子仁，這些比較小的果仁，也是一些可取的選擇。
In summary, to have healthy skin, in addition to having enough water, you should eat high-fat fish such as salmon or yellow croaker twice a week. You can also replace some cookies and candy with plain nuts, fruits, and so on, and it is ideal to eat a variety of vegetables and fruits.
By the way, if a child’s chewing ability is not well developed, there is a chance of choking when eating nuts. Therefore, we should choose some smaller nuts, such as pine nuts, which are also a good option.
