暑假來了，不少家長會選擇利用這個漫長的假期和小朋友離港旅遊，既可共聚天倫、還能舒展身心。不知道大家還有沒有其他原因呢？
有的會說，旅遊還可讓小朋友增廣見聞。的確，「讀萬卷書，不如行萬里路」。假如小朋友有親身體驗，相信對所學知識能有較深刻的了解。例如，當小朋友學到「萬里長城」時，如能到該處走一趟，相信更能感受到這個建築工程在人類文明史上的偉大。我在選擇旅行地點時，也會考慮會否與女兒的學習內容相配合。例如，在她學到不同種類的動物時，我會在旅行中加入動物園作參觀景點，讓她能親身接觸不同的動物，這總比單從書本或電視認識好得多。
我很重視去旅行的數天時間，主要原因是在旅行的數天，我和女兒有一段較長的朝夕相處時間，只要用心觀察，你會對孩子有更深入的了解，在我女兒還小的時候，我會在旅遊時特別關注女兒的以下事情：
(1) 孩子與陌生人相處的表現
在旅行期間，小孩會接觸到不同的陌生人，她的表現是怎樣呢？面對陌生的長輩，她會否主動跟人打招呼呢？能否有禮貌及得體地回答長輩的提問呢？面對同齡的小朋友，會否主動一起玩耍呢？如何處理當中可能發生的爭執呢？我喜歡從旁觀察，然後到晚上，我會跟女兒分享及讚賞她當天良好的表現，並鼓勵她明天哪些地方可做得更好。
The summer holidays are here, and many parents choose to travel with their children during this long break, not only to spend quality time together, but also to rejuvenate. I wonder if there are any other reasons why people choose to travel during the summer?
Some may say that traveling can also broaden children’s horizons. Indeed, “it is better to travel ten thousand miles than to read ten thousand books.” If children have firsthand experiences, they will likely have a deeper understanding of the knowledge they have learned. For example, when children learn about the Great Wall of China, visiting the site in person would allow them to truly appreciate the grandeur of this architectural marvel in human history. When choosing travel destinations, I also consider whether they align with my daughter’s learning content. For instance, when she is studying different types of animals, I will include a visit to the zoo during our trip, so that she can interact with various animals directly, which is much more engaging than learning from books or TV alone.
I highly value the several days we spend traveling, as it allows for extended quality time together. By observing my daughter closely during these days, I can gain deeper insights into her. When my daughter was younger, I would pay particular attention to the following aspects during our travels:
(1) How the child interacts with strangers
During travels, children encounter various unfamiliar people. How does my daughter behave in such situations? Does she proactively greet the unfamiliar elders? Can she politely and appropriately respond to their questions? When playing with peers her age, does she initiate interactions? How does she handle any potential conflicts that may arise? I enjoy observing discreetly, then in the evenings, I will share and praise her good conduct from the day, and encourage her on how she can do even better the next time.
(2) 孩子的自理能力
由於旅行的時間較為充裕，不需要和時間賽跑，這時你可以藉此培養孩子的自理能力。例如，我會安排女兒攜帶一個屬於她的小旅行箱，由她自行管理內裡的個人物品。我則從旁觀察，孩子能否妥善地處理她的個人用品，以及離開酒店或出發到另一個景點前，她能否把自己的物品收拾得妥妥當當。在有需要時，我會適時提點或從旁協助。
其實，要培養孩子們的品格和自理能力，並不一定需要乘搭飛機到外地旅遊。我想强調的是，品德培育並不能只停留在理論層面，一味的說教只會帶來反效果，因此品德培育應透過日常生活實踐出來。事實上，只要有充足的相處時間、多些陪伴子女，多些細心觀察子女的日常表現，在有需要時作出提點或協助，就算只是到郊外走走，也不難達到以上目的。
(2) The child’s self-care abilities
With the relatively ample time during travels, without having to race against the clock, this is when you can take the opportunity to foster your child’s self-care ability. For example, I will arrange for my daughter to carry a small travel suitcase of her own, and have her manage the personal items inside it. I then observe discreetly to see if the child can properly handle her personal belongings, and whether she can pack up her things neatly before leaving the hotel or heading to the next destination. I will provide timely reminders or assistance if needed.
In fact, fostering children’s character and self-care ability does not necessarily require taking a flight to travel to distant places. What I want to emphasize is that character education should not just remain at the theoretical level, as constant lecturing will only backfire. Rather, character education should be put into practice through daily life. In fact, as long as there is ample time for interaction and more companionship with the children, along with careful observation of their daily performance, and providing reminders or assistance when necessary, even just a trip to the countryside can achieve the above purposes.
