撰文：香港家庭教育學院主席司徒永富博士
有教師問筆者：「不少家長都問我有關升學、管教孩子的意見，其實我初出茅廬，人生經驗尚淺，要面對複雜的政策、養兒育女問題，常感到力不從心，應如何是好呢？ 」
在每個學期，學校總安排一至兩次的機會，讓家長與老師見面，討論小朋友在學校的表現。筆者身為父親，一定爭取與太太一同出席，而每次短聚後，兒子總愛追問和想知道我們與老師討論了甚麼有關他的事情。最近一次，老師提及兒子在校還是比較安靜，不太主動，總喜歡扮演「觀察者」(Observer)的角色，太太急不及待地說他在家裡卻完全不同，非常活躍和「意見多多」。老師的反應並不驚訝，只是不斷地微笑，似乎非常接納小朋友在家一個模樣，在校又有另一個模樣。
Written by: Dr. Szeto Wing Fu, Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Family Education
A teacher asked me, “Many parents seek my advice on education and disciplining their children. As a new teacher with limited life experience, I often feel inadequate in dealing with complex education policies and child-rearing issues. What should I do?”
Every semester, the school arranges one or two opportunities for parents to meet with teachers and discuss their children’s performance at school. As a father, I always strive to attend these meetings together with my wife. After each brief gathering, our son would eagerly ask and want to know what we discussed with the teacher about him. Recently, the teacher mentioned that our son is relatively quiet at school, not very proactive, and often takes on the role of an “observer.” My wife couldn’t wait to say that he is completely different at home, very active and full of “many opinions.” The teacher’s reaction was not surprised but rather smiled continuously, seemingly very accepting of the fact that children can present different sides at home and at school.
太太當然用期待的眼神望向老師，渴望能為她指點迷津，應怎樣才可以讓孩子在學習環境中變得主動。還好，筆者說了幾句「公道」說話，憶述去年兒子入學時處處害怕，經常成「獨行俠」。過去一年晚上，與兒子的禱告總離不開去求天父讓他勇敢一點，而今年已經進步多了。回家途中，筆者亦不忘提醒太太，在很多事情都沒有標準答案和良方妙藥，而且老師又比我們年青，亦未曾為人父母，但卻有處理不同小朋友的經驗。所以，家長和老師在小朋友成長路上多點交流，才是最重要。
還原真我
最近，有家長問筆者：孩子在學校十分乖巧，是個彬彬有禮的模範生，但在家裡卻經常發脾氣，為甚麼他會「人前人後兩個樣」？我應該如何處理呢？
筆者的兒子在小一的上學期，曾連續兩星期發生一些「不可思議」的事，例如他心愛的「軍曹」手錶不翼而飛、書本被發現掉在清潔箱、習作簿被塗鴉及撕破。筆者和太太除了難以接受上述事件，仍想解開內心的迷團：究竟這些事情是誰做的？
My wife naturally looked at the teacher with expectant eyes, hoping to get some guidance on how to make our child more proactive in the learning environment. Fortunately, I spoke a few “fair” words, recalling how our son was fearful and often a “lone ranger” when he first started school last year. Over the past year, our evening prayers with our son have always included a request to our Heavenly Father to make him braver, and this year he has made much progress. On the way home, I also reminded my wife that there are no standard answers or miraculous remedies for many things, and the teacher, being younger than us and not yet a parent, still has experience in dealing with different children. Therefore, it is most important for parents and teachers to communicate more on the children’s journey of growth.
Embracing Our True Selves
Recently, a parent asked me: “My child is very well-behaved at school, a courteous and exemplary student, but at home, he often throws tantrums. Why does he have such different behaviors in front of others and at home? How should I handle this?”
During the first semester of my son’s primary one, there were two consecutive weeks of “inexplicable” incidents, such as his beloved “Sergeant” watch going missing, books found in the trash bin, exercise books doodled and torn. My wife and I were both baffled and still wanted to unravel the mystery in our hearts: who could be behind these incidents?
太太在星期一的早上，特意到學校找老師討論事件，然而臨出門口前，筆者非常堅定地向太太說：「無論塗鴉、撕破或把書本當垃圾遺棄，我肯定這些事情一定不會是兒子作的。」太太問：「為甚麼你那麼肯定？」我的答案是：「因為兒子是我生的，我伴著他成長，我對他的性情暸如指掌。」最後發現，原來是他鄰近的同學作的。自那天起，筆者發現孩子在學校和在家裡的行為起了「微妙」的變化 － 孩子似乎學懂學校是一個社群：書本「過了界」會令鄰座同學不高興、而老師在學校有如球證，要「生存」便要懂得「遊戲規則」。可是放學回到家裡卻隨即還原真我，因為家裡有最了解他的爸爸、媽媽。
事實上，在成年人的世界，又豈不也是白天一個我，晚上一個我？
On Monday morning, my wife went to the school to discuss the incident with the teacher. However, just before leaving, I firmly told my wife, “No matter the doodles, tears, or books being treated as garbage, I am certain that our son didn’t do any of these.” She asked, “Why are you so sure?” My answer was, “Because he is my son, and I have been with him as he grew up. I know his temperament like the back of my hand.” Eventually, it was found that his neighboring classmate was responsible for those actions. Since that day, I noticed a “subtle” change in our child’s behavior between school and home – at school, he seemed to have learned that it is a community: crossing certain boundaries with books would upset classmates, and the teachers were like referees, and to “survive” he had to understand the “rules of the game.” But when he came home after school, he would immediately embrace his true self, because at home, he had his dad and mom, who understood him the most.
In fact, isn’t it true that in the adult world, we also have a different self during the day and at night?
