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Month: May 2023
Parenting Tips
May 2023
Source: Speech therapist, Miss Carley
When children learn a language, pronunciation is also an important aspect. There are many pronunciations in English that are not found in Cantonese and are difficult for both children and adults to master. How can parents teach children to pronounce English correctly? What are some tips to use?
The English tongue’s sounds can be difficult for children and even adults to master. We can try to use different cueing techniques to teach children to pronounce the sounds correctly. For example, parents can use visual cues, such as looking in the mirror with the child and showing him the tip of his tongue, placed between the two rows of teeth.
In addition, parents can also use verbal cues to clearly tell the child, “Put your tongue in the middle of your two rows of teeth,” so that they know what to do. When necessary, parents can also provide tactile cues, such as using a popsicle stick or spoon to touch the tongue and showing them where to place it for different sounds.
Parents can also try playing simple games with their children to train their listening skills, such as whether they can distinguish between right and wrong in terms of hearing. For example, intentionally mispronouncing a word: “Is ‘fank you’ correct? No, it’s not.” “Is ‘thank you’ correct? Yes, it is.”
This time we have to bite our teeth on the tongue or write the words “free” and “three” on a piece of paper, and then the parent reads out one of the words “three” “You show me which one” and reads “free”, “You show me which one”. If he knows how to distinguish, it will be clearer and easier for him to express himself.
Parenting Tips
May 2023
Source: Specialist in psychiatry, Dr. Leung Yuen Shan
Every time the child is sent to school, they cry non-stop and have a difficult time separating from their mother. This may be a sign of a lack of security. Many studies have shown that a secure attachment is a foundation for a child’s success in life. How can parents establish a secure attachment with their children?
In fact, a secure attachment requires deliberate effort and a lot of hard work from the mother. A child’s trust in the world and their own confidence are closely related to their secure attachment to their mother.
When a child doesn’t feel safe, they usually have trouble being apart from their mother. Usually, when a child is separated from their mother, they may cry and fuss a bit but can be easily calmed down. However, a child with an unstable sense of security may become very upset and throw tantrums quickly. This is a sign that parents need to work on establishing a sense of security.
So, how can parents establish a sense of security? First of all, the mother must take care of herself. The mother’s mental health is the foundation of everything. If the mother is not taking good care of herself, she will not be able to take care of her child. If she finds that she has a real emotional problem, such as high mood swings, irritability, crying, insomnia, or the inability to eat, she should deal with it as soon as possible for the sake of the child’s future.
Children are constantly building a sense of security and trust in the world and people as they grow. Parents can continue to respond to and pay attention to their children during their childhood and establish more parent-child time through different activities to increase intimate communication. All of these efforts can help the child build confidence and a sense of security in the world.
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在家也可增強兒童四肢肌肉？
家長錦囊
May 2023
資料來源：註冊物理治療師許詠怡
小朋友學業繁重，留在家的時間增加了，失去不少做運動的機會。但小朋友的四肢肌肉發展非常重要，其實在家也可以做一些伸展腰部和上肢的拉筋運動。
第一組是弓步轉體 (Lung and twist)，這個動作有助鍛鍊核心肌肉和下肢肌肉。首先，雙腳打開至臀部闊度，雙手放於身體兩旁，踏出右腳使兩邊膝頭維持90度，打開雙手，手心向前，慢慢地向右轉，維持兩秒。然後回到原地雙手垂下，回復原狀，左右腳各做十次。
第二組是對角伸展 (Quadruped limb raises)，這套動作有助我們強化背部和四肢肌肉，如果可以的話有瑜伽墊就不會壓到膝蓋。首先，四肢撐地，兩隻手打開至肩膀闊度再撐著地下，兩個膝蓋打開至臀部闊度再撐著地下。我們將右手舉高並伸直，再將左腳舉高向後伸直，形成一個水平線的狀態。同時收緊背部和腹部，維持兩秒，左右兩邊互相交替做十下便可。
