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CHILDREN NEED EARLY SUSTENANCE
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PARENTAL CARE IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THE WELL-BEING OF A CHILD, PARTICULARLY IN HIS PRE-SCHOOL YEARS, A CONSULTANT PAEDIATRICIAN OF THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, DR LILLIAN KO GAVE THIS ADVICE TODAY.
+THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF A CHILD'S LIFE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT BECAUSE THESE EARLY PRE-SCHOOL YEARS FORM THE BASIC FOUNDATION FOR HIS PHYSICAL GROWTH, INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS HIS PERSONALITY STRUCTURE, SHE TOLD THE TAI PING SHAN JAYCEES AT THEIR DINNER MEETING THIS EVENING,
SHE POINTED OUT THAT IN THE PRESENT SOCIAL STRUCTURE THE ROLE
OF PARENTS HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY SIGNIFICANT.
IN OUR PRESENT SOCIETY WHERE LARGE EXTENDED FAMILIES GIVE WAY TO NUCLEUS FAMILIES, CHILDREN ARE USUALLY THE LONELY PEOPLE AT HOME AS THEY HAVE NEITHER COUSINS NOR OTHER PEER GROUP AROUND, SHE SAID.
+CONSEQUENTLY PARENTS HAVE TO ASSUME A MORE SIGNIFICANT ROLE AND BECOME THEIR CHILDREN'S SOLE PILLARS OF REFERENCE AND RELIANCE IN MORAL JUDGEMENT AND PERSONALITY FORMATION, SHE EXPLAINED.
IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT CHILDREN NOW ENJOY MUCH BETTER HEALTH AND MATERIAL COMFORT, THEIR INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT HAS OFTEN BEEN NEGLECTED BECAUSE MORE AND MORE MOTHERS ARE TAKING FULL-TIME JOBS, AND MOST FAMILIES SPEND THEIR TIME WATCHING TELEVISION INSTEAD OF TALKING AND INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER, SAID DR KO.
FEW PARENTS REALISE THAT CHILDREN AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH HAVE DIFFERENT DEMANDS AND NEEDS AND PARENTS MUST ADOPT DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TO THESE DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES, SHE SAID.
DR KO POINTED OUT THAT PARENTS NOWADAYS HAVE MUCH HIGHER DEMANDS AND EXPECTATION OF THEIR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY IN THE ACADEMIC FIELDS.
+THE STERN TUTOR-PUPIL SITUATION HAS TAKEN THE PLACE OF THE WARM MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP FOR MOST FAMILIES,+ SHE SAID.
SOME PARENTS, SAID DR KO, SIMPLY DO NOT REALISE THAT SMALL CHILDREN, LIKE ADULTS, ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF FEELINGS AND EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES AND THAT CHILDREN MAY DEVELOP PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS OUT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS OR AS A SUBCONSCIOUS ATTEMPT TO DRAW THE IR ATTENTION.
+DISRUPTED PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP CAN SOMETIMES LEAD TO SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF GROWTH RETARDATION, CHILD ABUSE, EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES AND LEARNING DISABILITY, SHE WARNED.
DR KO SAID IT IS OFTEN THE PARENTS, RATHER THAN THE CHILD, WHO HAVE PROBLEMS AND REQUIRE HELP.
SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS, SHE SAID, LIES IN RESTORING A NORMAL AND WARM PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP BROUGHT ABOUT BY CLOSE COOPERATION OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, SOCIAL WORKERS, TEACHERS AND PARENTS THEMSELVES.
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