XN000022-1984-01-20 — Page 13

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1964

+DURING THIS CRITICAL PERIOD, AND EVEN FOR YEARS LATER PARENTS CARRY A VITALLY IMPORTANT ROLE AS THE FIRST AND MOST INFLUENTIAL TEACHER IN A CHILD'S LIFE, SHE SAID.

FOR MANY PARENTS, DR KO SAID, CHILD REARING WAS A PROCESS OF BASICALLY CARING FOR THE PHYSICAL WELL-BEING OF THEIR CHILDREN AND ENSURING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND ULTIMATELY SOCIAL STATUS.

+PHYSICALLY SPEAKING, CHILDREN ARE ENJOYING MUCH BETTER HEALTH THAN BEFORE. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL CARE AND PUBLIC HEALTH HAVE LED TO THE SHARP DECLINE OF INFANT MORTALITY RATE, AND THE CONTROL OF ACUTE ILLNESSES.

+WE NOW UNQUESTIONABLY EXPECT SURVIVAL FOR ALL OUR CHILDREN, AND WE ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE CONCERNED WITH THE QUALITY OF THEIR SURVIVAL. CONSEQUENTLY, PARENTS AND SOCIETY HAVE MUCH HIGHER DEMANDS AND EXPECTATION OF THEIR CHILDREN, ESPECIALLY ACADEMICALLY,+ DR KO SAID.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SHE SAID, MOST PARENTS WERE SPENDING FAR LESS TIME WITH THEIR CHILDREN, PARTLY BECAUSE MORE WOMEN WERE TAKING FULL-TIME JOBS.

+DOCTERS ENGAGED IN THE MEDICAL CARE OF CHILDREN WERE BEING CONFRONTED MORE AND MORE BY PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS. FOR EXAMPLE AN ASTHMATIC ATTACK MAY BE PRECIPITATED BY PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS IN THE FAMILY.

+THERE ARE PARENTS WHO SIMPLY IGNORE OR ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT SMALL CHILDREN ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF FEELINGS AND EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES SIMILAR TO ADULTS,+ DR KO SAID.

SHE ADDED THAT SCHOOL PHOBIA, SUICIDAL TENDANCY, AND CHILD ABUSE WERE RISING IN INCIDENCE AND CAUSING A LOT OF CONCERN RECENTLY.

IN THIS MESS OF CONFUSION, PARENTS HAD BECOME VIRTUALLY THE SOLE PILLARS OF REFERENCE AND SUPPORT IN MORAL JUDGEMENT AND PERSONALITY FORMATION.

+OUR CHILDREN INHERIT THE FUTURE AND CONTROL THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.

+THE MOST IMPORTANT GIFT A PARENT CAN GIVE TO THE WORLD IS A CHILD WHO HAS BEEN RAISED TO BE A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND SECURE HUMAN BEING WITH CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF THE FUTURE CHANGING ENVIRONMENT, DR KO SAID.