TNAG-1734-FCO40-2447-Minutes-and-Hansards-of-the-Legislative-Council-of-Hong-Kong-1988 — Page 341

HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL-11 May 1988

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with opportunities to possess an international perspective, why do we not also give them chances to gain experiences and understanding about China? I firmly believe that the experience of community participation is very important but international exposure is also valuable. However, I believe too that we should provide the young people with more choices so that they can develop their national sentiment and identity with the Chinese race.

With these remarks, I support the Motion.

MR. EDWARD Ho: Sir, there is a Chinese saying that 'what happens to a child at the age of three will determine what he will be at the age of 80' (EAT). What the ancient Chinese knew about child psychology is only now scientifically established.

The impact of early mother-child relationship on the later life of the child was demonstrated by a series of experiments with monkeys in the 1960s. Wire-and- terrycloth mother-surrogates were used as substitute mothers and it was found that the adverse effect of deprivation on the baby monkeys produced powerful side-effects later in life.

Psychologists cannot agree at what particular time a person's character and behavioural patterns would start to be influenced by external stimuli. Some even suggest that this may have started in the prenatal period, that is, when the embryo is still in its mother's womb.

Certainly, there is no doubt that the parents' early influence on the child: their relationship with each other, their love and warmth, or the lack of them, will contribute to how a child will behave and whether or not he will be mentally and physically equipped to overcome crises in his later life.

Most of today's problems with youth, such as juvenile crimes, drug abuse, runaway kids, teenage pregnancy, can be traced back to a hostile family environment. Many of these problem youth either come from broken homes, or have parents who would not or could not provide them with the very essential elements of love and care.

But are parents the only ones to be blamed?

By the age of four or five, the child would have already emerged from the shelter of his home to enter into the environment of the school. After that, his waking hours will be spent more with his teachers and his peers than with his parents, brothers and sisters. The school has, in more ways than one, taken over his training from his parents. Irrespective of his family background, his abilities and potentials, his education will be extremely structured which will produce someone who conforms to others of his age.

He will be constantly graded by his teachers so that his yardstick of success is how well he fares in his class in terms of academic achievements.