Categories
Why do children suck their thumbs?
Why do children suck their thumbs? Sucking is an innate reflex in infants. Fetuses even suck their thumbs in the womb! Babies begin to understand the world by first exploring their own bodies. They often use their mouths to explore body parts like their hands and toes, which may be unconscious. They also suck their thumbs when hungry, using the sucking motion to soothe themselves. This behavior gradually evolves into thumb-sucking when they feel nervous, need comfort, or are bored. Thumb-sucking is a common habit among children, and the American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that about half of children suck their thumbs before age four. Since infants and toddlers usually suck their thumbs unconsciously or for self-soothing, parents don’t need to deliberately stop them or make fun of them. As children grow, they develop other ways to comfort themselves and become aware of others’ opinions. This habit typically disappears once they start school. However, if a child frequently sucks their thumb beyond age four or five, it may affect the shape of their jawbone and the alignment of their permanent teeth. After permanent teeth emerge, vigorous thumb-sucking or strong tongue thrusting can cause dental deformities, leading to malocclusion or buck teeth, which may affect appearance. If thumb-sucking becomes a frequent and persistent habit, the thumb may become red, and the skin may crack—especially around the nail—causing pain, sensitivity, or even sores that are vulnerable to infection or inflammation. In such cases, parents need to help their child reduce this behavior.
How can parents help young children adapt to primary school life both psychologically and physically？
Source: Professor Chiu Wing Kai, Chair Professor of Sociology at the Education University of Hong Kong. It’s already been 5 months into 2023 and summer vacation will be coming soon, followed by the start of the new school year in September. For K3 students to start their primary school life. However, these students have spent most of their 3-year kindergarten education in online classes due to the pandemic, with little face-to-face interaction. How can parents help them adapt to their new academic and social life in terms of their psychological and physical well-being. Students who are promoted to Primary 1 are at most at K2 level because they have not returned to school for at least one full year. There are many things they need to adapt to when transitioning from kindergarten to primary school. These include school schedules, daily routines, and learning styles that are vastly different from what they are used to. Kindergarten classes typically last for around 20 minutes, after which they move on to another subject, but in primary school, classes can be 35 minutes or longer, making it difficult for them to maintain their focus. All of these issues can create significant adaptation problems for young students. So how can parents explain these changes to their children? Firstly, parents should not be too anxious, as many primary schools offer simulation courses and adaptation weeks for new students, as well as school visits. Primary schools are usually much larger than kindergartens, and young students may be
Children often shirk their responsibilities, and parents should be held accountable?
Source: Psychotherapist, Lee Wai Tong Whenever something happens, children will use different excuses to shirk their responsibility toward others. Parents may then scold the child for this, but this may make the child avoid taking responsibility. Faced with this situation, what can parents do?
How should parents express their love for their children?
Source: Parenting Specialist, Ken Sir Some mothers often ask me, “How should I show my love for my children?” Will it be spoiled by expressing too much? I think that Chinese people are more introverted and are often afraid to express their love.
Children grow up to be fed instead? How can parents break it down?
Source: Psychotherapist, Lee Wai Tong The parents begin feeding the baby milk and gradually introduce paste from the time the baby is born. Then children can start to hold their own utensils and eat on their own, one bite at a time while watching them grow up.