Are we raising a generation of ostriches?

Wait, what? Ostriches?

Just like how ostriches bury their heads in the sand, some of us expect our kids to have their noses buried in a book while they prefer to have their eyes gripped by the screen of a mobile phone.

While being book smart is great, there are other aspects in life that are crucial to ensure your child grows up to be kind – one that can contribute to society.

Emotional and social developments must be part of their education for stronger mental resilience.

You see, we cannot control the battles that life throws at our kids as they grow up, head to school, graduate, and start working. We can, however, equip them with a well-rounded development.

Well-rounded development covers the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of an individual. When parents only emphasise educational development, the scale tips can result in possible mental health issues.

Professor of Psychology, Dr. Alvin Ng Lai Oon says in Malaysia, 7.9% of kids aged 5 to 15 were found to have mental health problems. Therefore, all the more reason for parents to pay attention to their kids’ social and emotional developments, even though they may be toddlers.

How do you raise your child to be well-rounded so that they are ready to face the world when the time comes? Here, we have some tips:

Learn their Learning Styles

Do you know that every person learns differently?

Harvard researcher, Howard Gardner developed a theory of multiple intelligences. We all possess a range of intelligences, but at varying levels.

He established 8 kinds of intelligences, and they are used to identify the best ways children learn. 8 of them include:

visual-spatial
verbal-linguistic
musical-rhythmic
logical-mathematical
interpersonal
intrapersonal
naturalistic
bodily-kinesthetic

Build a close relationship with your child. Understand their learning styles, so you can better communicate and help them learn – not just in the educational sense, but also about their surroundings. Tapping into their intelligence keeps them focused on the learnings at hand.

Teamwork Makes Your Dream Work

Getting along and engaging with others are the building blocks of many things in life. After all, no man is an island. Learning to work as part of a team will help your child hone social skills, such as patience, empathy, communication, respect for others, compromise, and tolerance.

Playing together with your child is one way to get the ball rolling. No amount of cartoons on television is going to teach them teamwork and interaction.

You can start by playing “share”, where you get two items and get them to give one item to you before they can indulge in play with you.

As kids are innately selfish, exposing them to other kids helps to encourage sharing, playtime, and sports as a team. It is easier to practise this if they have a sibling or a family member of almost the same age.

Or else, having play dates, where they engage in play will teach them a thing or two about sharing and teamwork.

When there is interaction and teamwork, expect emotional and social developments to follow suit as they are put in a position to communicate, make decisions, and analyse situations.

Lull them with Love

Some Asian parents might think that tough love is the way to go – after all, aren’t most of us brought up that way? With a cane and wooden spoon, not hugs and encouragement?

Hmmm… that is up for debate.

Did you know that being a positive force in your child’s life and showing signs of your affection build their confidence and optimism?

When you reach out your hand to extend love (and not a smack on the bum), it helps them to know that they are safe in your hands and can come to you with any problems that they face.

But what if they misbehave?

Though discipline is a must, do not punish your child when you are still angry. You must first calm down and identify the issue that has caused you to flare up.

Was it because your child was purposefully misbehaving? Or are you just irritated because you had a bad day? If your child is wrong, let them know the fault they have committed first before disciplining them.

Remember to tell them you love them and show it through hugs. Hugs soothe them and teach them not to be afraid to be affectionate with the people they care for.

Get in Touch with Nature

This has to be stressed because more and more parents are pacifying their kids with screens.

When we want them to behave and eat their food, we put a screen in front of them so that they behave while eating.

When they are kicking up a fuss because we will not let them get down from the high chair at a public place, we say to them: “There, have a mobile phone or tablet.”

Ah, we are all guilty of it!

However, both parties will have to be weaned off the screen dependency because the real world does not involve pixels.

A well-rounded child who is out-going needs to be exposed to a variety of situations outside their homes.

Get them involved with the community, bring them out for “field-trips”, and do not forget to slow it down with your child to see through their eyes and let them experience nature.

You can play games like ‘I spy with my little eye’, so they can look for an object, focus the attention to it, and identify it. Games such as this help strengthen visual discrimination and strengthen eye muscles.

Support is by Your Side with Anmum™ ESSENTIAL GOLD

Raising a well-rounded child requires not only parental involvement and proper stimulation, but also good nutrition!

Wendy Goh, Scientific and Nutrition Manager of Fonterra Brands Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. says that Anmum™ ESSENTIAL GOLD is fortified to support the overall growth and development of Generation Alpha (second generation of the digital era).

You see, Anmum™ ESSENTIAL GOLD contains milk fat globule membrane (MFGM). Scientific study shows that MFGM improves emotional and behavioural regulation in kids.

To aid focus and visual development, Anmum™ ESSENTIAL GOLD contains Vitamin A. It is essential for the functioning of the eyes that will directly affect their spatial development.

Anmum™ ESSENTIAL GOLD is also formulated with prebiotic that supports the growth of good bacteria and a good gut environment. A good gut environment is important for effective nutrient absorption. Also, do you know that 70% of our body immune system actually sits in our digestive system? Your child very much needs the protection from within!

Anmum™ ESSENTIAL GOLD is scientifically formulated with key nutrients to support the all-rounded growth and development of kids aged 1 to 6. It is formulated with 33% more DHA^, MFGM + GA**, prebiotic, and 15 key nutrients.

Your new ‘nutritional supporter’ is available at major supermarkets nationwide and e-commerce platforms, such as Lazada and Shopee. Simply request a sample here to try!

For more in-depth information, check out Anmum Essential’s official website.

When you are there, do not miss out on watching the ‘Developing Next-Gen: Conversations with Professionals’ series featuring: Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan, Consultant General & Developmental Paediatrician from Baby and Beyond Child Specialist Clinic. She will challenge you to rethink your child’s growth and development; highlighting areas that parents often miss when raising a child.

^Compared to current Anmum Essential in a single-serve.
** GA refers to Gangliosides.