The Hong Kong parents opting out of the kindergarten rat race
Parents should resist the temptation to push their children to cram in as much knowledge as they can, and kindergartens should foster an eagerness to learn, educators say
All parents want to give their children the best education possible, but how far should that commitment go? Should they be starting the child in nursery school aged two or even younger in the hope of getting them into the right kindergarten? And how do you define "right", anyway?
While the general consensus is that children should be picking up language and number skills once they enter the formal education system, there are different views on what should be taking place in the preschool years.
Doris Cheng Pui-wah, director of the Centre of Childhood Research and Innovation at the Hong Kong Institute of Education, says parents should realise that they, not the schools, have the primary role in educating their children.
"The school is the partner that works with the parents, and is not the answer to everything," she says. "There are more important things that young children should learn from their parents, like how to interact with the environment and people around them, build a healthy sense of self and establish friendships with others. These are more important in this stage of development."
Ideally, parents should seek to spend as much time with their young children as possible, particularly when they are aged three or younger. However, if both parents work, many children are left to the care of grandparents or a helper.
"The most important factor is establishing a solid base so that the child feels nurtured and protected," Cheng says.
