Month: November 2022

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“I am so tired” How to improve the feeling of tiredness?

Written by: Chinese doctor Yiu Yee Chiu

As a parent, it can be exhausting to take care of a family and work. In my spare time, I like to watch talk shows and listen to the unique views of celebrities on life and their outlook on life. Once they talked about the busy life of Hong Kong people and how fatigue seems to be an inevitable “by-product”. However, we were told that we are not tired because we are all like that and it is just a normal physiological reaction. So, is this true?

Tiredness is actually a subjective feeling, so only you can understand it. In some cases, it can be seen in behavior, such as reluctance to get up, weakness in speech, lack of normal physical strength, etc. According to a Chinese Medicine Practitioner, fatigue involves the five viscera and six internal organs, mainly the spleen, liver and kidneys, with the spleen being the most important, which falls under the category of “deficiency fatigue”.

Three types of fatigue have different causes

Fatigue can be classified from different perspectives. One way is to classify fatigue into three categories: physical, mental, and psychological. Physical fatigue is the most common and the most easily noticed. After normal work, it is normal to feel tired and can recover after rest. However, if you cannot recover after rest, or if the number and degree of fatigue is too much, this is fatigue, which can also be said to be a “sub-health” state.

Brain fatigue is caused by overuse of the brain. The most basic symptoms are memory loss and lack of concentration. Other symptoms include drowsiness, lack of concentration, auricular fever, and lack of hearing. Mental fatigue is a psychological feeling after excluding physical problems, and may be triggered by lack of sleep or inadequate nutritional supply. If more than one of these manifestations occurs at the same time, it is likely to be characterized as what is known as “fatigue syndrome”.

Fatigue is related to the disorders of the five organs

From the perspective of Chinese medicine, the appearance of fatigue is closely related to the imbalance of the five viscera. Different symptoms may be related to a particular internal organ, for example, lack of qi is mostly related to the lung. Chinese medicine believes that the overall activity of the human body depends on the state of vital energy. The Yuan Qi ” Human nature inborn and nourished later”, means that the Yuan Qi from the parents of the essence, after birth, mainly from the diet of water and grain essence of the supplement and nourishment, while relying on the normal function of the spleen and stomach and with the help of the natural qi (i.e. good air), although they are tired, but there are differences in the form.

People can be divided into the following four main body types: 

  • Phlegm-damp body type: This type of person is not only obese, but also has a lot of fatigue and phlegm, is easily sleepy, has lazy limbs, has stomach discomfort after eating, and has loose stools. In addition to the Chinese medicine can be adjusted, can also rely on long-term physical exercise to improve. Including jogging, swimming, Tai Chi, “Eight Duan Kam” etc
  • Qi deficiency: these people have insufficient lung energy, lack of energy, it would have a feeling of fatigue when little working. Since the strength of liver qi is related to the immunity of the body, they are prone to illness. Other symptoms include laziness, frequent sweating, a low voice, a pale tongue with white fur, and a weak pulse. Although exercise can be encouraged, it is necessary to start slowly and increase gradually. In addition, you can use the Qihai point in the abdomen as the center of a circular massage, three times a day, for 10 minutes each time. This method can strengthen the spleen with stomach and nourish the essence.

  • Yang body type: These people have low overall metabolism and will show fear of cold, depression and drowsiness. In addition to taking Chinese medicine, you can also use the “warm umbilical cord method” to strengthen nephron. The method is to use a lit moxa stick to moxibustion on the umbilicus above the Shen Pao point for 15 minutes twice a day, mainly to feel the warmth and tolerable.

  • Depressed body: most of the manifestations are unstable, easily depressed, lack of perseverance, suspicious and other psychological imbalance. Of course, physical discomfort, such as fullness in the ribs and poor sleep, may also occur. However, it is closely related to the ups and downs of emotions. Talking and sharing with others is the easiest way to guide yourself. At the same time, you can also try “rose yam porridge”. The method is to make a congee of rose, coix seeds and Chinese yam with rice, 1 to 2 bowls a day. 

In any case, the feeling of fatigue is very disturbing. In addition to discomfort, people sometimes wonder if it is a lie. So we must face it head on and find the right way to manage it. Otherwise, the sub-healthy state of fatigue may turn into a real disease, and that would be a problem.

「我好攰呀」如何改善疲累感？

撰文：姚怡超中醫師

作為父母，要照顧家庭，又要工作，真的會疲憊不堪。筆者閒時喜歡看清談節目，聽聽名人對生活和人生觀的獨特意見。有次大家談及香港人的生活繁忙，疲倦似乎是必然的「副產品」。但是，大家卻「死撐」說我們並不累，因為人人皆如此，只是正常的生理反應。那麼，這是否真確呢？

疲倦其實是一個主觀感覺的表現，所以只有自己才可以領會。有部分情況，可以從行為上表現出來，例如不願起床、說話乏力、缺乏正常體力等。中醫認為，疲勞為害，涉及五臟六腑，主要為脾、肝、腎，首當推脾，屬「虛勞」的範疇。

3種疲勞　原因各有不同

疲勞可以從不同的角度分類。其中一個方法是將疲勞分為 3 類：身體、腦力、心理。身體疲勞是最常見，而且亦是大家最容易發覺的。在正常工作後，感到勞累是很正常的現象，在休息後便可恢復。可是如果在休息過後未能夠恢復，或勞累的次數和程度過多，這就是疲態，也可以說是「亞健康」的狀態。

而腦力疲勞是用腦過度所致，最基本的症狀是記憶力下降和專注力不足，其他病徵，包括嗜睡、集中力不足、耳廓發熱、聽力不足等。心理疲倦則是排除身體問題後的心理感覺，可能因為睡眠不足或營養供應不足所誘發。如果多於一個以上的表現同時出現，就很可能會定性為現代人稱的「疲勞綜合症」。

疲勞出現　與五臟失調有關

從中醫角度，疲勞現象的出現，與五臟的失調有密切關係。不同的表徵可與某個臟腑有關，例如氣力不足多與宗氣（肺臟）有關。中醫認為，人體的整體活動，全賴於元氣的狀態。元氣「廩賦於先天，滋養於後天」，是指元氣來自父母之精，既生以後，主要來自飲食水穀精微的補充和滋養，同時要依賴脾胃正常的功能和借助自然界的清氣（即良好的空氣），雖然都是疲累，但是在証形上還是有分別。

 

人大概可以分為以下四大體質：

  1. 痰濕體質：這類人不但身形肥胖，而且疲勞痰多，易於睏倦、四肢怠惰、食後胃脘不適、便溏等。除了可以透過中藥調理，也可以靠長期鍛鍊身體改善。包括慢跑、游泳、太極、八段錦等。
  2. 氣虛體質：這類人的肺氣不足，精力缺乏，稍微勞動便有疲勞的感覺。由於肝氣強弱又與人體免疫力有關，所以他們容易生病。其他表徵包括少氣懶言、常自汗出、語聲低微、舌淡苔白、脈虛微弱等。雖然可鼓勵進行運動，但是需要慢慢開始和慢慢遞增。另外，可以以腹中氣海穴為中心作打圈的按摩，每天 3 次，每次 10 分鐘。此法可以健脾運胃、培本補元。
  3. 陽氣體質：這類人整體新陳代謝低，會表現為怕冷、精神萎靡、嗜睡等。除了可考慮服食中藥調理外，還可以「溫臍法」增加腎元陽。方法是用點燃了的艾條在肚臍上的神闕穴上方縣空灸治，每天 2 次，每次 15 分鐘，以感覺到溫暖而可忍耐度為主。
  4. 氣鬱體質：多表現為情況不穩、容易憂鬱、沒有堅持力、多疑等心理不平衡的狀態。當然，身體的不適，例如肋部脹滿，睡覺不佳等也會出現。不過，與情志的起伏有密切關係。平日多與人談天分享，是最簡單開導自己的方法。同時，也可以試試「玫瑰山藥粥」。方法是將玫瑰、薏苡仁、淮山加米煮粥，每天1 至2 碗。

無論如何，疲勞的感覺是很令人困擾。除了不適外，旁人有時會懷疑是否屬弄虛作假。所以我們必須正面面對，並找到調理的正確方法。不然，疲勞這種亞健康的狀態很可能演變成真正的疾病，那就麻煩了。

 

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Parents Zone

What can I eat to refresh my brain and enhance my memory?

Written by : Registered Dietitian (Australia) －Chung Yong Man

It’s exam season and students are studying hard for their exams. Many parents ask, “What are the best foods to help your child refresh and maintain a good memory?

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are digested and converted into glucose, which provides sufficient energy for the brain. Therefore, I recommend eating an appropriate amount of carbohydrates at each meal to maintain the effective functioning of the brain. Food sources include grains and cereals such as rice, noodles, bread, oats, etc., and high starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, chestnuts and taro. Choosing high-fiber grains and cereals such as whole grain breakfasts, oats, whole wheat bread and red rice will help stabilize blood sugar and maintain concentration.

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, are the main elements that make up the brain’s cell membranes and nerve tissues, maintaining the normal transmission of messages in the nervous system and helping to maintain good memory. Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained from eating deep-sea fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, etc. I recommend eating 2 to 3 meals a week, with each meal being about 2 to 3 ounces (the size of the palm of your hand). In addition, almonds, walnuts and avocados are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Lecithin

Lecithin is one of the important elements in the composition of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, so adequate intake helps to revitalize brain cells, make thinking sharper and enhance memory. Eggs, soybeans and their products such as tofu, soy milk and baked beans with ketchup are rich in lecithin.

Iron

Iron is the main element in the production of red blood cells, which transports enough oxygen and nutrients to the brain to help keep it awake. Red meats such as beef, lamb and ostrich are rich in iron, and I recommend eating 2 to 3 meals a week at about 2 to 3 ounces per meal. Iron can also be taken from dark green vegetables such as spinach and red kidney beans, but since plant-based iron is more difficult to be absorbed by the body, foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, kiwis and tomatoes, can be eaten at the same meal to increase absorption.

Antioxidant Nutrients

Stress and poor diet can increase free radicals in the body, which can damage body cells and accelerate degeneration, or impair memory. Vitamins A, C, and E are antioxidants that protect brain cells from free radical damage and prevent memory loss. Foods rich in vitamin A include carrots, pumpkin and spinach; vitamin E can also be obtained from nuts, eggs and dried beans.

The above nutrients can promote brain health, but we should not only focus on the intake of a single nutrient. I encourage people to diversify their diets as much as possible to get enough nutrients to keep the brain functioning optimally.

醒腦提神 增強記憶力 可以吃甚麼？

撰文： 註冊營養師（澳洲）鍾蓉文

又來到考試季節，莘莘學子正開始努力溫習備試。不少家長都會問：「有甚麼食物可幫助子女提神醒腦，保持良好記憶力呢？」

碳水化合物

碳水化合物經消化後轉化成葡萄糖，為腦部提供充足能量，故筆者建議每餐進食適量碳水化合物，以維持腦部有效運作。食物來源包括：五穀類如飯、麵、麵包、燕麥等，以及高澱粉質的蔬菜如馬鈴薯、粟米、蕃薯、栗子和芋頭。選擇高纖的五穀類如全穀物早餐、燕麥、全麥包和紅米等，可令血糖更穩定，保持集中力。

奧米加3脂肪酸

奧米加3脂肪酸如EPA和DHA，是構成大腦細胞膜及神經組織主要元素，維持神經系統訊息的正常傳遞，有助保持良好記憶力。奧米加3脂肪酸可從進食深海魚如三文魚、吞拿魚、鯖魚等攝取，筆者建議一星期進食 2 至 3 餐，每餐約2至 3 安士（即手掌心的大小）。另外，杏仁、合桃、牛油果等亦含豐富奧米加3脂肪酸。

卵磷脂

卵磷脂是組成神經傳導物質「乙醯膽鹼」的重要元素之一，因此攝取充足則有助活化腦細胞，令思考更敏銳及增強記憶力。雞蛋、黃豆及其製品如豆腐、豆漿和茄汁焗豆等都含豐富卵磷脂。

鐵質

鐵質是製造紅血球的主要元素，為腦運送足夠氧氣及營養，幫助保持頭腦清醒。紅肉類如牛肉、羊肉和駝鳥肉含豐富鐵質，筆者建議一星期可進食 2 至 3 餐，每餐約 2 至 3 安士。鐵質亦可從深綠色蔬菜如菠菜和紅腰豆等攝取，但由於植物性鐵質較難被人體吸收，因此同一餐可進食含豐富維他命C的食物，如橙、奇異果和蕃茄等，以增加吸收。

抗氧化營養素

壓力及不良飲食會增加體內自由基，破壞身體細胞及加速退化，或會令記憶力受損。維他命A、C及E 均有抗氧化功能，可保護腦細胞免受自由基破壞，防止記憶力衰退。含豐富維他命A食物包括紅蘿蔔、南瓜和菠菜等；維他命E 亦可從果仁、雞蛋和乾豆中攝取。

以上營養素可促進腦部健康，但大家不應只側重於單一營養素的攝取。筆者鼓勵大家飲食盡量多元化，全面攝取足夠營養，令腦部維持最佳運作。

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Parents Zone

Let your child learn to face failure

Written by: Director of Curriculum and Training, Financial Education Association

　　　       Mr. Kwan Hin Bun

In many cases, the biggest blow to a child is not the failure itself, but his or her understanding of the failure. For example, if a child is not selected to represent the school in an inter-school competition, the usual reason they think of is that they are not as good as their classmates. But there may be other reasons behind it. Maybe the teacher is worried that if he gets hurt, he won’t be able to represent the school in other more important competitions. This is not to teach children to avoid responsibility, but sometimes we need to make them understand that it is indeed their own factors that lead to failure.

Parents need to remind their children that anyone who starts something will always have difficulty. Parents should encourage their children to persevere to the end, without taking the requirement of perfection too seriously. Don’t be impatient to provide help to your child; let them try to meet the challenge in a different way. For example, if your child has difficulty learning to write Chinese characters, let him or her copy them first.

As children, their attitudes toward people and things around them are often unstable and easily influenced by emotions and other factors. When faced with difficulties and failures, they tend to develop negative emotions and fail to deal with failures with the right attitude, thus creating resilience. At this time, parents should tell their children in time, failure is not terrible, as long as a little brave can do a good job, learn from the failure to see how to do next time. Parents should consciously use their children’s failures as educational opportunities to guide their children to regain their courage and try again with boldness and confidence. At the same time, educate your child to face difficulties and setbacks, to improve the ability to overcome difficulties and resilience.

In life, no one can remain unbeaten for a long time, like China’s “hurdle king” Liu Xiang who also lost in the London Olympics. Only those who are brave enough to face failure will have the chance to show their smiles of success again.

Parents should know how to teach their children to be brave in the face of failure, because no one is always successful in life. We understand from childhood that “failure is the mother of success”, so there is nothing to be afraid of when we face up to failure. However, if we look at our understanding of this statement, we should focus on “success” rather than “failure”, so that our recognition of failure is still conditional. When failure is no guarantee of future success, Failure, is still a shame and a sin. Therefore, parents must be clear about whether they are teaching their children to face failure or to avoid it!

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Parents Zone

“No!” “Not allowed!” “No!” Does it really work?

Written by : Child Behavioral Emotional Therapist – Ip Wai Lun

Many times, parents get angry because their children don’t follow the rules or challenge some bottom line. For example, if a parent doesn’t want a child to touch something, the parent will just say, “Hey! Don’t touch it!” and “No!” and “Stop”, the child will hear many of these “No! and “No! In fact, this will often make children feel that they have done something wrong, which in turn will undermine their confidence and make them avoid doing things in the future.

As a parent, what can you do to make your child follow the rules without undermining his self-confidence? What kind of talking skills can parents use?

For example, if a child is angry and his face is red, we can use the following “three-step” approach.

Part I: Say How He Feels

“Mommy and Daddy see how angry you are ……”

“Look at your red face. ……”

Parents can try to help their children say how they feel. This is the first and most important step.

Part 2: Setting boundaries

When a child has a temper tantrum and may hit someone, parents should immediately set a line: “Okay, we can’t hurt others. Help him to set a compliance line.

Part 3: Arranging a platform for diversion

If the child has already hit someone, the parent should arrange a platform for the child to channel the anger.

For example, the parent can say, “Oh! I see you are so angry that your face is red and you want to hit someone! Why don’t you show Daddy how angry you are? “Why don’t you hit this shark doll?”

Maybe the child will say, “Yes, okay! and then hit the shark doll. At this point, the parent should tell the child, “Oh, Daddy is really angry to see you.

By allowing the child to express his or her emotions, the child will understand that when he or she has negative emotions, they won’t be accepted by the parents.

If parents use the above three steps, not only will they accept their children’s negative emotions, but they will also not condone their misbehavior, and most importantly, children will learn to follow the rules.

讓孩子學習面對失敗

撰文：財商教育協會課程及培訓總監 　　關顯彬先生

很多情況下，給孩子帶來最大的打擊往往不是失敗本身，而是他對挫敗的理解。例如孩子沒被選上代表學校參加校際比賽，他們一般想到的原因可能是能力不及同學。但其實背後或許還有其他原因，可能老師擔心他弄傷了，就不能代表學校參加其他更重要的比賽。這樣做不是教孩子逃避責任，而是有時候我們需要讓孩子明白，導致失敗的確實是他們自身的因素。

父母必須提醒孩子，任何人開始做一件事時往往都會有困難。父母應該勉勵孩子堅持到底，不必把盡善盡美的要求看得過重。不要迫不及待地為孩子提供幫助，讓他們自己試著用不同的方法來迎接挑戰。例如孩子學寫毛筆字有困難，可以先讓他臨摹。

作為孩子，對周圍的人和事物的態度常常是不穩定的，易受情緒等因素的影響，在面對困難和失敗時，他們往往會產生消極情緒，不能以正確的態度對待失敗，從而產生抗逆力。這時，父母要及時告訴孩子，失敗並不可怕，只要勇敢一點就能做好的，從失敗中吸取教訓，看一看下次怎樣做。父母要有意識地將孩子的失敗作為教育的契機，引導孩子重新鼓起勇氣，大膽自信地再次嘗試。同時，教育孩子敢於面對困難和挫折，提高克服困難和抗逆力。

人生中，沒有人可以長久不敗，像中國「欄王」劉翔亦曾經在倫敦奧運會中失手，只有勇於面對失敗的人，才有機會再次展現成功的笑容。

父母都要懂得教育孩子勇敢面對失敗，因為沒有人一生都是平步青雲的。我們從小明白「失敗為成功之母」的道理，所以正視失敗沒甚麼可怕。但如果細察我們對這句話的認識，重點應該放在「成功」，而非「失敗」，以致於我們對失敗的認同還是有條件的。當失敗不能保證未來的成功時，失敗恐怕還是一種羞恥與罪惡。因此，父母必須好好弄清楚，自己究竟在教導孩子面對失敗，還是逃避失敗呢！

「唔得！」「唔准！」「唔可以！」真的有用嗎？

很多時候，家長會因為小朋友不守規矩，或是挑戰了一些底線而大發脾氣。例如家長不想小朋友碰某件東西，家長只會說：「喂！不准碰！」、「不可以！」和「停」等，那麼小朋友便會聽到很多這一類「不行！」和「不准！」的句子。其實，這樣會令孩子經常覺得自己做錯了，繼而會打擊他的自信，令他將來做事時可能會逃避。

那作為家長的，有甚麼辦法讓孩子在守規矩的同時，又不會打擊他的自信呢？家長又可以用甚麼說話技巧呢？

舉例而言，如果小朋友現時大發脾氣，氣得漲紅了臉的時候，我們可以利用以下的「三部曲」處理：

第一部曲：說出他的感受

「爸爸媽媽看見你很生氣……」

「你看你氣得漲紅了臉……」

家長可以嘗試幫孩子說出他的感受，這是第一個、亦是很重要的步驟。

第二部曲：訂立守規界線

孩子發脾氣時，可能會有打人的行為，那家長要立刻劃定一條界線：「好的，我們這裡是不傷害對方的。」幫他訂立守規界線。

第三部曲：安排疏導平台

如果孩子已出手打人了，家長便要為孩子安排一個平台，疏導他這種憤怒的情緒。

例如家長可以說：「哦！我看到你生氣得漲紅了臉，而且還氣得想打人呢！不如你顯示給爸爸看，你有多生氣吧！」「你不如打這個鯊魚公仔吧！」

可能小朋友便會說：「嗯，好的！」然後就搥打這個鯊魚公仔。在這時候，家長便要告訴他：「哦，爸爸看到你真的非常生氣。」

家長讓他抒發情緒，那小朋友就會明白，原來當自己有負面情緒的時候，是會被父母所接納的。

只要家長用了以上三個步驟，不但可以接納孩子的負面情緒，也不會縱容他們的錯誤行為，最重要的，是孩子同時也可以學習守規矩。

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Poverty leads to change, change leads to adapt” Let children learn to be flexible

Written by：Gigamind English Primary School Principal Law

 

There is a Chinese saying: “Raising a child for 100 years old is a long-term worry for 99 years. This speaks to the heart of thousands of parents. As the weather turns colder, you are busy adding clothes for your child, but when you see other people’s children running and jumping around wearing only a single coat, you may worry that he is too warm and less able to adapt. If your child doesn’t listen to you and does what he wants to do, you will be annoyed, but if he asks you for everything, you may worry and say, “Oh! Didn’t I teach you that? Why don’t you always know how to adapt?

 

The power of adaptability from the movie

Spontonsive Flexibility is an element of creativity. If you know how to adapt, you can solve a problem in a different way.

 

Have you ever seen the movie “Apollo 13”, which is based on a true story? One scene of the movie tells the story of the runaway spacecraft, filtering toxic gas equipment is broken, scientists found that to solve the problem, we need to connect a round interface to a square interface above. Different sizes of water pipes cannot be reliably connected, but they want to connect the round interface? Sounds like you know it is impossible, but if you cannot connect the filter cannot pass the toxic gas, the three astronauts will not be able to return alive! In the end, with the cooperation of each other, they used plastic bags, cardboard, tape and other things to connect the two different interfaces, successfully solved the problem.

We need to be mindful that developing children’s adaptability requires an attitude of tolerance and acceptance of seemingly silly solutions to problems. Since adults have more experience and are better at solving problems than children, they sometimes feel that the solutions children come up with are not good enough. However, the most important thing is that these solutions were thought up by the children themselves, and they can work. Even if they don’t work, they probably make some sense and can barely do it. No matter how “dumb” a child’s approach is, every success and every parental support gives him or her more confidence to solve problems in the future.

Letting your child try

Adults may be able to figure out solutions to problems faster than children, so we need to give children enough time to think and try, and not rush to tell them what they think. Parents should let go of their children and let them face difficulties on their own. “Poverty leads to change”, and the motivation for “change” will be weakened with too much help.

This is the difficulty of being a parent.If you help too much, you worry that your child will not know how to solve problems on his own; if you help too little, you worry that he will not be able to catch up with others; and with so many things to deal with every day, how can you have time to let your child take his time to finish what he has to do every day? However, there are times, such as during the holidays, when we really need to consider slowing down the pace of life and allowing our children to do more of their own work, learn to solve problems in their own way, and develop adaptability.

「窮則變，變則通」放手讓孩子學會變通

我們要注意，培養孩子的變通力，要有一個包容的態度，接受一些看似愚蠢的解決問題的方法。由於成人的經驗較多，其解決難題的能力會比小朋友強，因此他們有時覺得孩子想出來的方法不夠好。然而，最重要的是這些方法是孩子自己想出來的，而且亦可行。即使方法不太可行，但他們大概講得出一點道理，勉勉強強做得來便可以了。無論孩子的方法多「蠢」，每一次成功，每一次得到父母的支持，都讓他在將來更有信心解決遇到的難題。

放手讓孩子嘗試

成人想出解決問題的方法可能比孩子快，為此我們要讓孩子有足夠的時間去想辦法和嘗試，不要急於將自己的想法告訴他，不然他就少了一次自己解決難題的機會，也就是少了一次進步的機會。父母要放手讓孩子自己面對困難，「窮則變」，在過多的協助下就不會「窮」，「變」的動機也就減弱了。

撰文：激活英文小學羅煦鈞校長

中國有句說話：「養兒一百歲，長憂九十九。」這可算是道出萬千家長的心聲。天氣轉涼，您忙著為他加衣，但看到人家的孩子只穿一件單衣在跑跑跳跳，您可能又擔心他是不是穿得太暖，少了適應能力。孩子不聽話，自把自為，您當然煩惱，但假如他每件事都要問您，您可能又會擔心地說：「唉！不是教過您嗎？怎麼您總是不懂變通？」

從電影看變通力

變通力（Spontonsive Flexibility）是創意的一個元素。懂得變通，就能夠用不同的方法解決一個問題。

大家有看過這套由真人真事改編的電影「太陽神 13 號」嗎？電影其中一幕講述失控的太空船內，過濾有毒氣體的設備壞了，科學家發現要解決這個問題，就要將一個圓形的接口連接到一個方形的接口上面。大小不同的水喉也不能可靠地接上，他們卻要將圓形的接口接上去？聽起來就知道不可能吧，但假如接不上，過瀘不到有毒的氣體，三個太空人就不能活著回來！結果在彼此合作下，他們用膠袋、紙皮、膠帶等東西，將兩個不同的接口連接起來，成功解決問題。

困難是培養變通力的契機

正所謂「窮則變，變則通」，「窮」在這裡不是指「貧窮」，而是指到了盡頭，亦可說是遇到困難。在事情好像走進了死胡同的時候，只有一些另類或與別不同的方法，才可以將問題解決。

培養變通力正需要讓孩子面對難題，透過思考，嘗試用不同的方法將難題解決。其實孩子每天要面對的難題不會少，例如做數學題、做手工和砌模型等，都需要孩子解決一些難題，我們可以充分利用這些機會，培養他們的變通力。

包容孩子的想法

我們要注意，培養孩子的變通力，要有一個包容的態度，接受一些看似愚蠢的解決問題的方法。由於成人的經驗較多，其解決難題的能力會比小朋友強，因此他們有時覺得孩子想出來的方法不夠好。然而，最重要的是這些方法是孩子自己想出來的，而且亦可行。即使方法不太可行，但他們大概講得出一點道理，勉勉強強做得來便可以了。無論孩子的方法多「蠢」，每一次成功，每一次得到父母的支持，都讓他在將來更有信心解決遇到的難題。

放手讓孩子嘗試

成人想出解決問題的方法可能比孩子快，為此我們要讓孩子有足夠的時間去想辦法和嘗試，不要急於將自己的想法告訴他，不然他就少了一次自己解決難題的機會，也就是少了一次進步的機會。父母要放手讓孩子自己面對困難，「窮則變」，在過多的協助下就不會「窮」，「變」的動機也就減弱了。

做父母就是有這個難處，幫得太多或擔心孩子不懂自己解決問題，幫得太少又擔心他追不上別人，而且每天要處理的事情這麼多，又那有時間讓孩子慢慢地完成每天要完成的事情？不過，有些時候，譬如在假日，我們就真的要考慮將生活的節奏減慢下來，讓孩子多處理自己的事情，學習以自己的方法解決困難，發展變通力。