Feed essential knowledge to the young.

A few days ago I wrote on how the imagination of children could be easily stimulated through stories their parents told them.
This morning, on my trek up the Sungai Paisr hill, I met this friend, Ah Ju, who told me his story when I told him how the minds of children can be affected by whatever is told them. He totally agreed with me.

Minds of children absorb whatever adults tell them with such ease that we ought to be careful with what we tell them. We ought to make use of this knowledge of our children's mind to teach them things essential to their lives.

Ah Ju told me how he was so frightened of policemen when he was young just because an adult friend told him that the police would catch a small little boy like him. He was nine years old then, very naive and what he heard had such an effect on him that he would run and hide whenever a policeman happened along.

Somehow, in his mind was this idea that a policeman would apprehend any boy who is not accompanied by a parent or adult. This fear of policeman took some years of knowledge to remove. It is unnecessary fear and may even deter him from approaching a policeman for help, should such a need arises.

Of course, fear does have its use for dangers that we do not want our children to learn through experience.

Instead of such nonsense, adults should use this belief of children in adults to teach them good manners and habits.

Tell them, perhaps, how people with good manners are always respected and well-recieved by others wherever they go. Point out to them the people who practice good manners in the neighbourhood and how popular they are.

Teach children to observe good habits and show, explain or tell them how such good habits can bring better health, better growth and greater wealth.

Have the children exercise through walks or runs in the parks as well as in your enjoyable activities. Tell and show them how strong and healthy are the people who do such exercises. Compare these healthy ones with people who are weak through having a sedentary life.

Inform the children of the food that is consumed. Let them understand about proteins and how essential it is for muscular and body development. Educate them on the carbodhydrates from plants, fruits, grains and cereals. Tell them about the vitamins and minerals their body needs. Do not forget about fats and its importance to our body. (Of course, too much, especially saturated fat from animals, is not good for us. However, fat has its role to play.) Make sure they know about the cleanliness of the air they breathe and the water they drink. Finally, tell them that the amount of all those nutrients which ought tobe consumed depends upon the needs of the individual; the weight-lifter will need more protein and food than others, the labourer will need more carbohydrates and fat than other people, and we should also tell them about the healthy oils which are also fats. Let us give our children the knowledge some of us took so long to realise. Of course, all these are disseminated as and when it is opportune to do so.

Tell them about the habit of saving. Explain to them how wealth can multiply through savings. Show them how, a little at a time, for the next ten to fifteen years, when they reach their early twenties, can yield at lot.

You know, I had parents who could not find the time to talk to me about all those things. Fortunately, I had always had this thirst for knowledge and at approximately the age of nine, I went along the book shelves of the USIS (United States Information Service) building in Beach Street in Penang, in search of the above knowledge.

And I must add that my health is this good today because of the knowledge learned since then till now; knowledge which I put into practice every single day.

Through this, I hope parents as well as their children can achieve better health.

Of course, there are always people who have even better knowledge and practices than this writer at improving health. Therefore, comments and further knowledge will always be welcome.