Doctors’ strict parenting advice on Facebook causes a ruckus

[webfact]

Doctors’ strict parenting advice on Facebook causes a ruckus
By Wasamon Audjarint
The Nation

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Every decent parent wants to raise their children to be the best they can be, but parenting differs in each family. The raising of children traditionally is believed to be a private affair – as long as people don’t tell other families how to behave.

 

Which explains why the Facebook page “Dad, Mom and Kids” has received a mixed reaction, with criticism for what some social media users call “extremely outdated” approaches to bringing up children.

 

The page is administrated by family physician Ittirit Chulalaksiriboon and his wife Sarinee, who is a child psychiatrist. Since May 2015, the two doctors have filled the page with how-to articles, attracting more than 100,000 “likes”.

 

But whether the general public would appreciate the page, which describes its content as “good stories and accurate information for everyone in families”, and also promotes a book written by Ittirit on how to get into medical school, is another story.

 

Children’s gaming behavior, early education and dating issues are among highly discussed topics on the page, at least among those comments that are not blocked or threatened with action under the Computer Crime Act.

 

“You have to completely stop children from playing around with electronic games. Children will only become addicted to them,” Ittirit wrote in one article. “Impulse control, brain development, stress relief are all fake excuses to let children play games. No doctor has ever endorsed those claims.”

 

The doctor went on that parents should erase all games from electronic gadgets and computers and exercise parental authority to take control of their kids.

 

“I have to write this because I was lucky that my father didn’t allow me to play games,” he added. “If he did so, I wouldn’t have been able to get into medical school.”

 

His article seemed to be persuasive as it raised concerns among respondents. One person asked the doctor: “I have a three-month-old baby. My husband just bought a PlayStation 4. He said that it’s better for the kid to play with his dad than go to a gaming centre. I’m really worried about my child’s future. What should I do?”

 

Ittirit replied: “You have to stop having kids with him, protect your child and start thinking about your financial future in case that your protection might cause [you two] to separate.”

 

On another occasion, an article entitled “Parents should delay when your children start dating as much as possible: by Doctor Ittirit” suggested:

 

“To secondary school students, while you find a private place to be together or to watch movies, many other students seriously study their lessons. How will you be able to compete with them? If your dreams are big, such as going to medical school, please allow me to ‘challenge’ you [and say] people like you are not competitive. You shouldn’t even register for admission exams.”

 

His wife Sarinee, a child psychiatrist, also wrote in the article “Don’t be afraid that your children will study too hard” that she was “very shocked” that modern parents didn’t have faith in the Thai education system.

 

“I don’t want any Thai person to have such an idea,” she said. “Thailand is a country with a long history. We have produced tonnes of world-renowned human resources. I don’t work for the Education Ministry but I only see very capable people in the education arena.”

 

The page has undoubtedly drawn mixed reactions and controversy, leading the two doctors on Tuesday to cease updating the page for a month to accept responsibility.

 

They also apologised to the page’s followers, including those whom they blocked or deleted comments, saying they wouldn’t write about gaming again.

 

Wimonrat Wanpen, a psychiatrist and deputy director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Rajanagarindra Institute, said there was no absolute right or wrong when it came to bringing up children.

 

“Even standardised psychiatric guidelines sometimes can be adjusted. It all depends on context,” Wimonrat told The Nation. “For instance, there is a standard that children younger than two should not play games. Still, I wouldn’t say that parents who want to leave their children with games and take some rest are doing wrong.”

 

Looking after children is an art of using discretion, she said.

 

When it comes to communicating with society as a doctor, she said it was important to distinguish between facts and opinions.

 

“Being a doctor can give credibility to your words. You can comment but you also have to be considerate,” she said. “I believe these kinds of pages are well-intended, but they have to pay attention to feedback for the most efficient communication.”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30316921

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-01

[theguyfromanotherforum]

Facebook is worse than gaming. Most Thais don't use it to stay in touch, but rather perv into other people's lives. Doctor's suggestions in this regard are kind of ironic.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[maewang99]

too much is focused on the superficial... including the doctor who lectures "no games".

as if it were simple. 

but that ****is**** how social media works and only works.
 

 

and that is a problem right there too.  but nothing too much wrong with movies... especially if you discuss them later with your family, and friends afterwards... just as we do with books that we enjoy..... but not just ones for titillation.  but there is a serious development problem with movies and TV in that they ****always**** have an Audience Surrogate with a rule on how the movie or TV show revolves around that surrogate. that's where books.... novels and science etc. beat the crap out of everything else... they require not only your ****own**** imagination to come into it... not just watching something.... but can explain things that are difficult to come out and say in a movie unless the actor is heard 'talking to themselves'... which is normally too weird to do but a book can do.... giving you something to think about..... and feel... and not just pressing a screen millions of times or waiting for an actor to convey something directly to you.. which is also only superficially... huh? how about that?
 

social media wise... the good doctor gets a pass.... given that he was using Facebook.

but of course, it is much more nuanced than that. and the doctor knows, I would bet big on it. and win much more often than not... because of the few times I have ever seen anyone reading a book.... devouring it.... it was almost always a medical doctor.

2 out of 3 times so far... but I have only been living in Thailand for 15 years and "only" 5 of those full time at Thai universities and high schools.... which accounts for the high body count of book readers I have personally met.  3.  2 in hospitals, and one Bangkok guy who always shows up to local funerals.  in 15 years.

what do they do, hide their reading at home in a closet?

and where are the bookstores? cause I'm the only one I ever see getting packages from Amazon and you can't read a book on a cellphone, not even an IPhone.. give me a break.

 

 

[ and there has never been even one exception to the Audience Surrogate rule. some playing around with it a little... The Fury tank scene...... Sopranos last episode..... The Killers (1964?)........ but never has it ever been violated without meeting the exception as it did with the ones just mentioned. and the Greatest Story of all time.... can never be matched as to the 2 keys to it's meeting the Exception to the death of an audience/book reader's surrogate.. of your own personal resurrection and admittance to heaven plus saving everyone you have ever known from the opposite place. try to beat that. no one can. not even Hollywood. but that kind of folk who isn't self aware on this..... is exactly where Donald Trump gets his base. and that is something to pay attention to. Trump is not a one time fluke. he is all over HK's last chapter in World Order... which is also all about social media and geopolitics.  ]






 

 

Edited June 1, 2017 by maewang99

[The Deerhunter]

1 hour ago, maewang99 said:

too much is focused on the superficial... including the doctor who lectures "no games".

as if it were simple. 

but that ****is**** how social media works and only works.
 

 

and that is a problem right there too.  but nothing too much wrong with movies... especially if you discuss them later with your family, and friends afterwards... just as we do with books that we enjoy..... but not just ones for titillation.  but there is a serious development problem with movies and TV in that they ****always**** have an Audience Surrogate with a rule on how the movie or TV show revolves around that surrogate. that's where books.... novels and science etc. beat the crap out of everything else... they require not only your ****own**** imagination to come into it... not just watching something.... but can explain things that are difficult to come out and say in a movie unless the actor is heard 'talking to themselves'... which is normally too weird to do but a book can do.... giving you something to think about..... and feel... and not just pressing a screen millions of times or waiting for an actor to convey something directly to you.. which is also only superficially... huh? how about that?
 

social media wise... the good doctor gets a pass.... given that he was using Facebook.

but of course, it is much more nuanced than that. and the doctor knows, I would bet big on it. and win much more often than not... because of the few times I have ever seen anyone reading a book.... devouring it.... it was almost always a medical doctor.

2 out of 3 times so far... but I have only been living in Thailand for 15 years and "only" 5 of those full time at Thai universities and high schools.... which accounts for the high body count of book readers I have personally met.  3.  2 in hospitals, and one Bangkok guy who always shows up to local funerals.  in 15 years.

what do they do, hide their reading at home in a closet?

and where are the bookstores? cause I'm the only one I ever see getting packages from Amazon and you can't read a book on a cellphone, not even an IPhone.. give me a break.

 

 

[ and there has never been even one exception to the Audience Surrogate rule. some playing around with it a little... The Fury tank scene...... Sopranos last episode..... The Killers (1964?)........ but never has it ever been violated without meeting the exception as it did with the ones just mentioned. and the Greatest Story of all time.... can never be matched as to the 2 keys to it's meeting the Exception to the death of an audience/book reader's surrogate.. of your own personal resurrection and admittance to heaven plus saving everyone you have ever known from the opposite place. try to beat that. no one can. not even Hollywood. but that kind of folk who isn't self aware on this..... is exactly where Donald Trump gets his base. and that is something to pay attention to. Trump is not a one time fluke. he is all over HK's last chapter in World Order... which is also all about social media and geopolitics.  ]






 

 

Huh?????

[zzidenn]

I actually agree with the fact that access to gaming and media should be limited for kids, when I was a kid my mom would also monitor how much tv I was watching, but then again I was usually quite busy playing outdoors and building treehouses..... I feel children today are missing out on a lot of real life adventures because many parents actually prefer to have them sitting close by playing on an iPad or so..... anyway we live in a digital world now and it comes with new risks and also possibilities

[DLang]

2 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Facebook is worse than gaming. Most Thais don't use it to stay in touch, but rather perv into other people's lives.

 

Yeah, after 2 weeks of searching I finally found the uni student intern's page.

 

Oh man! 

[smew]

Thai schools of respectable standards what a laughable statement. High school graduates have no worldview or knowledge. Thailand has not produced a single Nobel prize winner in any science discipline.

[Emster23]

" “You have to completely stop children from playing around with electronic games. Children will only become addicted to them,” Ittirit wrote in one article. “Impulse control, brain development, stress relief are all fake excuses to let children play games. No doctor has ever endorsed those claims.” "

Agree 100%. They also will lack in social skill set. Sure most of us have run across student age kids.... don't look at each other, talk to each other. In electronic bubble

[thaibeachlovers]

2 hours ago, zzidenn said:

I actually agree with the fact that access to gaming and media should be limited for kids, when I was a kid my mom would also monitor how much tv I was watching, but then again I was usually quite busy playing outdoors and building treehouses..... I feel children today are missing out on a lot of real life adventures because many parents actually prefer to have them sitting close by playing on an iPad or so..... anyway we live in a digital world now and it comes with new risks and also possibilities

I was lucky that there were no computers etc when I was growing up. Didn't have to face the temptation.

He is quite right that kids shouldn't be allowed to use machines. No argument from me.

[howard ashoul]

Here we go again, old farts commenting on new technology.

 

Right now next to me is sitting 4 year old girl playing games on tablet. Games, that she downloaded herself, installed herself and learned herself how to play. Learned herself how to operate tablet. Useful thing, that she will be using in school and even in the work. But I guess you would like to see her running naked on the street and playing with sticks and rocks. Because technology is bad for children... .

 

But I guess this argument is pointless. 200 years ago old farst were scared of steam machines, 100 years ago by electricity, now by phones, computers and tablets... . 

[worgeordie]

FACEBOOK the font of all knowledge !, its use to be Religion was the  opium of the masses,

now its FACEBOOK.

regards worgeordie

[rwdrwdrwd]

.

Edited June 1, 2017 by rwdrwdrwd

[wakeupplease]

They use facebook here for

 

Playing free games

Chatting to friends

Getting news which has not been blocked, usually takes a couple of weeks to block

Talking to friends overseas

To get caught and jailed for pressing the button

To see how the other half live

To get away from childish Television programs

To scam people with offers that do not exist.

To try and get away from the local life style that is at best a nightmare.

 

Parenting never

[Fulwell53]

7 hours ago, theguyfromanotherforum said:

Facebook is worse than gaming. Most Thais don't use it to stay in touch, but rather perv into other people's lives. Doctor's suggestions in this regard are kind of ironic.

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

'Most Thais'

?????

[YetAnother]

this is totally thai; a dimension of thainess if you will; anytime a thai elevates above their former 'pay grade' they say and do things of which a 14 year old should be ashamed of

[Dumbastheycome]

5 hours ago, smew said:

Thai schools of respectable standards what a laughable statement. High school graduates have no worldview or knowledge. Thailand has not produced a single Nobel prize winner in any science discipline.

There  have  been  some  nominations. 

But given  that  Nobel prizes are  now too often  comparable  with  the Titles of  the  UK   is  it  so  significant?

As  in if  you  are  responsible  for  creating extreme wealth or  just  for  becoming  famously  popular even at the  demise  of  competition you  get a  prize. Sir. 

For   humanitarian life long deeds  you  get  an  OBE ( ?) 

Another   Bloody  Expendable.

Nobel ? Or  false  discrimination ?

Even the  origin  of  the   award  has  become as  corrupted  as the  definition  of   Noble.

[sotsira]

It's all about getting the right balance when raising kids.

The use of the latest technology is included in that balance 

but just as importantly is outdoor activities and academic study.

 

I do agree that gaming does become addictive to kids that are allowed

to over indulge, that's why a balance should be set in order of priority

by the parents.