Indonesia
Train Kids with Hearing Impairment More Confident
Don’t let the love ones become mocking target by their friends because the speaking and listening problem.
Tasya Mittjo is actually quite an attractive in the eyes, Supermom. Her skin is clean, she has sweet smile and always well dressed. Still, despite the fine look, she is still minus in self confident. Tasya has been several time caught other kids mocking her by imitating how she wave hands, when Tasya communicate as a deft.
According to Dwi Yanti AMd TW, a Consultant of Oral and Auditory Verbal Therapy, dealing with a deft kid’s confident is not an overnight job. It’s a continuously task that requires cooperation from people around, including granny, babysitter and house maid who interact with the kids every day. It’s actually quite similar with how we nurturing confident to kids without the hearing problem.
“The key is, we need to respect them as individuals, despite the differences,” said the founder of Sentra Terapi Tumbuh Kembang ‘Rumah Belajar Kepompong” in Jagakarsa area, South Jakarta. Dwi provides some acute suggestions of how to raise deft kids into personals with self confident.
First off, Superparents are required to always be positive. Do not blame or laugh at the kids when they make mistakes. For example, if their rice scatter all over when eating. Instead of yelling at them, it’s very advisable to ask the kids to pick the sand of rice they spilled. “This will build up their confident. We also can insert some language inputs when involving the kids in the cleaning up,” said Dwi.
Second, stimulate the kids to develop social contact with people around or kids of their age. Kids with hearing impairment are not to hide, they need befriends too. Encourage them to play with other kids or get them involved in a play group. This kind of activity can do well to their social skills. Kids with hearing impairment won’t be holding back when meeting new people because they are already accustomed to socialize.
Third, avoid any negative nickname. Don’t label the deft kids ‘crybaby’ if they whine over something, ‘bad boys’ if they refuse to obey when being told, ‘the stingy’ when they don’t want to share the favorite toys with friends, and such. “Any kid will feel inferior and meaningless if treated that way. Especially deft kids who realize their condition to begin with,” said Dwi.
Fourth, be aware that nobody is perfect. Give them a lot of attention. Don’t hold back to hug and kiss them. Dwi also suggests, do not get disappointed if it turns out the kids can’t do anything perfect because of the hearing condition. Make them comfort. “Make them proud of themselves. If they are comfortable with their condition, they will be the deft kids who don’t get bullied easily,” Dwi convinces.
The last one, give them examples of how to treat other positive. Start from the simple thing, like to smile and greet others upon meeting. If the kids can show their respect to others, it will go the other way around. People respect them to not mock or call them names and other bully things. In fact, people may praise the little ones for the attitude. Kids will grow up with more confident despite the hearing limitation.
HAFIDA INDRAWATI
PHOTOS: 123RF
