When I noticed him, he started pretending that he wasnt peeking! Whenever I would look his way, he would fix his eyes to anot
her spot and pretend to be concentrating. However, his little black pupils kept betraying him as they darted back to me every two seconds! He looked so cute.. I kept smiling. And this was a cue enough for him to abandon his pretence and hide his little head in his father's lap:)
her spot and pretend to be concentrating. However, his little black pupils kept betraying him as they darted back to me every two seconds! He looked so cute.. I kept smiling. And this was a cue enough for him to abandon his pretence and hide his little head in his father's lap:)All this little drama happened when my group together with two of our instructors were on an observation tour to one of the neighbouring cities called Nanjo. After we had visited the Health Promotion Section in the Department of Welfare. And learnt of the health promotion activities that the city has. The city administration is battling with controlling "lifestyle diseases" such as diabetes. And is using a kind of a Village Health Team scenerio to mobilize their communities.
So my shy little fella was among the kids whose parents were mobilised to bring him for the
regular dental check up session. It was a big room that was divided into various sections. Closr to the entrance, were children were being weighed and their heights taken, next to them was a dentist checking teeth, then there was a corner where nurses were instructing parents on how to clean the children's teeth. In another corner, parents were receiving nutritional education. In the centre of the room, parents and children were playing with toys and reading books..so there was alot of activity going on. It was such a very conducive environment for kids.
regular dental check up session. It was a big room that was divided into various sections. Closr to the entrance, were children were being weighed and their heights taken, next to them was a dentist checking teeth, then there was a corner where nurses were instructing parents on how to clean the children's teeth. In another corner, parents were receiving nutritional education. In the centre of the room, parents and children were playing with toys and reading books..so there was alot of activity going on. It was such a very conducive environment for kids. There were kids drawings on the walls. I got to learn that in Japan children are oriented from a tender age to prevent " germ b
oy" and "germ girl". The drawings of the two "germ siblings" are standard and have been passed on from generation to generation.
oy" and "germ girl". The drawings of the two "germ siblings" are standard and have been passed on from generation to generation.Another thing that interested me was the size of stomachs of each age group! There was this glass shelf that contained the stomach sizes of children aged 0 to 15 years. The stomach sizes were at the top of the glasss shelf. Inside the self, where the corresponding foods that are suitable for that age group and what amounts and calories. It was really a cool thing. The foods were made of plastic imitations so that the Nutrition section doesnt have to buy fresh foods each time. I also thought that was a good idea.
On the whole, it was an interesting tour. And at the end of the day, I realised that kids will be kids! because there are those who almost brought the house down with their screams because they thought that they were going to be injected.
