Children may not be good at expressing the pressures they feel in words, but when they draw them in pictures their worries and fears leap off the paper.
Sinorama specially asked the 30 pupils in the fifth-grade art class for gifted students at Taipei's Min Tzu elementary school to draw pictures on the subject of "What I Feel the Most Pressure About." It turned out that the number-one source of stress was tests (11 students). Next in order was "more than one source of pressure" (three), followed by fear of ghosts, of being kidnapped, of being hit by a car, of being bitten by an animal and of environmental destruction (two each), and finally fear of being spanked by father, of parents quarreling, of a world war, of going to the dentist, of going blind and of oneself (one each).
Due to space limitations, we have only been able to print 13 pictures. At the same time, the children were asked to write about what makes them the happiest and what they wish for most. Six of them wrote "no tests" and four that they "hope to win an award," which jibes pretty well with the pictures. We hope that seeing these pictures of what's on children's minds will make us more caring and understanding.
[Picture Caption]
Feng Ssu-yu
What I like and hope for the most are 1) that there wouldn't be any more tests in the world, 2) that math would vanish from the face of the earth, and 3) that I wouldn't get spanked or yelled at by my mother.
Su Chia-hui
What I'm scared of most are tests.
What I hope for most are 1) studying in the U.S. and 2) winning an award.
Huang Shih-hui
What I hate most is math.
What I look forward to most is my birthday.
Wu I-hsuan
What I hope for most is that there wouldn't be any more monthly exams.
Lin Li
The things I'm scared of most are environmental degradation and ghosts.
The thing I'd like best is winning an award.
Liao Chia-min
The thing I'm scared of most is going blind.
The thing I'd like best and hope for the most is not having so many tests.
Hsieh Kang-ping
The things I'm scared of most are the destruction of the planet and ghosts.
The things I like the best or hope for most are 1) no more tests, 2) winning an award, 3) that the world would be a better place.
Huang Wan-yu
The thing I'm scared of most is Mommy and Daddy having an argument.
The thing I hope for the most is that people in the world would get along peacefully.
Tai Chia-en
What I'm scared of most is a world war.
What I hope for most is a world of peace and cultural progress, with ice cream and movies. . . and family reunions.
Yang Tzung-hsi
The thing I'm most scared of is being chased by a dog.
The thing I'd like best is no tests.
Huang Chang-min
The thing I hope for most is not to meet up with a ghost.
Lu Chu-chieh
What I'm scared of most are tests and bad people.
What I hope for most is no tests.
Su Chia-hui What I'm scared of most are tests. What I hope for most are 1) studying in the U.S. and 2) winning an award.
Huang Shih-hui What I hate most is math. What I look forward to most is my birthday.
Wu I-hsuan What I hope for most is that there wouldn't be any more monthly exams.
Lin Li The things I'm scared of most are environmental degradation and ghosts. The thing I'd like best is winning an award.
Liao Chia-min The thing I'm scared of most is going blind. The thing I'd like best and hope for the most is not having so many tests.
Hsieh Kang-ping The things I'm scared of most are the destruction of the planet and ghosts. The things I like the best or hope for most are 1) no more tests, 2) winning an award, 3) that the world would be a better place.
Huang Wan-yu The thing I'm scared of most is Mommy and Daddy having an argument. The thing I hope for the most is that people in the world would get along peacefully.
Tai Chia-en What I'm scared of most is a world war. What I hope for most is a world of peace and cultural progress, with ice cream and movies. . . and family reunions.
Yang Tzung-hsi The thing I'm most scared of is being chased by a dog. The thing I'd like best is no tests.
Huang Chang-min The thing I hope for most is not to meet up with a ghost.
Lu Chu-chieh What I'm scared of most are tests and bad people. What I hope for most is no tests.