By Jane Ng

PARENTS may be unwittingly hurting their children's potential by obsessing about grades, concentrating on their weak subjects and forcing them to read textbooks on holiday, experts say.

Speakers at an Asia-Pacific conference on giftedness this week said some parents need to re-evaluate their approach to education, which can be counter-productive.

Dr Goh Ban Eng, who lectures at the Singapore Management University, said habits such as making kids read textbooks ahead of the school year could backfire.

'It could cause the child to be bored in class and you'll end up with another problem,' she said.

Instead, she advised parents to let children read books on topics that interest them, something that will fuel their imagination.

Parents too often focus on grades as a barometer of intelligence and future success, she said.

Dr Goh said children are 'gifted' in many ways, and this is not just restricted to taking a test and being identified for the Gifted Education Programme (GEP).

'Intelligence is not just verbal or mathematical reasoning skills, though these are the ones most often measured in school,' she told a group of parents at the conference.

IQ tests do not take into account key factors such as interpersonal skills and musical talent, she said.

Another trait of parents here - focusing on their children's weak subjects to the exclusion of everything else - could also deprive a child of a chance to develop his or her potential in other areas.

'It's a pity for the child because if you develop him in his strong subject, then he could possibly go much further and be an expert in the field,' she said.

Another speaker at the forum, Professor Kirsi Tirri from Finland, said parents should also lead by example.

'Pick up a book to read if you want them to develop a habit of reading, and bring them to the art gallery if you want them to learn to appreciate art,' she said.

The advice resonated with many of the 250 parents, both local and foreign, who attended the talks at the National Institute of Education. The forum was part of the Asia-Pacific Conference for Giftedness held this week.

Engineer Samuel Heng, 45, took a day's leave to attend the talks with his wife.

He was hoping to help his teenage daughter, who has been feeling demoralised since entering a top secondary school this year.

'Not every thing they say is new, but it's a good reminder of what we should do. Still it's not easy to apply,' he said.

This article was first published in The Straits Times on July 19, 2008.