How did you get into this job? I studied pre-school education at university because I love children. After I graduated, I became a kindergarten teacher. Later, I founded my own kindergartens.

What do you like most about your job? Designing the curricula for my kindergartens because I can apply what I have learned at school and put all that experience and the theories I have developed into practise.

What do you like least about your job? The administrative side. It takes up too much of my time.

What do you think about pre-school education in Hong Kong? It is getting better because the Government is making greater efforts to train kindergarten teachers.

How important is pre-school education to children? It's the most important stage in their schooling because it is when they develop language ability, interpersonal skills, creativity and problem-solving ability.

Why do you insist children learn in their mother tongue? Because they think in their mother tongue. Most of my students' native language is Cantonese. I believe children need to learn English because it's the most commonly used language in the world. But you can't force them to learn difficult words in English during lessons because most of the time they communicate and think in Cantonese.

What prompts you to write teaching materials and compose songs for children? I realise that there aren't enough teaching materials for children here. We can't always borrow materials from overseas. For example, you can ask children to recite Humpty Dumpty in English but it's meaningless to them if their mother tongue is Cantonese.

What is the major problem affecting pre-school education in Hong Kong? Some parents want their children to write and read a lot for fear they will lag behind if they don't. Therefore, many parents and schools overload children with tasks they are not ready to pick up. A three-year-old should learn what a three-year-old is ready to learn. You can't force a three-month-old baby to walk just as you can't force a three-year-old to spell difficult English words such as 'television'. If you try they will soon lose interest in learning.

Had you not studied pre-school education, what would you do? I would have followed in my father's footsteps and studied medicine to become a paediatrician because I love children.

What has been your most unforgettable experience? On the first day I attended kindergarten as a child I was locked in a dark room because I cried. I remember my mother said afterwards, 'I wish more kindergarten teachers knew how to take care of children.' That's why I wanted to study pre-school education.

What do you do to relax? I read. My favourite writer is Lin Liang from Taiwan.

Give us some wisdom ... Give your children more time, love and care. Understand more about them and their needs.