30/09/2025
The headteacher of a primary school said:
Whenever parents bring a child to register for Primary One in my school, I must first see the child myself. This helps me to check if everything about the child is fine—speaking, hearing, seeing, walking, and so on.
After that, I like to ask the child one question that I created many years ago. The question is:
“What is the color of a watermelon?”
Parents and even my fellow teachers are always surprised by this question, because I ask every new child the same thing. Many think that I do not have any other question to ask. But today, I want to explain the secret behind it.
The question looks very simple, but the way a child answers it shows me a lot about his or her character:
If the child says, “It is red,” most times it means he depends too much on his parents. He does not help them to buy or cut watermelon at home. He only sees it served in a plate, like food given to a guest.
If the child says, “It is green,” it usually means he helps his father to buy watermelon and also helps his mother to cut it at home.
If the child asks, “Do you mean the outside or the inside?” it shows he is very smart, curious, observant, and likes to ask questions or discuss matters.
If the child answers, “The outside is green and the inside is red,” it shows he is intelligent and observant but does not like to argue.
If the child gives a wrong answer, like “It is blue” or “It is yellow,” it means he cannot properly tell the difference between colors. Such a child will need special teaching and may give his teachers a hard time.
If the child hides behind his mother because of shyness, or waits for his parents to answer for him, it shows he needs special care and encouragement to build confidence and overcome shyness.
