What gift for children?

Every year, on the occasion of Children's Day June 1st, many beautiful words are given to children, many prizes are given...

Parents' love and understanding are meaningful gifts on Children's Day June 1. (Photo: Phuong Ly)

For many years, we have talked a lot about happy schools, hoping that every day our children go to school is a happy day, where each child will be fully developed in "morality, intelligence, body, and beauty". Everyone wants their children to grow up in a loving environment, to become kind people, useful to society. But what are we giving our children? Providing them with material things, luxurious trips because they are excellent students? Rewarding them with beautiful toys to make up for the hard days of studying for exams?

Have we given our children the right to eat, study, sleep, rest, and play? How many parents give their children the right to fail? Nowadays, how many children have a full summer? Or is there still a “third semester”? There are still children who have to “struggle” in writing class before they even enter first grade. Sighs are being let out somewhere…

Despite education reform, the pressure on children to study has not decreased. After school, extra classes take up most of their time. Many children fall asleep on the bus, or eat a sandwich in a hurry to make it to extra classes. Many children have to sit at their desks until 11pm, even on weekends and holidays. Many children come to school looking tired and lethargic. And what do they get? Perfect 9s and 10s? Excellent certificates? But are they happy, appreciative, and proud of those achievements?

"Perhaps children need more understanding and love from their parents. Don't idolize certificates and good report cards, because children have had to sacrifice too much to achieve those things."

As the first country in Asia and the second in the world to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1990, with the political commitments and leadership of the Party and State, the lives of Vietnamese children in all regions of the country have been continuously guaranteed. More and more children are protected, living, receiving health care, studying and being prioritized in welfare policies.

Article 100 of the 2016 Law on Children states: Parents, teachers, child care workers and family members have the responsibility to cultivate knowledge and skills to educate children about ethics, personality, rights and duties of children; create a safe environment, prevent accidents and injuries for children; prevent children from falling into special circumstances, at risk of being abused or being abused...

Teacher Nguyen Hoang Chuong said: “What makes a teacher’s character is love for students. A teacher must leave the podium, step closer to his students to listen, to understand and to share. Teaching - no matter how difficult it is, if our hearts are always for our students, we will create happy schools…”.

Parents should also blame less on “money and food”, and be less “obsessed” with achievements, then surely the child will be happier. Create motivation for children to learn by searching, discovering and accepting new things, so that they can perfect themselves. From a young age, children need to be nurtured in this, not lose their motivation to learn, to study because of the expectations and insecurities of adults.

Instead of parties, expensive gifts, and trips, perhaps children need more understanding and love from their parents. Don't idolize certificates of merit, report cards with all 9s and all 10s. Because children have had to sacrifice too much to achieve that.

Less moral preaching, less expectations, let's sit down with our children, understand our children, ask them what they want, what they need? Virtual achievements will not give children real personality in the future. Children also need to be respected, listened to, and have their opinions expressed. Accepting children's incomplete achievements, appreciating their efforts, not using "other people's children" as standards for our children is also a way to help children feel happier.

Albert Einstein said: If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing that it is stupid. Indeed, every child has strengths and weaknesses. Someone can be a great musician but a terrible cook. Ability in one area does not define a person's core value.

Nowadays, people pay much attention to teaching life skills to children, educating them to become good people, to become global citizens. But the important thing is to let children be themselves!

"A fruit that is too ripe will not be sweet", "when polishing a gem, do not polish it too hard", take the pressure off your children, accept their shortcomings, their imperfect report cards. Parents, please accept that your children have the right to fail, to stand up, to experience, to grow up, to mature. What gift is more precious than understanding and love?

When there is no more pressure of grades and competition for achievements, children will no longer feel lonely in their own homes. There, children will be excited about going to school every day, where they can be themselves. Let their motivation to study be for themselves, not "studying for their parents", "living their parents' lives"...

"Create motivation for children to learn by finding joy in discovering and embracing new things, so that they can improve themselves. From a young age, children need to be nurtured in this, not lose their motivation to learn and explore because of the expectations and insecurities of adults."

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tet-thieu-nhi-16-mon-qua-nao-cho-tre-272885.html