I wish you good luck
If not
I hope you can learn compassion through misfortune
I hope you can be loved by many
If not
I hope you can learn tolerance through loneliness
“May you grow up slowly” is a letter written by Liu Yu to her daughter who had just turned one-hundred-day old. The sentences above are extracted from her book and vividly describe a mother’s profound love for her daughter. These touching words resonate with the reader in an intimate way.
Just about a month ago, to implement the XLIS parents’ concept of “lifelong learning” and set an interactive parent communication platform, Xi’an Liangjiatan International School held its first “Parent Talk”. Three “mothers” from the USA, China and South Korea shared their experiences and shortcomings in the field of family education in front of an audience of over 90 parents.(Click the link for the first “Parent Talk” XLIS Parent Talk)
The importance of the role that a “mother” plays in her children’s growth is evident. So what role does the “father” play in the area of family education? What responsibilities should the “father” bear to successfully guide the healthy growth of children? During the second “parents exchange forum” held on April 30, we had the honor of inviting three “fathers” hailing from China, New Zealand and South Korea to share with us what their children have taught them in the past few years.
1. Mr. Frank Zhang: Father to P1 Forrest Zhang & P4 Eason Zhang
Talking about Children in the International Environment
From “A father’s love like a mountain” to “landslide”
Compared to being a child’s “superhero”
To be good to ourselves is the best benchmark for children
Mr. Frank Zhang and his wife are both educators. When talking about the education of their two sons, Mr. Frank said with a smile that he had great ambitions and wanted to shape a sturdy image in the hearts of his children. But before his fatherly love became “as strong as mountain” he suffered a “landslide”. Every day he focuses on getting along with his children, he gradually realized that instead of always looking forward to doing something impressive for his children, it is more enlightening for him to focus on himself and do everything he can to build a strong rapport with them.
During his speech, he also shared a seemingly unassuming tale which led him to better understand fatherhood. Two months ago, Mr. Frank’s wife left Xi’an, where she had lived for many years to pursue a new job. In order to help his wife focus on her new job, Frank and his two sons followed her to her new city. During three days, the family accompanied their mother, Frank’s wife, to complete a series of chores, such as finding a place to settle down, assist her with long-distance relocation, and purchasing daily necessities. Although the two little guys occasionally got a little upset because of fatigue. However, with their father’s encouragement and patience, they gradually felt their parents’ irreplaceable position in their hearts and understood the meaning of “home”. The most important lessons were embodied by Frank’s actions.
In his speech, Mr. Frank repeatedly mentioned that as a father, he faced countless shortcomings and often blamed himself for what he wanted to do but could not do. But isn’t a father who does everything he can for is children a “superhero”?
2. Mr. Andrew Hubbard: Father to P3C Henry Shi Hubbard/M2B Amy Hubbard
Sharing Ideas About Connecting with Your Children
Behind the catchphrase “mom is Superman” lurks the absence of the role of father
My time is the best gift I can give my children.
In the hearts of Amy and Henry, Andrew is undoubtedly their best “playmate”! Playing hide and seek, wrestling, exploring board games, kneading dough, playing with Lego, and in their Xbox, are all important opportunities to connect with his children… Through countless games, the picture of dad play-fighting with them and having fun with them have become the most precious memories of their childhood.
As a father, Mr. Andrew has always believed that the best way to communicate with children is to play with them. Through the process of playing, whether the children are upset or laughing, their emotions are the most sincere, and the relationship between parents and children is thus strengthened.
Of course, in addition to acting as his children’s “playmate”, Mr. Andrew also said that insisting on reading with children before bed, exploring the fun of outdoor sports, dining with family, respecting children, being a role model for children, and sharing parenting responsibilities with his wife, are also key factors to promoting a virtuous cycle of parent-child relationship. This subtle approach will have a positive and far-reaching impact on children’s future and the socio-emotional development.
3. Mr. Yongkil Choi: Father to P3B Minjun Choi & P6B Hyunjun Choi & M4A Hyunmin Choi
Speech for International Students
Youth is so precious…
It shouldn’t be used to just to study hard.
It should also represent an opportunity to explore the good things in life.
Yongkil Choi is not only the father of three Korean students in our school, but also a successful entrepreneur. In addition, he is extremely well-educated and studied abroad in the Xi’an Foreign Studies University and Tsinghua University. When it comes to children’s education, he has his own views. Mr. Choi believes that, every child’s youth is so precious that it would be too “wasteful” to spend it only on their studies. Although he recognizes the importance of learning, he expressed that there are a myriad of other life lessons that shouldn’t be overlooked.
“Youth is a good time for every child to make friends, exercise, explore the world, try new things, and even fall in love. In my opinion, the harvest and impact of these experiences on children is far more meaningful than learning.”
“Take every day seriously and bravely to pursue the true meaning of life in the way you like” was the closing statement of Mr. Choi’s speech!
A classic saying featured in the popular Korean show “Please Answer 1988″: As a father myself, I realize that I wasn’t born a natural father, this is also the first time for me to be a father.” This simple sentence captures the bittersweet essence of parenthood.
Parenting, the most difficult profession in the world, requires an entire life to learn it. During this long practice, the best teachers for parents are undoubtedly our children, who,through the good times and the bad, give meaning to our daily lives.
Father and son holding hands build the dream of heroism in our ordinary lives.
Click here to check more about XLIS 2nd Parent Talk.
Author:
Fancy Fan (Student & Parent Center Officer)