How to be a parent

Author: Li Zhigang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: Don't Let Your Child Fall at the Starting Line
Every parent hopes their children can have a perfect life. What kind of life is perfect? The signs of a perfect life are as follows: a healthy physique and sound personality; extraordinary talent; super wisdom; a happy family; harmonious interpersonal relationships; a smooth future and outstanding achievements. Undoubtedly, these standards are what everyone hopes to possess. A life is like a seed that, when it is embraced by the earth, needs to be nourished by it. For children, parents are the "earth" that provides nourishment. Under your care, this seed may grow into a towering tree, or it may become a deformed, twisted, and gnarled tree. Therefore, when a life entrusted with the responsibility of nurturing comes into this world, it means you have embarked on a marathon of cultivating a towering tree.
Looking back through the ages, who truly has a perfect life? In the five thousand years of growth in the history of the Chinese nation, there have been many emperors, generals, and ministers. However, the fleeting glory of the "flowers that bloom in the morning and fade by evening" and the minor flaws of the "imperfect" are recorded in history one by one. Some were brilliant in talent but lacked virtue; some had great military achievements but insufficient wisdom; some had happy families but mediocre careers. As your gaze wanders through the annals of history, a figure emerges from the vast river of time—Zeng Guofan. He almost perfectly possessed everything others envied: family, career, wisdom, and knowledge. He came from a small town in Xiangxiang, Hunan. At the age of six, he entered a primary school to study; by eight, he could compose eight-part essays and recite the Five Classics; by fourteen, he could read the Rites of Zhou, the Records of the Grand Historian, and the Selected Works. With his extraordinary wisdom and outstanding talent, he entered the civil service and was promoted seven times in ten years, advancing ten ranks in total, eventually becoming a member of the Grand Secretariat, Vice Minister of Rites, acting Vice Minister of War, Industry, Personnel, and Justice. His achievements in both literary and military affairs were renowned, and he had a significant impact on politics, economy, and culture in the Qing Dynasty. He lived a smooth and perfect life journey.
Isn't Zeng Guofan's life path a true reflection of a perfect life? But genius is not born; it is not accidental, nor is it achieved overnight. Talent comes from excellent guidance, scientific cultivation, and the effective education and care of parents. Without a systematic method of teaching children, even the most gifted child will not become an outstanding talent and will ultimately remain mediocre, "losing its way among the crowd." Zeng Guofan's mother, Lady Lian, and father, Zeng Linshu, are not well-documented in history, but it can be imagined that without their education, it would have been difficult to forge such a historically renowned figure. Teaching children is a principle that has remained the same throughout the ages.
This book is a wonderful work that incorporates the most perfect modern family education philosophy into a novel form. Through the story of how Zeng Guofan's famous parents in modern Chinese history educated and nurtured the young Zeng Guofan, enabling him to develop comprehensively and grow healthily, it shows today's parents that educating an outstanding child is not only about putting in the heart, effort, and endless love and care for the child but also about paying attention to methods, emphasizing humanity and humanistic care, respecting the child, and being their friend and guide rather than their dictator, "elder," or designer.
Every individual is unique, and each person is one of a kind. Give children more space and freedom, and educate them to have love, integrity, noble character, responsibility, ambition, innovation, and a sense of justice. This is more meaningful than a child achieving high academic scores.