Cultivating Elite National Parenting School Model Textbook - (Golden Edition)

Author: Du Xiaoyi / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features:
1. Responsibility is an important part of a person's character and is a very important quality, essential for becoming an outstanding individual. Taking initiative in responsibility means being willing to do more for others or the collective, willing to take more risks, and willing to bear the consequences that may follow. After China joined the WTO, Chief Negotiator Long Yongtu shared a touching story in the "Speak the Truth" program. During a visit to Switzerland, he heard a peculiar sound coming from a neighboring stall in a restroom. Intrigued by the unusual sound, which lasted for a long time, he peered through the gap in the door. To his astonishment, he discovered that a boy of about seven or eight years old was repairing the toilet's flushing mechanism. Upon inquiry, he learned that the boy had finished using the restroom but couldn't flush the toilet because the mechanism was malfunctioning. So, he was sitting there alone, desperately trying to fix it, with neither his parents nor his teacher nearby. This incident deeply moved Long Yongtu. A boy of only seven or eight years old was so courageous in taking initiative to assume responsibility. It can be said that this spirit of responsibility had permeated every cell and nerve in him, becoming a complete habit. Only when a person realizes the need to take initiative in responsibility does his noble character begin to form, and only then can he truly become a person. Responsibility is a task that a person must strive to fulfill, and it should be valued regardless of its size.
2. To raise a child to grow up by taking responsibility, first teach them to do their own things. In real life, many children have become accustomed to their parents acting as their caregivers in daily life; in studies, they have also grown used to their parents being their crutches, reading with them, and helping with homework. The result is that when they are away from their parents, they are helpless and even unable to take a single step. A 15-year-old middle school student said, "At home, my grandparents and parents do everything for me. I've never washed a single pair of socks or swept the floor since I was born. Sometimes, Dad scolds me, and I feel I should do more household chores, but I just don't feel like doing them. Plus, they always give in to me—I only have to act lazy, and they won't let me do it." In reality, this situation is somewhat common among middle school students today. Many children fail to think of taking initiative to do things they can manage to help their tired parents, and thus, they cannot develop a sense of responsibility. A businessman once had his child jump from a high place, promising to catch him. But when the child actually jumped, he stepped aside. The injured child cried and blamed his father. The businessman then said earnestly, "I did this to let you know that in many times and situations, others are unreliable—even the closest ones to you. Because there are many things in the world that others want to help with but cannot, and cannot help at all. You can only rely on yourself. To survive, you must strive and fight for yourself; to realize your life's dreams, you must first rely on yourself." Children will one day need to stand independently in society and in life. If they develop the habit of doing their own things, managing their own things, and arranging their own lives from a young age, it will enhance their independence, purpose, and planning in action. This will greatly benefit their future happiness and success in life. P26-27