At the end of each school year, Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc, a literature teacher in Ho Chi Minh City, often shares her thoughts and feelings to her final year students. This year, more specifically, she not only dedicated it to her students but also wrote it to her own son - a student who just finished 9th grade.
“This is my first time entering adolescence, and my parents are also the first time parents of a teenage child. The experience of both sides is equal and zero.
What I am about to write to you here is not a lesson from someone who has gone before, nor is it a list of expectations or hopes that I have for you. They are simply words from a friend whispering to you about youth. Words that I wish I could say to my “15-year-old self,” the female teacher wrote.
Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc used AI to draw a picture of herself and her son because he... didn't like his mother posting pictures (Photo: NVCC).
Everyone craves recognition.
As a mother, Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc tells her children that youth is a journey of experience .
You can have days when you are full of energy, and days when you just “mindlessly scroll through your phone”. You will have times when you love to connect, laugh and joke with people, and times when you are “introverted”, not wanting to see anyone, and feeling uncomfortable when people approach you…
All of these things, not unusually, are encapsulated in the two words “experience”. Every experience, whether happy or sad, love or hate, memorable or forgetful, all contribute a color to the years of my youth.
So, she hopes that her children will enrich their youth with many, many experiences. Only when we experience, can we live fully, fully and feel “rich”.
The teacher is famous for her letter "kind normal person" (Photo: MN).
Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc emphasized that experiences are only truly meaningful when we form the habit of acknowledging ourselves.
Everyone craves recognition. Every time we achieve something, do something good, do an act of kindness, or show love to someone, we expect them to acknowledge us. Words or actions of recognition make us feel valued, respected, and confident…
Ms. Ngoc recalled the days when her child first entered first grade, if she could do a small calculation, she would be applauded by her teacher and parents. But as the years went by, as her child had more lessons and more pressure, the encouragement from everyone decreased.
According to Ms. Ngoc, deep down, parents want their children to start learning how to “acknowledge themselves”. She hopes that her children, on their journey of youth and life, will learn to acknowledge their own efforts, achievements, strengths, loveliness, warmth, kindness, goodness…
When you know how to appreciate yourself, you will receive good things in life.
When you practice self-awareness, you will gradually focus on your values and strengths.
When you see your worth, you will have the courage to open your heart to receive good things that come your way.
You are allowed to use the “rest stop”
Besides recognition and acceptance, Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc emphasized: "The journey of me, my mother, and each of us on the path to adulthood is associated with experiences and lessons called " acceptance ".
Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc is now in class (Photo: MN).
Accept that nothing in life is absolute. Accept that none of us are perfect. Accept that everyone's youth has mistakes, failures, and stumbles.
Accept that everyone's youth will have dark spots and gray areas, not as sparkling and sparkling as we imagine or expect.
For Ms. Ngoc, the most important thing is not that “my child is perfect”, but that “my child accepts”. Accept that my child has weaknesses, accepts that he will make mistakes, accepts that he is not always the best version of himself.
When you accept that, you will be less strict with yourself, you will learn to love yourself more completely and tolerantly.
Acceptance does not mean giving up or compromising or being discouraged. Acceptance means helping you realize that youth is a journey, not a destination. You will still try, still strive, but you will no longer torment yourself when things are not as you want or expect.
And finally, what Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc wants to tell her children and students is to not forget to use the " rest stop " when they feel they need to be comforted.
The mother wants her child to always remember that he is the owner, and also the one who has full rights to use the "family stop" anywhere, anytime.
Like the lyrics of her favorite song "Where the fireworks shine": It's okay if we're not brilliant/ It's okay if we're not steady/ Life is not easy for many people/ To find glory as a shining star/ As long as there is still a place to return to/ A resting place for us to be comforted...
“So, my dear child. Whenever you feel tired, lonely, discouraged on your journey of youth, your journey of life, please use the right to return to the resting place.
Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc in a training program for teachers on effective lesson design (Photo: MN).
At this stop, you don’t need to prove anything. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be you, the “limited edition, the only edition, always loved unconditionally” by your parents and your extended family. Here, you are always “caressed”, simply because you are your parents’ child. That’s all, my dear!”
Teacher "you are a normal person"
Many years ago, the letter "I am a normal person" sent to 12th grade students by Ms. Nguyen Minh Ngoc was shared rapidly, creating an effect in public opinion.
In the letter, Ms. Ngoc told her students that, except for a few people born with the mission of becoming great people to change the world , the majority of us are ordinary people. Remember to not forget this so that you do not put pressure on yourself.
I don't set myself up for great things and miss out on the precious moments that a normal person needs to experience.
Remember, you are a normal person but you are a good normal person.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/co-giao-noi-tieng-voi-la-thu-nguoi-binh-thuong-noi-con-khong-can-hoan-hao-20250609111727278.htm
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