The atmosphere in Ms. Hanh's small house is filled with the spirit of studying as her eldest son, Duc Manh, prepares for his university entrance exams, while her youngest son, Quoc Tuan, is about to take his 10th-grade entrance exam. On his birthday, the older brother made a wish to his younger sibling, hoping for good luck.
- What's your wish for your 18th birthday, Mạnh? - I wish for you to get into your dream school, of course! And Tuấn? - Haha, lucky you! I wish for you to get into university. Lucky for you too! If I wished for myself, you'd be left with nothing. ... The mischievous youngest brother, Đức Mạnh, kept talking non-stop, and the two brothers, Đức Mạnh and Quốc Tuấn, burst into giggles in their small room. Quốc Tuấn is in 9th grade, Đức Mạnh is in 12th grade, both preparing for the important entrance exam that will be a major milestone in their student lives. One might expect the atmosphere in the family to be tense because of the boys' studies and plans. But instead, the birthday party was held together as usual every year, and the house with four members was filled with laughter and conversation.
 |  |
"Having two sons preparing for exams must be a lot to worry about, right, Ms. Hanh?" "My biggest worry is that my sons won't be happy. If they're happy, I'll be satisfied with the results," Ms. Hanh laughed. Raising two sons, the young mother is always proud because they are both gentle and obedient. Duc Manh is quiet and reserved, always attentive to his mother. Quoc Tuan, on the other hand, is more mischievous and cunning than his older brother. Each is different, but they've been fond of each other and close since childhood. Their birthdays are a week apart, and every year the two brothers agree on a day to celebrate their birthdays together. This June, the two brothers will once again spend precious time together – studying for their entrance exams.
 |  |
It wouldn't be true to say she's not worried. Like other mothers, Ms. Hanh is concerned when her children reach important milestones. Occasionally, her family gathers with both sides of the family, cooking and eating together so the children can chat. With only a few years difference in age, some are freshmen, others are in 8th or 9th grade... The conversations about exams and study experiences never end. Ms. Hanh says that studying isn't something that happens overnight. Her children have been diligent for a long time, so at this sensitive time, she just wants them to relax. "Sometimes I read the news and follow what's happening on social media, and I see that at this age, going through puberty, children's psychology is fragile. The saddest thing is the story of young people who get sick because of too much pressure," she says. So instead of forcing her children to study, Ms. Hanh chooses to let them study on their own, and occasionally the two siblings go out to play, watch movies, and their mother agrees.
 |  |
Despite being given free rein by his mother, Tuan still spends most of his day studying on his own. Currently, Quoc Tuan is in 9th grade at the Vietnam International School (Ha Dong district). For the 10th grade entrance exam , Tuan plans to apply to Dao Duy Tu High School and Nguyen Hue Specialized High School. His strength in English helps alleviate some of his stress. Currently, Tuan is focusing on preparing for Math and Literature, two compulsory subjects that are not his strengths. Ly Ngoc Phuc (Tuan's Math tutor) shared: "Compared to his classmates, Tuan is gentle and quite quiet. During each practice session, he sits silently, concentrating on solving problems. Only occasionally does he look up to join in the conversations of his friends." Ngoc Phuc is also Duc Manh's Math tutor, and interestingly, when asked about Manh, Phuc's answer hasn't changed much.
 |  |
Winning an English scholarship gave Quoc Tuan an easier option for the 10th grade entrance exam. However, as a challenge for himself, Tuan asked his mother to let him register for the entrance exams at two more high schools in Hanoi . Studying at a combined high school, while his classmates weren't too worried and were planning what to do during the upcoming summer break, he chose to immerse himself in stressful exam preparation. Occasionally, close friends would text him to encourage him or come over to his house to hang out and relax. His intention to apply to top schools in the city was a challenge he was choosing for himself.
 |  |
 |  |
On the day Tuan went to school for his graduation ceremony, his mother and older brother accompanied him. At 5 am, the three of them woke up early, prepared their clothes, and waited for the school bus to pick them up. This is also the school where Duc Manh attended middle school. For Manh, this was both a visit to his old school and an opportunity to accompany his younger brother during his final days of middle school. "The two brothers have quite similar personalities, but because Tuan is the youngest, he's a bit more childish than me. When I took the entrance exam for high school, I studied very hard and then passed to get into Dao Duy Tu High School. This time, Tuan also chose to apply there," Duc Manh said. Manh excels in all subjects, especially English. Tuan shared that his older brother has always been a role model he wants to emulate in his studies. Choosing to apply to the same high school his brother attends was also part of his plan.
 |  |
After each study session or extra tutoring class, Tuan and Manh would help their mother with household chores like folding clothes, washing dishes, and sweeping the house. Whenever they felt stressed, the two boys would go out together, sometimes playing billiards near home, other times buying tickets to the cinema. "They're very close; sometimes they'd happily ride their bikes together, and when Mom came home from work, she wouldn't see them. When she asked Dad, he'd say they went for a walk," Ms. Hanh said with a laugh. Ms. Hanh wasn't surprised by the contrasting personalities of families with two sons. Yet, her two sons got along so well, which made her happy. Facing the entrance exam for 10th grade, the youngest son, Quoc Tuan, received the loving attention of the whole family. Despite being busy preparing for university entrance exams, Manh still dedicated time to encouraging and supporting his younger brother. And Ms. Hanh, like everyone else, would always be the support system for both her sons. In mid-May, the Hanoi Department of Education and Training announced the number of students registering for the 10th grade entrance exam at public high schools (both non-specialized and specialized) for the 2023-2024 school year. Accordingly, the average competition ratio for 10th grade in Hanoi this year is approximately 1 in 1.79, the highest in the past three years. Ms. Hanh's family was already aware of this information. Sometimes the atmosphere at home became tense due to the exam situation. However, whenever Tuan was asked about his mindset, he would just laugh and say, "I'm not too stressed. I just want to see how hard I can try. My parents don't pressure me at home either. My mother said it doesn't matter which school I go to, as long as I'm happy. I hope not only me but all the students about to take the 10th grade entrance exam will maintain an optimistic spirit to successfully pass the exam."
Vietnamnet.vn
Comment (0)