And in every era, there are parents—even if they are just farmers, workers, without bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees, without knowledge of AI or ChatGPT, and even only having gone through basic literacy programs—who still raise their children to be decent and successful in life.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO PASS ON YOUR CHILDREN
Sitting before the writer, 92-year-old Mrs. Le Thi Luong was still sharp-minded, her back straight, her eyes bright, and her laughter still resounding. She recounted her childhood in a small village in Nghe An province . As the daughter in a large family, and due to outdated beliefs, she did not attend school. It wasn't until she was 20 years old that she learned her first letters thanks to a literacy class.
The elderly woman diligently attended classes amidst the hardships of farming and selling goods at the market. After getting married and her husband joining the army, she stayed home to take care of the home front while continuing her studies. After peace was restored in North Vietnam in 1954, she moved from her small village in Nghe An to Hanoi with her husband, working various jobs from a cook in a military unit's mess hall to a factory worker in a garment factory…
With her husband serving in the military, Mrs. Luong managed both her production work and diligently cared for and raised her children amidst the hardships and scarcity before the country's reunification and in the early years after. Yet, all four of Mrs. Luong's children were well-behaved, intelligent, and became successful individuals with respected positions in society.
Mrs. Le Thi Luong and her granddaughter Thuroczy Viktoria Lyanh (left) , a graduate of Oxford University, interact with students during Lyanh's visit to Vietnam.
PHOTO: HONG QUAN
One of the four children of Mrs. Le Thi Luong is Dr. Phan Bich Thien, a member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front for the 7th term (2009-2014), 8th term (2014-2019), 9th term (2019-2024), and 10th term (2024-2029). Dr. Thien is a former student of the specialized mathematics class at Chu Van An Secondary School and the specialized English class at Ly Thuong Kiet High School (now Viet Duc High School, Hanoi). She was later selected by the Ministry of Education to study at a university in Moscow, Russia. She established her career in Hungary and currently holds the position of Vice President of the Association of Vietnamese People in Hungary.
She is the Chairperson of the Foundation for Hungary-Vietnam Relations and also the founder and Chairperson of the Vietnamese Women's Forum in Europe.
Mrs. Le Thi Luong shared that in the difficult and impoverished conditions faced by so many families decades ago, as a mother, she always believed in working hard and saving money so that her children could have enough to eat, wear, and receive a proper education. No matter how hard the circumstances, her children had to go to school. "Since Thien and the other children were old enough to understand, I often told them to study hard and always excel in their studies. I didn't have the opportunity to go to school properly, so I had to do hard manual labor. My children are luckier than me, so they must study to change their lives," she recalled.
It was Mr. Luong's exemplary dedication to work and learning that inspired lifelong learning, passionate work, and responsibility in all four of his children, and later in the generations of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Many of Mr. Luong's grandchildren have won prestigious scholarships and gone on to work in various countries. Dr. Phan Bich Thien's two daughters both studied in the United Kingdom; one graduated from Oxford University, and the other earned a master's degree in architecture from The Bartlett School, University College London.
Parents may not be the best, but they are the most understanding.
Every weekday evening, Mr. Nguyen Chi Cong (a parent in Xuan Thoi Son commune, Ho Chi Minh City) is busy. On days when he doesn't take his children to English classes, he and his children (junior high school students) sit together at the table to review their lessons. While he only enrolls his children in English and extracurricular activities, Mr. Cong supports them in all other subjects, from math, physics, and chemistry to biology, history, and geography.
Parents are always the best teachers for their children.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
"I enjoy the feeling of sitting and studying with my child. It lets them know that their parents are always there for them, allowing me to listen to their thoughts and concerns, and in doing so, to be their friend," Mr. Cong shared.
It's not true that children of accomplished and successful parents will necessarily be talented. Nor is it true that children of parents with limited formal education or technological knowledge will be less capable. Parents are always the first teachers, and when teachers possess ethics, compassion, and a thirst for knowledge, they will undoubtedly raise well-rounded students who are both virtuous and talented.
In every era, the companionship of parents is essential.
Teaching children to learn is not easy for parents these days. Many
Parents are busy earning a living and don't have much time for their children. Besides that, there are other difficulties; parents' knowledge and skills in conveying information need to be appropriate to the child's age, background knowledge, and current educational level…
As an educator and a parent, I believe there are many solutions parents can apply when guiding their children's learning at home, but more importantly, it's about fostering a spirit of self-learning in children. I believe that in any era, parents should always be companions to their children's learning. Parents should be companions, guiding them, giving them direction, encouraging and motivating them, rather than simply holding their hands and leading them.
LE TAN THOI (Teacher at Nguyen Dang Son Secondary School, Cho Moi Commune, An Giang Province)
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-nguoi-thay-khong-biet-ai-185251114210806871.htm
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