"The best gift you can give your child is your time." -- Kevin Stein
A truly valuable parent-child relationship is built on quality companionship and proper guidance in daily life, not expensive materials or flashy travel experiences.
In this materialistic age, many dads mistakenly believe that expensive toys or luxury trips will give their children the best childhood.
Hardly realize, what children really desire is the sincere companionship of parents and those seemingly ordinary but full of small things.
A little true story, which I think illustrates this vividly.
Every weekend afternoon last year, my daughter and I will built a brick castle at home. The castle collapsed several times, but instead of being discouraged, we both laughed and kept trying.
When the building block castle finally stood in the living room, I saw my one-year-old daughter's face filled with pride and joy. At that moment, my daughter suddenly realized that what was important was not the height of the castle, but the process we went through together.
Once I rode my electric scooter to take her to school, and my daughter told me that this was one of her most precious childhood memories.
This heartwarming story of mine confirms the famous words of American poet Carl Sandburg: "A child is a living poem." And we, as fathers, are the co-creators of this poem.
What children really desire is often not expensive toys or luxurious trips, but the sincere company of their parents and the seemingly ordinary but warm little things in life.
Many parents always try to take their children to play everywhere: go to amusement parks and shopping malls nearby, stay in high-end hotels and visit major scenic spots.
The children are indeed very happy, but have you found that compared with these "big scenes", their dedication and creativity when playing with stones, fruits and playing house downstairs in their own community or at the entrance of the village are incomparable?
The famous psychologist Piaget once said: "Children understand the world through play."
Echoing this, Maria Montessori also pointed out: "Play is the child's work."
In fact, children don't care where to play, they are more eager for their parents' high-quality company and experience of the little things in life.
Actually, there are many small activities that can enhance the relationship between fathers and children. Small things that can be done with children can become beautiful memories of children's childhood, such as:
Go to the market and learn about the ingredients and prices.
Visit museums, science and technology museums, and art galleries.
Set up a small stall and learn about business.
Take your children to visit a factory and learn about the production line.
Play educational toys together, such as Vertical Number Puzzle, Quick Push Game Machine, Super Blocks Game Machine, Spray Cop Robot, Spray Stunt Racing, Intelligent Electronic Board Game Machine and other toys, to develop children's cognition in the process of playing.
No surprise,there are many such small activities in life. These seemingly simple activities can subtly cultivate children's life skills, enhance parent-child relationships, stimulate creativity, cultivate social awareness, and build self-confidence.
As Jane Austen said, "Love is expressed not in empty words but in sincere actions throughout our daily lives."
Turning interest into talent: the counterattack of an "Internet-addicted teenager"
In the process of raising children, parents often worry about some of their children's interests, especially in today's digital age, many children are addicted to video games.
Yesterday's success story of "Black Myth: Wukong" provides us with a new perspective.
The founder of the game, Feng Ji, I saw on social media that he was once an "Internet-addicted teenager":
He was a "bad student" in college and was addicted to games.
In order to play "World of Warcraft", he gave up the opportunity to take the postgraduate entrance examination.
He made the Internet cafe his home, spent all his savings, and had to borrow money to make a living.
Perhaps it was this love for games that eventually led him to the path of game development.
He turned his interest into professional skills and eventually developed the "Black Myth: Wukong" that made a global sensation, which was hailed as "the world's first 3A game to score 10 points."
The inspiration for us:
Don't easily deny your child's interests: seemingly useless hobbies may become the cornerstone of future careers.
Guidance is worse than suppression: instead of forcibly stopping them, it is better to guide them to think about the principles behind them.
Encourage innovative thinking: support children to transform their interests into creative activities.
Cultivate concentration and persistence: success often comes from obsession with something and long-term persistence.
Pay attention to interdisciplinary skills: cultivate multi-faceted abilities and lay the foundation for future development.
So how can we better accompany our children?
Keep smiling: Put away your bitter face and gloomy face, and infect your children with a warm smile.
Control the volume: Use a low tone when criticizing, and children are more likely to accept it.
Set an example: Parents' actions are more convincing than words.
Enjoy the process: Don't always pursue perfect results, learn to enjoy every moment with your children.
The essence of education, whether it is love or disgust, is hidden in the volume of parents' speech.
In the words of Mr. Lin Yutang, a famous Chinese writer: "Life is just an accidental miracle. We must cherish the present and enjoy every moment of life."
In the process of accompanying children to grow up, aren't parents re-understanding themselves and experiencing the beauty of life?
Let us work together to manage this "accidental miracle" with our hearts and create a childhood full of love and joy for our children! As Tagore said: "Life is not a candle, but a lamp."
Dads need to light this bright lamp in their children's lives and illuminate their way forward.
