PureInsight | February 14, 2005
[PureInsight.org] [Note: The Minghui Schools program has the goal of encouraging its students to conduct themselves according to Falun Gong's cultivation principles of Truth, Compassion, and Forbearance. Students learn many subjects, including the Chinese language, Falun Gong exercises, art and crafts. Students range from 3 to 17 years old. The teachers and staff at the schools are Falun Gong practitioner volunteers. ]
Fellow Falun Gong practitioners suggested that I send my kids to the Minghui School in our area, but the timing always seemed bad each time I tried to send them to the school. The truth is that I never got around to it because of my own selfishness. I didn't want to spend my valuable time driving a long way so my kids could attend the school.
Starting in 2004, I became increasingly apprehensive about my kids' behavior. Although they appeared to be good kids in general, they started to display some problems. For example, they sometimes turned a deaf ear to grownups. They also became ill-mannered and unruly when we went out. Moreover, my son and daughter both talked in loud voices wherever they went. No matter how many times I reminded them to lower their voices, they always ignored me. I had to repeat myself a lot of times and even argued with them before they would obey me. On occasion, they would back each other up and talk back when I reprimanded one of them. I often found it impossible to discipline my kids.
My son had more problems. He was a spoiled brat. Although he had turned six years old in 2004, he wouldn't eat much on his own and I had to resort to spoon-feeding him. He was peevish when he got up in the morning. He was easily provoked and would often storm off during a meal. He threw tantrums easily and was high-strung and willful.
Starting in the spring of 2004, I followed a friend's advice and started to have one-on-one chats with my kids separately once a week. I realized that I should have had this type of private chat with my kids since they were little. Kids do not know when they display bad behavior. It is my responsibility as their mother to point out their mistakes so that they understand what is bad behavior.
My kids improved significantly after two such private chats. My son learned to control his temper better. He learned that he needed to solve things with reason and not with his emotions and that it is rude to interrupt when others talk. My daughter also learned that she mustn't interrupt me when I reprimand her baby brother for his bad behavior.
But I still worried for my children. My goal is to lead my children to the right track and help them be responsible to themselves and to others.
Coincidentally, a volunteer Minghui School teacher contacted me when the spring semester was nearly over and the summer vacation was about to start. She called to ask if it was all right to have the summer Minghui School at my home. They ended up deciding to hold the school at another Falun Gong practitioner's home. Nevertheless, I signed my kids up for the summer Minghui School in 2004.
It was the first time my kids had attended the Minghui School and the first time they spent a night without my being there. I was a little worried about them. So I called the teacher each day for the first two days to check on my kids. The teacher said they were doing fine and my kids also told me they were doing fine. The teacher repeatedly told me, "You kids are doing fine. They obeyed the teacher and never caused any trouble." My kids told me that they were happy about sleeping over with other kids.
But when I called them on the third evening, my daughter cried on the phone because she had gotten homesick. To prevent her from feeling all the more homesick, the teacher asked me not to call them again. She asked me to relax and trust them with my kids.
On the day the summer Minghui School concluded, I hurried to the school immediately after work. I missed my kids so much. I was anxious to find out how they had been without me.
When I arrived at the school, I saw my son playing with other kids outside and my daughter laying on the floor reading. When I announced my arrival, my son took a quick glance at me and resumed his playing.
Then I went talking to the teacher, she told me my kids did great and behaved very well. "Really?" I asked skeptically.
On the drive home, my kids recited poems from Hongyin. I was impressed! They have memorized many of Teacher's poems. I felt a little embarrassed because I couldn't recite any of the poems from Hongyin.
After we returned home, I carefully observed my kids and found they have both improved significantly, especially my daughter. It is evident that Falun Gong's teaching has improved them from the heart and has started to grow on them.
Since they returned from the 2004 summer Minghui School, the two of them have been reciting poems from Hongyin and then Teacher's new poems often. They now practice Falun Gong's five exercises every day for two full hours. Moreover, they have asked me to wake them up every morning at 5:55 AM because they want to send forth righteous thoughts. They would also check the time on their own to send forth righteous thoughts at noon.
It appears they have also reinforced their faith in Falun Gong. When the subject of sickness came up last time, my daughter said, "Teacher said that people who do not cultivate are bound to get sick sooner or later. It is a heavenly law that cannot be altered."
My kids are becoming increasingly good. How often they study Falun Gong's books or how many Teacher's poems they have memorized are not direct measurements on the progress they have made in their cultivation practice. It's their speech and actions that reflect their improvement. I know they have become good cultivators when they continue to strive to have high moral standards and are courageous, honest and responsible kids and when they strive to be little Falun Gong disciples who cultivate themselves while helping with Teacher's Fa-rectification.
Translated from: http://www.zhengjian.org/zj/articles/2004/8/27/28895.html
