Parents grow up together with their children in Tzu Chi Parent-Child Bonding Class
Over the nine classes held this year, parents have grown up together with their children at the Parent-Child Bonding Class conducted by Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore). This year, the organising team involved young volunteers to let the older children help distribute snacks to the parents. The children's sincerity, the volunteers in charge, and the parents are very pleased. A pair of sisters have also participated in the Parent-Child Bonding Class for the fifth and final year, as they are about to graduate from primary school.
Instead of being distraught, parents were glad to see their precious ones serving others.
Parent Tan Chee Han: My eldest actually had the chance to serve food. It is very heart-warming. Secondly, we rarely see him doing that at home, we feel so proud.
Once a month, the volunteers would prepare refreshments for the Parent-Child Bonding Class. This year, they had some extra helping hands.
Tan Phek Har: Because they can help us to bring (the food) upstairs and that reduces our workload. It helps.
Tzu Chi volunteer Lim Lay Khing: Children also need to be given the opportunity to contribute. So, we arranged for them to serve food, and they enjoyed it.
The 2023 Parent-Child Bonding Class theme is the Eight Realizations of a Bodhisattva Sutra. Explaining the eight concepts in an easily understandable way enabled parents and children to digest what they learned. These two sisters have been friends in the parent-child class for five years.
Natasha Lim Qian Ying: I learned the good values in life. At first, I thought “gan en” was just… But now I realised that “gan en” is like cherishing something like treasures.
Elisha Lim Qian Yu: You can learn good values that you can practice them outside and show to people and other than showing it to people, you can encourage people to do the same and help those people who are in need。
Jocelyn Lim Phey See: Although academics are important, their behaviour will also determine their future. I think this is important, and that is why I keep letting them attend this class.
Parents growing up with their children is one of the wonderful things in life!
