“A parent came to meet me and asked why her son had bad conduct,” Ngoc Lan, a secondary school teacher in Hanoi.

Chu Cam Tho from the Vietnam Education Science Institute

“When I told her that the student fought with friends in the class and he usually made a fuss during lessons, the parent got angry and criticized me,” she continued.

The parent blamed the teacher, saying she must be responsible for the bad conduct.

“We are busy at work all day and that is why we send our child to school. It is your job, as teacher, to educate children so that they can grow up as useful citizens of the society,” the parent told the teacher.

Relating the story, the teacher said she felt sad because the parent neglected her responsibility to educate her child.

Parents and children have limited time for each other. In the evening, children are busy with their home exercises, while parents are busy with their digital devices. Many parents think that the education of their children is the task of the school.

“The parent shifted the blame onto the school and teacher. She cannot understand that she also has to take responsibility for the bad behavior of her son,” the teacher said.

Chu Cam Tho from the Vietnam Education Science Institute, in an interview to Giao Duc Thoi Dai, said that relations between parents and children have weakened due to the presence of technological equipment.

Parents and children have limited time for each other. In the evening, children are busy with their home exercises, while parents are busy with their digital devices. Many parents think that the education of their children is the task of the school.

Tho found that people have misconceptions about family education, and about the role and responsibility of the family to the life of children.

No matter how modern society develops, the family is still the cell, the first cradle of every person, where they can grow and study.

Family may not be the organization which provides academic knowledge, but it is a place to teach children a way of thinking, way of doing, and habits and standards. The family is also the first and most important place to influence children's lifestyle and morals.

Emphasizing the important role of family in educating children, Tho commented that many families seem to have forgotten their duty of educating children.

A study conducted recently by Tho and her co-workers found that the proportion of family meals is on the decrease, in both urban and rural areas. This means that family members don’t have opportunities to meet to exchange views.

Le Ha

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