1 . Parents do not owe (欠) their children a college education, if they can afford it, they can certainly send them to a good university. But they needn’t feel guilty if they can’t. When children grow up and want to get married, their parents do not owe them an apartment. They do not have the duty to look after their grandchildren, either. If they want to do it, it must be considered a favor, not an obligation.

Do parents owe their children anything? Yes, they owe them a great deal.

One of their obligations is to give their children a sense of personal worth. Children who are always made to feel stupid and unworthy, constantly compared with brighter brothers, sisters, or cousins will become so unsure, so afraid of failing that they won’t try at all. Of course, they should be properly corrected when they do wrong, but it’s often better to let children learn from their mistakes by themselves in time. All their parents should do is to trust them, respect them, understand them and give them chances to try and fail. They must learn to stand failure. When criticisms (批评) are really needed, they should be balanced with a smile and a kiss. That is the way children learn.

Parents owe their children a set of solid values around which to build their lives. This means teaching them to respect the rights and opinions of others. Also, it means being respectful to elders, to teachers, and to the law. The best way to teach such values is by deed. A child who is lied to will lie. A child who sees no laughter and no love in the home will have difficulty laughing and loving.

No child asks to be born. If you bring a life into the world, you owe the child something.

2 . The last school bell rings and your kids are off for the summer. For most kids, those thoughts of schoolwork and lessons are a distant memory that they won’t be thinking about again until fall. So it’s important for them to continue some learning.

Have your kids hit the library.

Encourage your kids to read by taking them to the library during the summer. If they don’t have a library card, get them one. Many local libraries sponsor summer reading clubs that keep your kids wanting to read. Be sure to let your kids pick their own books out; summer is for fun reading.

Have your kids read every day.

Ask your kids to read outside in the sun. Join them, read aloud their favorite books, no matter how many times you have read them. Pick a time every day when you all stop and read as a family together. Nothing will stimulate a child to read more than to have adults reading with them.

Find other ways to encourage the kids.

If you are planning a family trip, have them check out the map. Let your kids go online and research where you are going. Have your kids check the weather report in the newspaper or what big event is happening and then have them report back on it at dinner time. Have your kids check out magazines or websites for recipes that can be prepared.

Improve your kids’ writing skills.

Learning to express your thoughts. Writing in a logical manner is a skill that is often lost. To help your kids, have them write about things during the summer. If your kids love something such as animals, have them write reports about them to share with the family. If you are going on a trip, have your kids keep a travel journal.

5 . Saturday　March 28,2020

The time has come—I’m graduating,and I thank you both for all your help during these 15 years. I still remember when you used to say, “You can be whatever you want.” I’m so glad you are my parents, especially when I hear kids say they don’t get on well with theirs. I’m glad that you support me when I decide to do anything. You always try to help, and that’s important to me.

Dad, I remember when you first took me fishing. I loved going even though I never caught anything. I also remember when you would get angry with me. I realise you were only trying to show me the right way. When I cried, you would always be there to try to cheer me up. That’s what I call a good, loving, caring dad. Sometimes you and Mom don’t agree with me, but you are there on my side in anything that I do, and that’s why I love you both so much.

Mom, I enjoy going out with you and having our happy time every Friday night, and I hope that never changes. I love telling you everything and the best part about you is that you listen. I’m glad we do a lot together. You love to have fun, and Dad does, too. You always give me your opinion and I listen. Thank you for bringing me up.

There may be many frustrations and setbacks on the road to the future, but the thought of your support and help fills my heart with strength. Dear Mom and Dad, I love you and I love our family. I hope and believe that we will be happy all the time.

Love always,

Alison

Prissy Baker was in Oscar Miller’s store on New Year’s morning, buying matches when her uncle, Richard Baker, came in. He did not look at Prissy, nor did she wish him a happy New Year. She would not have dared. He was actually a big, strong-looking man an uncle to be proud of, Prissy thought, if only he were like what he used to be himself. He was the only uncle Prissy had, and when she was a little girl they had been great friends. She used to break into Uncle Richard’s house to play tricks on him, for the woodshed door was always unfastened. But that was before the quarrel.

Uncle Richard had not been speaking with Prissy or her father since the two brothers’ quarrel eight years ago. The fault had been mainly on Richard’s side, but he was unwilling to admit it.

Richard Baker informed Mr. Miller he was on his way to Navarre to deliver a load of pork. “New Year’s Day would be pretty much the same as any other day to you,” said Mr. Miller, for Richard Baker was a bachelor (单身汉).

“Well, I always like a good dinner on New Year’s Day,” said Richard Baker. “It’s about the only way I can celebrate. I got everything ready last night but I have to send the pork now. I won’t get back from Navarre before one o’clock, so I guess I’ll have to put up with a cold bite.”

After her uncle had driven away, Prissy walked thoughtfully home. She had planned to spend a nice, lazy holiday with the new book her father had given her at Christmas and a box of candy. She did not mean to cook a dinner, for her father had to meet a friend and would be gone the whole day. There was nobody else to cook dinner for. Prissy’s mother had died when Prissy was a baby. so Prissy became her father’s housekeeper.

But as she walked home, she could not help thinking about Uncle Richard. He would certainly have cold New Year, cold enough to freeze the whole coming year. She felt sorry for him, picturing him returning from Navarre, cold and hungry, to find a fireless house and an uncooked dinner.

Suddenly an idea came into Prissy’s head.

Prissy had just set the table when an angry voice cut through the peace.

9 . My son Joey was born with club feet. The doctors assured us that with treatment he would be able to walk normally — but would never run very well. The first three years of his life, he had several operations on the feet. By the time he was eight, you wouldn’t know he had a problem when you saw him walk .

The children in our neighborhood ran around as most children do during play, and Joey would jump right in and run and play, too. We never told him that he probably wouldn’t be able to run as well as the other children. So he didn’t know.

In seventh grade he decided to go out for the cross-country team. Every day he trained with the team. He worked harder and ran more than any of the others — perhaps he sensed that the abilities that seemed to come naturally to so many others did not come naturally to him. Although the entire team runs, only the top seven runners have the potential to score points for the school. We didn’t tell him he probably would never make the team, so he didn’t know.

He continued to run four to five miles a day, every day — even the day he had a 103-degree fever. I was worried, so I went to look for him after school. I found him running all alone. I asked him how he felt. “Okay,” he said. He had two more miles to go. The sweat ran down his face and his eyes were glassy from his fever. Yet he looked straight ahead and kept running. We never told him he couldn’t run four miles with a 103-degree fever. So he didn’t know.

Two weeks later, the names of the team runners were called. Joey was number six on the list.

Joey had made the team. He was in seventh grade — the other six team members were all eighth-graders. We never told him he shouldn’t expect to make the team. We never told him he couldn’t do it. We never told him he couldn’t do it...so he didn’t know. He just did it.

10 . There was a boy in India who was sent by his parents to a boarding school (寄宿学校). Before being sent away this boy was the ______ student in his class. He was at the top in every competition. He was a ______.

But the boy ______ after leaving home and attending the boarding school. His grades started ______. He hated being in a group. He was ______ all the time. And there were especially dark times when he felt like ______ himself. All of this ______ because he felt worthless and no one loved him. His parents started ______ the boy. But they did not ______know what was wrong with him. ______ his dad decided to travel to the boarding school and talk with him.

They sat ______ the bank of the lake near the school. The father ______ asking him casual (随便的) questions about his classes, teachers and ______. After some time his dad said, “Do you know, son, ______ I am here today?” The boy answered back, “To ______ my grades?” “No, no,” his dad replied, “I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me. I want to see you happy. I don’t care about ______. I care about you. I care about your happiness. You are my world.” These words ______ the boy’s eyes to fill with tears. He ______ his dad. They didn’t say anything to each other for a long time.

Now the boy had everything he wanted. He knew there was someone on this ______ who cared for him deeply. He ______ the world to someone. And today this young man is in college at the top of his class and no one has ever seen him sad!