X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

A parental sacrifice of Olympic scale

3 min read
A parental sacrifice of Olympic scale

CHEN WS / Shutterstock.com

Of course, every successful athlete has a story to tell. Feng’s rise in the world of sports was largely due to the concerted efforts of her parents. Her father worked in a granary, while her mother was a department store employee; despite their meager income, Feng’s parents dedicated their earnings to funding their daughter’s training. And though her father was suffering from multiple sclerosis, Feng did not know how severe his condition was until news of his death in 2002 reached her weeks before she was due for tryouts in the China national squad.

We may not live in similar hardship here in Singapore, but any parent can understand how it feels to want our child to grow up successful, and the lengths we will go through to make it happen. But do we know what’s best for our child? Sometimes, our child can give us that answer.

Recognising talent

We live in a rather rigid education system where paths are set out in well-defined structures. But what if your child has something else in mind for him or herself?

In fact, your child might have the talent for something huge without you even knowing it. Pay attention to the things your child enjoys doing, and don’t limit your imagination to what is prescribed in schools. Parents might miss out on the greatness their children can achieve in life, as the mother of Gillian Lynne nearly did.

8-year-old Gillian was brought to a psychologist on her school’s suspicion that she had a learning disorder, simply because she couldn’t sit still in class. It wasn’t until her mother was told to observe her little girl begin dancing on her own in the psychologist’s office that she realised her daughter was born to be a dancer. Gillian Lynne graduated from London’s Royal Ballet School and has now made her mark as an accomplished choreographer, and has produced big-name Broadway shows like Cats and The Phantom of the Opera.

Related: Junior sports boost

Let your child be your guide

If your child really does have an innate talent, the single most valuable gift you can give is your approval. Feng’s parents went through such lengths to develop their daughter’s passion for good reason – they know in their hearts that their child is the future.

And so is yours. As parents, we know that once we bring new life into the world, we no longer live for ourselves – the world now belongs to our children, and our children mean the world to us.

What we may not yet understand is that our children are individuals in their own right, born of unique personality, developing independent thought and experiencing life in their own terms. We can (and must) teach them the ways of the world, but we must also allow ourselves to be taught by our children.

Feng’s devastation on learning of her father’s death stayed with her for a long time; she recognised the sacrifices her parents made to bring her where she is today. Likewise, you may one day take pride in your child’s achievements, but imagine the gratification of knowing your child is proud to have you as parents.

Partner Stories
Level up your child’s markers to unleash their power to create!
Level up your child’s markers to unleash their power to create!
Unleash your kids’ creativity with these awesome DIY projects
Unleash your kids’ creativity with these awesome DIY projects
Moving out of my in-law’s place and into my own home was the best decision I made as a new mum
Moving out of my in-law’s place and into my own home was the best decision I made as a new mum
My secret weapon against invisible indoor pollution
My secret weapon against invisible indoor pollution

Related: Talent – overdoing it!

Source: Wikipedia.org

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Winston Tay

  • Home
  • /
  • Home
  • /
  • A parental sacrifice of Olympic scale
Share:
  • Sacrifice Is Not Love!

    Sacrifice Is Not Love!

  • How to Assess Your Infant and Toddler Development with the Bayley Development Scale

    How to Assess Your Infant and Toddler Development with the Bayley Development Scale

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

  • Sacrifice Is Not Love!

    Sacrifice Is Not Love!

  • How to Assess Your Infant and Toddler Development with the Bayley Development Scale

    How to Assess Your Infant and Toddler Development with the Bayley Development Scale

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.