On a bitterly cold January morning, Wang Fuman, eight, was photographed looking like a tiny snowman, and was nicknamed “the Snowflake Boy.” His ice-flecked hair and eyebrows broke the Internet and led to an outpouring of sympathy and gifts. However, he was not interested in material help. The Snowflake boy’s only Chinese New Year wish is reportedly to reunite with his mother.
The South China Morning Post reported that Fuman wants his mother, Lu Dafeng, to come back to him. He even shared a special message for her.
“Mum, I don’t want to wait any longer only to be disappointed again… can you please come back?” he told the Post.
Why the Snowflake boy’s Chinese New Year wish will break your heart!
Fuman’s father Wang Gangkui reportedly told a Hong Kong daily that his mother wanted a life away from poverty. To pursue her wishes, she left the two and relocated to a nearby city in 2016.
However, she came back to their village in Zhuanshanbao in China’s Yunnan Province seeking a divorce last year. But when Gangkui denied the divorce, she returned to the city.
“I haven’t been able to find her as she changed her mobile phone number and never called us after she left. I know she hated how poor we were and believed I was not capable (of making money to better our lives). We often quarrelled over this in the past. Then she left me,” Gangkui shared.
Their poverty-stricken lives touched many hearts
The couple (also parents to a 10-year-old girl Fumei) used to work as construction labour 300kms outside their village. Because of the distance, they could only come visit their kids once every three to four months.
In fact, their poverty-stricken life was splashed across newspapers when Fuman’s photograph went viral.
Snowflake boy Wang Fuman, eight, walks almost 2.3 miles each day to reach his school. | Image courtesy: SCMP/screengrab
You may recall that Fuman made headlines after it was revealed that he walks 2.8 miles in -9 degree Celcius temperature to arrive at his third-grade class each day. This plight drew the world’s attention to his cause.
In fact, his father was even given a job within his village soon after the news.
But the Snowflake boy’s Chinese New Year wish is only to see his mother once again.
Snowflake boy’s Chinese New Year wish: “Come back and scold me mum”
“Mum, I want you to beat me and scold me for my mistakes — the way other mothers do to their children. At least, then, you would be by my side. Please come back,” the eight-year-old shared.
His father added, “I’m still hoping for my wife to return to me. I want to tell her: Please come back for the sake of our children. I may be poor now, but I believe, as long as we work hard, our lives can become better.”
We do hope that this family is reunited and that Snowflake boy’s Chinese New Year wish comes true.
Fuman’s endearing and heartwarming story of love, persistence and dedication gives us the opportunity to appreciate all we have in our lives. Not to forget, this also gives us the opportunity to teach our kids to be more grateful for the things they have — and the people who love them.
This Chinese New Year, let’s teach our kids gratitude.
3 ways you can teach your gratitude this CNY
Gratitude keeps us grounded and helps us remain positive and hopeful in the face of adversity. Naturally then, it is a virtue all kids must learn, especially as we step into a new year. Here’s how you can do it.
1. Always focus on the positives
As mentioned in our previous article, while sharing, focus more on the positives. If anyone in the family has a bad day, acknowledge it and let them understand that not all days are equally bad, and that things will always get better.
Focusing on the positives will make your children feel happier and more thankful for their loving and supportive family.
2. Share family stories
All kids love hearing stories about their parents. Not only does it let your children know more about you, but they also learn from your struggles. Talking about those things will inspire your children to become better.
3. Teach them to say ‘Thank you’
Always make it a point to be thankful for everything, even the little things. Teach your kids to say it to janitors, security guards, waiters, store attendants and let them know that they should be grateful for the services that other people are providing.
Source: The Strait Times, South China Morning Post
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