The Precious Stamp of Approval on My Parenting

I consider our parenting style strict.  We want to inculcate good values in them.  Respect must be given to peers, adults and especially the elderly.  Visitors must be addressed and greeted.  Requests must be politely delivered.  Show care and concern to the younger ones.  Play cooperatively with friends.  Express daily appreciation to their parents.  Show gratitude and be contented with what you have and/or are given.  

Many times, I question myself if we are too strict with the boys.  If we should be more lenient.  If we should just loosen up a little.  But more times, we decide it would be better for their character development and so we stick firmly to it.  

The other day I had a chat with Johann's kindergarten teacher.  She told me a bunch of things about Johann that left me swelling with pride, of him and of our parenting.  

Johann stroking a dead and preserved fox at the Internationales Jahr der Waelder 2011.

"Johann helps to clean the tables after meal every day, he wants to do it, he likes to help."

"He is always very polite, be it asking his friends for his turn in a game or asking for coloured pencils from me (the teacher)."

"He takes care of the younger ones."

"Once, he helped to sweep all the sand around the playground back to the playground.  It was a lot of work and I had to reward him with some sweets."

"He loves teaching his friends and teachers what he had learnt in his Chinese class."

"Richard (the other teacher) and I love him very much, he is such a well brought-up boy.  If only all the children are like him, he is a pleasure to have."

I was so close to tears when I heard that last sentence.

These are words you don't get to hear everyday, these are words you cannot prompt for a person to tell you.  These are words that purely spring up of a casual conversation, nothing so significant I would say, especially to the person delivering it.  But to the recipient, it means mountains.  These are words that affirm what you have been doing all along is correct.  These are words that clear your doubts about whether you are doing the right thing.  These are words so powerful that encourage you to keep going, to propel you to do better, to want to give yourself and your spouse a big pat on the shoulder with an astounding "well done!"

These are words that will last me till the next time I hear such compliments again.