(Clearwisdom.net) All three members of my family practice Falun Gong. Toward the end of 2000, we were forced to leave and live in exile from our home, with an infant less than two-years old. The persecution from Jiang's regime did that to us. Because my son was so young, I had to take him with me to do all my truth-clarification work. Here I would like to share my thoughts about how to look at the challenges children present in Dafa disciples' families.
I have been taking care of my five-year-old son since 2000. During this period of time, other practitioners asked me periodically to leave my child at home with his grandparents or relatives. First of all, our family conditions did not permit this. Secondly, I feel that I have a responsibility to my child. Even though there were all sorts of inconveniences, my son came into the world for the Fa.
Master said, "A person is like a container, and he is whatever he contains." ("Melt into the Fa" from Essentials for Further Advancement). Children are pure. They do not have concepts that adults form during their lifetimes. If children are frequently exposed to the Fa, they will do things by Fa standards. Earlier I only knew that I should let my child study the Fa, but not systematically. So I read Dafa books to him when he was over two years old and taught him to memorize some short poems from "Hong Yin." I also read Zhuan Falun (Turning the Law Wheel) to him wherever I picked up the reading from my previous study. This year, I realized that I should let him study the Fa in a systematic way. Now I have two bookmarks in my book - one indicates where I stopped my study and the other is for him.
When I study the Fa with my child, we are one whole body. Sometimes, when he was too intent on playing, or for other reasons such as it was time for him to sleep, I asked him to go to bed quickly. Then he would tell me that I did not yet read the Fa to him! If I sometimes did not read to him, he was sad and even cried. Later I realized that it was not right to do this.
Master urged us again and again to read and study the Fa more often. My son is young, but he is a small Dafa disciple first and a child second. His enlightened part is eager to obtain the Fa. After a while he memorized much, and also realized that he is a Dafa disciple. Later on I made the following arrangement for him - I read to him from Dafa books every day before his nap around noon-time; then later in the evening we read Zhuan Falun together. The remaining time I read a few articles or poems from "Hong Yin." By 8:55 p.m. we prepare to send righteous thoughts.
In the past I always asked him to go to sleep after sending forth righteous thoughts, but he often could not fall asleep for a long time. So I began taking him to practice the exercises after sending righteous thoughts, and now he goes to bed close to 10:00 p.m. every night. However, he is able to get up earlier than before.
In addition, I also taught him to respect our Master and the Fa. He will make the Heshi gesture [palms pressed together in front of the chest in respect] whenever he sees Master's picture. I told him that all Dafa books were written by Master. They are all the Fa; so one should not put them somewhere carelessly or put other things on top of them.
Recently, articles by little Dafa disciples have been published on "Minghui weekly news" and I always read them to him. I think that the effect is really good. Later he asked me to also read articles written by adults. After one of those occasions, the next day he even helped me hand out truth-clarifying information while I was doing it.
I am very pleased when I see his changes. I would like to tell those practitioners who have children at home not to miss this cherished opportunity for their children, which they have never had in billions of years. Of course, one cannot generalize, since everyone has a different situation. Here I only hope that those who have the opportunity but may not necessarily grasp it should be responsible. Do not leave any regrets for yourself and your child in the last remaining time while the opportunity still exists.
