An Elder at Home Is a Boon To the Family

Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai
Bangkok, Thailand • December 28, 1999
(originally in Chinese)

Nowadays, people put their elderly relatives in pensioners' home. What a pity it is to relegate these sources of great wisdom to such homes without making use of them! You should not abandon our precious older citizens to old age homes. You should treasure them, for they are the most capable people in society, and we have much to learn from their wisdom and experiences. If you let the older people help you raise your children, the younger generation will become smarter more quickly.

Your children and grandchildren love their grandmas and grandpas most dearly, because the old and the young are highly compatible. Children are simple and naive, and elderly people know many things but do not talk on and on, nag, or try to control them too much. They impose restrictions on their grandchildren when the occasion demands, and let them develop on their own at other times. They are not like young parents, who often talk too much and argue meaninglessly. I think it is best to leave your children in the care of their grandparents as soon as they are born, and then work to sustain the family. Each one has a different job to do. Young parents still need to learn a lot and there is not much that they can teach their children. People in ancient times had great respect for their parents and the elderly, who consequently lived longer. Although the situation is different today, it is all right. You will come to learn about this more over time.