Dear Parents, Sons and Daughters

𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬,

Today, I want to tell you all something really important. I am neither a parent nor a philosopher. I am just a college student who went through few tests in my life. In all these years, you have supported your children to go to school and trusted them with all the dreams you have. The beauty of all the Bhutanese parents I have seen so far was “Dear child, we don’t expect you to become the richest man or the richest woman but a child who can stand up on your feet”. Today is the day you won’t forget. Just yesterday, there were news flooding on social media announcing that results for class 12 would be out by today. I knew, all the parents are worried as much as your child who has just completed class 12. This result will determine another step of life.

I would like to congratulate all those parents and students who could achieve good marks in examinations. You might be thinking of throwing a party for your child’s achievement. This would mean a world to your child. In all these years, the child would believe more in himself and endevour to work hard in every test s/he faces in life. Party hard! 

Then, there is other category of students who could not achieve good marks. They are not sure whether they would qualify for universities. Some would not even manage to get passed. This would mean nothing but disappointments and failures. Dear parents, you might be furious when some of your neighbor’s children did well. 

Yes! You have supported your child with all the sacrifices you could make, just to let your students go to the school. You gave up branded clothes. You gave up delicious food and luxury items. You have spent those money just to send your children to the school. 

My question is, will you believe that your children have failed? From my own perspective, I would say No! This is not failure. Although, your child might have not got good marks but success and credits are always with you, dear parents. But, how? In some parts of the world, there are no schools. In some parts of the world, education is very expensive that many of the children do not get a chance to learn. And there are schools in Singapore which nurture and identify the capabilities of children in the school. They are not going to the school because they want to earn good marks. Children are born different and they have their uniqueness. School is a place where fish must climb a tree, pig must swim in the ocean, a dog should fly and many more. Dear parents, just be happy that your child could go to the school and learn. That is more important than marks printed on a paper.

What is the use of algebra and trigonometry if your child wants to become a painter? What is the use of physics and Newton’s law if your child wants to become a singer? Today, your child must be going through lot of emotional battles and I must say, here, your child needs more support. Instead of defaming your child for his/her result and comparing him to others, why not try a different question? What are his big dreams in life? What he wants to become hereafter? In the school, even teachers fail to know the ultimate thing a student wants to achieve. Few of his mates would know what interests him the most. He/she would be busy doing the work of interest instead of completing a mathematic homework or English assignments. 

Dear parents, today is the day where you will discover what your child wants to become. Don’t insist your child to climb a tree if he wants to swim. Even if he manages to climb a tree, he would live a life dreaming to swim. Just be happy that your children could nurture and identify the life greatest passion. This test is just a reflection that your child has bigger dream than just going to the offices.

Therefore, you are their parents. You are their world. World be with a person when he fails or when he succeeds. Dear parents, you have the best responsibility of the day but yelling and defaming on the result aren’t one of them. Today, your child needs a hug more than anything. They need love more than anything. The biggest thing they want is, your support and encouragement when they are pissed off by the piece of paper called result.

Dear parents, sons and daughters, remember one thing, a fish will not climb a tree and pig won’t swim in the river. School is making children to do!

All the best! 

Your Writer,

Pasang Dybala