Lulie (back, left) joins some attending mothers in a photo-call, taken after the delivery of her talk for a programme in SMK Sibu Jaya.
SIBU (June 28): Parents must become the ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) within the family by planning and guiding their children’s future from the day they are born.
Using the abbreviation ‘AI’, Malaysian Peat Society president Datu Dr Lulie Melling used it to abbreviate the phrase ‘Apai Indai’ – the Iban term for parents – to emphasise their crucial role in shaping their children’s education and character.
“Apai Indai is AI, the artificial intelligence within a family,” she said after delivering a talk on ‘Lighting the Path at Home: Role of Parents in Your Child’s Science Journey’ during the School Engagement Day at SMK Sibu Jaya yesterday.
Lulie said parents should never leave their children’s future to chance; instead, they should already plan from the moment of their birth.
“Raising children with love must be complemented with discipline and a strong sense of responsibility.
“Discipline starts with simple daily practices such as preparing breakfast, ensuring children get enough sleep and setting fixed study hours.
“Parents are the first mentors to their children. Teachers teach subjects, but discipline, character and values are shaped at home,” she said.
She also stressed that parents must lead by example, nurture their children’s character, instil the right values and cultivate discipline in learning from a young age.
According to Lulie, the motivation to value education and strive for success also begins at home.
“Without discipline, there is no success. If no seed is planted, nothing can be harvested.
“If the right values are not instilled in children, there will be nothing to reap,” she said.
She said children who receive a good education would have better career prospects, enabling them to support both their parents and also their own families in the future.
Touching on educational opportunities, Lulie said government scholarships would be of little benefit if the students themselves were not academically prepared.
She also urged parents to view education as a long-term investment, noting that many successful children would eventually repay their parents’ sacrifices by caring for them in old age.
“We must invest in our children.
“I am teaching you how to fish. I cannot simply give you the fish. So learn how to fish.”
About 4,000 parents and students attended the event.
Also present were SMK Sibu Jaya principal Tan Kok Aun and Datuk Christopher Adrian, who also delivered a talk on parenting skills.
