Shen Nian'an nodded vigorously, "Okay! Thank you, Mom!" He picked up his chopsticks and ate heartily, his face full of anticipation. Shen Tingzhou watched this scene and said to Lin Wanqiu, "After we get home, I'll go to the commune middle school and ask Teacher Li if the school has a math interest group, or if we can ask Teacher Li to recommend a tutor. Nian'an loves math so much, we must support him."
In the afternoon, they went to the department store in the city center as planned. The department store was bustling with people and had a wide variety of goods. The food section on the first floor was filled with various snacks and pastries, the clothing section on the second floor was full of colorful clothes, and the home appliance section on the third floor displayed televisions, washing machines, electric fans and other home appliances. Every floor was crowded with shoppers.
Shen Nian'an was particularly interested in the televisions in the appliance section. He stood in front of a black and white TV, his eyes glued to the cartoons playing on the screen. "Mom, I wish we had a TV at home. That way I could watch cartoons, news, and educational programs," he said. Lin Wanqiu smiled and said, "Once our food stall business is more stable, Dad will buy us a TV, okay? But for now, we can buy some school supplies, like the math dictionary and notebook you wanted before."
They shopped in the department store for a long time. Shen Tingzhou bought Lin Wanqiu a Shanghai brand watch—Lin Wanqiu was busy at the food shop every day and needed to keep track of time accurately, so a watch would be more convenient. Lin Wanqiu bought Shen Nian'an a new schoolbag and a set of drawing tools, as well as several natural science books recommended in the space, such as "The Insect World" and "Encyclopedia of Plants." Shen Nian'an also specially picked out a cute doll for her unborn sister (Lin Wanqiu had recently found out she was pregnant), saying that he would give it to her after her sister was born.
As evening fell, they boarded the long-distance bus back to the commune, carrying bags full of purchases. As the bus slowly drove out of the city, Shen Nian'an leaned against the window, watching the skyscrapers recede into the distance, and whispered to Lin Wanqiu, "Mom, I had so much fun in the city this time. I not only did lots of fun things, but I also learned a lot. When we get home, I'm going to study the science and math books you bought me carefully, eat well, exercise regularly, and grow up to be as capable as Dad, protecting Mom and my sister."
Hearing her child's words, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She gently held Shen Nian'an's hand and said, "Nian'an is already very capable. Not only are you good at studying, but you are also so sensible. Mom believes that as long as you maintain your interest in learning and remain kind and brave, you will definitely become an outstanding person in the future. Mom and Dad will be proud of you."
The car traveled along the country dirt road. Outside the window, golden waves of wheat rippled in the wind, and wisps of smoke rose from the distant villages. Lin Wanqiu leaned back in her seat, watching the sleeping Shen Nian'an beside her and the focused Shen Tingzhou driving, her heart filled with happiness and anticipation. She knew that with the modern parenting knowledge unlocked by the jade pendant space, she could not only better educate Nian'an but also prepare for her unborn daughter—she needed to learn more parenting skills to create a loving and wise environment for both children, allowing them to grow up healthy and happy in this hopeful era and have a bright future of their own.
Upon returning home, Lin Wanqiu immediately began putting the parenting knowledge she had learned from the space into practice. She devised a scientific study and schedule plan for Shen Nian'an, including half an hour of morning reading, an hour of math study in the afternoon, and half an hour of parent-child reading time in the evening, reading science books or comic books together. When the child encountered difficulties and became frustrated, she no longer simply offered comfort, but instead followed the methods from the space, first empathizing with the child's emotions, then helping the child break down the problem and guiding the child to think independently.
Shen Tingzhou also actively cooperated with Lin Wanqiu's educational plan, setting aside time each evening to conduct small science experiments with Shen Nian'an. These included experiments on oxygen combustion using candles and beakers, observing insect wings with a magnifying glass, and taking the child to the fields to observe crop growth, cultivating the child's natural observation skills. With the couple's joint efforts, Shen Nian'an's academic performance steadily improved, and her personality became more cheerful and confident. She no longer easily became agitated when faced with problems, but instead learned to think calmly and proactively seek help.
One evening, while browsing "A Guide to Pregnancy Care and Early Childhood Education" online, Lin Wanqiu suddenly realized that her soon-to-be-born daughter's kindergarten years were something she needed to prepare for in advance. She remembered reading that cultivating a child's social skills and self-care abilities beforehand could help them adapt better to kindergarten life. So, she consciously started involving Shen Nian'an in household chores, such as organizing her own schoolbag and helping set the table. She also frequently took her to visit neighbors, letting her play with other children and developing her social skills. She knew that these preparations would not only lay a foundation for her daughter's future kindergarten years but also make Nian'an more independent and responsible, preparing her to be a good older brother.
As time went by, Lin Wanqiu became increasingly adept at applying modern parenting knowledge, and Shen Nian'an's growth became more and more delightful. Watching her child happily learning and playing every day, Lin Wanqiu was filled with gratitude—gratitude for the valuable knowledge unlocked by the jade pendant space, allowing her to better fulfill her responsibilities as a mother; gratitude for Shen Tingzhou's support and companionship, making her no longer alone on the path of raising her children. She knew that the road ahead was long, and many parenting challenges would remain, but she was confident that with modern parenting knowledge and the love of her family, she could ensure her two children grew up healthy and happy, filling their little family with even more happiness and warmth.
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