I don't have much experience being a JD PIC. I wasn't very active in hom-visits and I don't really understand the children's psychology. The following is my first home-visit. (Indian Sister as JD PIC, Ling Ling as the JD.)

Indian Sister: How are you lately?

Ling Ling: Great! But UPSR is getting near, and I'd have to work harder.

Indian Sister: You must give your best effort! I will chant for your victory! I know you can do it!

Ling Ling: Hehe, I hope so.

(Ling Ling came from a single-parent family. I could only say things in an indirect way as I don't really know her background.)

Indian Sister: About the things that happened in your family, will it affect your studies?

Ling Ling: Well, a little I guess. But I think I can get over it. But sometimes I just wonder why and how could they be so bad.

Indian Sister: Who?

Ling Ling: My parents! Let me tell you something, my father left us when I was in standard 3. At first I thought that he would come back, but it's been years and I don't think he's coming back. I know that he doesn't want me anymore, he doesn't like me. Mommy's always working. She doesn't have the time to take care of me. I always starving when I'm home alone!

Indian Sister: Well then what does she do after she got home?

Ling Ling: Mommy's bad! She doesn't even have the time to talk to me! She knows nothing about me! I hate them!

Indian Sister: Please calm down Ling. Did your grandmother tell you anything about your father?

Ling Ling: Yes, grandma told me when I was born, mommy's having another family. So I guess I do have a brother. But even grandma doesn't know why mommy's having an affair. Then I stopped asking. What am I? I think I'm just a lonely kid from a single-parent family, just like the story in a drama. I'm really sad! It's good that I moved here and live with grandma so I don't feel worse. Grandma's a good person...

Indian Sister: Since you know that grandma's treating you good, then you'd have to cherish her. What you have to do now, is to study well. Just don't think much on those things about the adults.

Ling Ling: Sister, you're so dumb. I'm not a fool, and I won't let those adults affect my studies.

Indian Sister: Well then it's good that you focus on your studies. Actually, what kind of childhood do you look forward to?

Ling Ling: About this, I would like to have a childhood that is a total opposite with the one I'm having now! I hope that my parents could love me, cherish me, take care of me, and don't leave me. This is my little dream! And of course I won't leave my kids alone when I grew up. I want to be a good person!

Indian Sister: Right! Just don't give up ok? There's a lot of children like you, and some may be even worse. Even thought your parents are not with you, but you have a great grandma. Just don't think too much if you don't wish to repeat their mistakes.


Postscript:
After the visit, a piece of my childhood emerged in my mind. After having a dialogue with Ling Ling, I realize that I'm having a happy life. I started to feel guilty as I kept on complaining when I was a kid. My parents couldn't satisfy my expectations as the economic wasn't so well. This is just a tiny little thing compared to what Ling Ling is facing. At least I have a happy and joyful family. Other than my caring parents, I still have my brother and sister. This made me think of what President Ikeda said, "We don't look for 'mere happiness', but we're looking for the 'absolute happiness'".

If the family affairs isn't handled well, it could have cause negative effect on the children, and the children would even start to hate their own parents. Hence, we must be very careful while encountered problems like this. We should implement the positive thinking to the children even though we don't have experience on such problems. We could start from the affection of the family.

President Ikeda said: "Only those who be filial to their parents could be great and victorious person!" We're only practicing Buddhism correctly when we know how to be grateful. Children who came from an "imperfect" family should also be grateful to their parents. Hatred couldn't solve any problem, and it couldn't bring our parents back to us.

If we don't get ourselves relieved, we'd always get the bad feeling every time we think about our parents. That isn't a really good life isn't it? It could even affect our trust on marriage when we grew up. Thus, I'd have to continue encouraging Ling Ling and enlighten her with the Buddhism.I hope that she could open up her heart, and be grateful, then she would cherish the things in her life. Since then, I've determined to be a good daughter, not to keep on complaining and ask too much from people. If I, myself don't even carry the positive thinking into action, how am I going to show it to the other people?

I'm happy to have given my first step, and I'm glad to still have the chance to be grateful to my parents. No matter what happens, I'm going to stay and protect them. President Ikeda said: "I'm a professor of 'filial', all of you must also be the professor of 'filial'!" President Ikeda has always been praying that we could be grateful to our parents!


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Indian Sister.

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