THE family is the life blood of a society on which the foundation of the nation is built.
It is commendable that some 300 family-oriented activities, programmes and promotions have been organised by the National Family Council during the National Family Celebrations month from May 24 to June 28, to promote the idea that a family that plays together stays together.
To ensure that family members spend quality time together, the zoo, the bird park, and the science centre should provide special rebates for family tickets throughout the year.
Cinemas and restaurants should also consider designating a weekday as family day so that families need only pay a special price to watch a movie or eat and spend time together.
The public and private sectors should also be encouraged to organise more family-related activities and programmes that family members of their employees can take part in.
The well-being of the family is crucial to the state of our society.
Strong and stable families with commonly shared values, such as love, care and concern, mutual respect, filial responsibility, as well as commitment and communication, do contribute to social cohesion and harmony.
It is the responsibility of parents to nurture and inculcate positive values in their children. They should also help them grow up to be responsible and productive citizens.
According to Confucian teachings, family harmony is the result of good upbringing, which will consequently lead to political order and world peace.
I quote a Chinese proverb to illustrate this point:
'If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person.'
'If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house.'
'If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation.'
'If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.'
