Elderly people make up the population

(Baonghean) - As the "big tree" in the family, the elderly always have an extremely important position in educating morality, lifestyle, and guiding children to progress and mature, while contributing to propagating and encouraging children to implement population policy well.

Although all her children are girls, Ms. Nguyen Thu Huyen (Quan Bau Ward, Vinh City) still stops at 2 children. She and her husband live with her husband's parents. For many years, the family of 3 generations has always lived together in harmony, warmth and happiness.

Ms. Huyen shared: Her husband's parents are both retired teachers, so they are quite understanding and very understanding; they always share with their daughter-in-law the difficulties and hardships. They often encourage her and her husband: "Every child is precious, the important thing is to take care of and raise them to be good people. Whether boys or girls, when the children are successful, the parents will enjoy blessings...".

The family of Mr. Ngo Duc Cuong, Xuan Canh hamlet, Nghi Xuan, Nghi Loc is warm and happy with two obedient and studious daughters. The grandparents always encouraged him and his wife to stop at two children and raise them well.

In Xuan Canh Catholic hamlet, Nghi Xuan commune (Nghi Loc), Mr. Ngo Duc Ngoc's family is a typical cultural family. Living in a Catholic hamlet, the pressure to have many children is always present, but thanks to the guidance and encouragement of his grandparents, the children in the family always do well in population/family planning work. Currently, his children all have happy families, only stopping at two children, the children are good students, obedient.

Mr. Ngoc said: “I always believe that if a son or daughter has good conditions, they will care for their parents equally. Therefore, I always advise my children that having a son or a daughter is not important, as long as we always ensure the best conditions to raise them well and become useful people for society.”

To promote the role of the elderly in coordinating population propaganda, the Provincial Population/Family Planning Center has deployed the model "Elderly people helping the elderly", deployed in 10 communes of Thanh Chuong, Anh Son and Nghia Dan districts.

For example, in Binh Son commune (Anh Son), the "Elderly people helping the elderly" club has become an active bridge to help grandparents access population policies. And the elderly themselves have become active propagandists to encourage their children and grandchildren to implement population/family planning policies well.

To date, the commune has established 3 clubs attracting 160 seniors from 16 hamlets in the entire commune to participate. Each quarter, the clubs meet once, including content to disseminate information about the ordinance and population policy in the form of poetry, songs, and folk songs.

Through club activities, the elderly not only have the opportunity to interact and exchange knowledge about health care but also participate in healthy cultural activities and sports. This is also an opportunity for the elderly to share experiences in raising children, including views on family planning. Thanks to that, since 2012, most of the children of the club members have not violated the law on having a third child.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Luong, an active member of the club, said: “Through the activities, the propaganda from population officers and the sharing of other members, we understand more about the benefits of having fewer children, thereby gradually changing our views on having many children and grandchildren. I have passed on the knowledge I have learned from club activities to my children and grandchildren, and at the same time advised them to follow suit.”

A communication and health care consultation session for the elderly in Binh Son commune, Anh Son.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hien, population specialist of Binh Son commune, said: “Thanks to the active participation of the local Elderly Association, the elderly have promoted the role of heads of families, exemplary grandparents to propagate and encourage their children and grandchildren, so that in the past 3 years, the birth rate of the commune has gradually decreased. The birth rate of the third child has decreased significantly, from 23% in 2012 to over 7%/year now. It is worth mentioning that there are many hamlets with Thai ethnic people living, such as hamlet 12, which has gone 11 consecutive years without anyone having a third child; 8/16 hamlets have gone over 3 consecutive years without anyone having a third child.”

The model of "Elderly people helping elderly people" will be replicated in the coming time, thanks to which, the elderly will have access to many information channels, awareness of family planning work will be increasingly raised, contributing significantly to educating children and grandchildren to implement population policy well.

Dinh Nguyet