The unconventional parenting approach of a 'table tennis family' in Nghe An province.
The sporting story of Mr. Nguyen Thac Vinh (born in 1978) and Ms. Bui Thi Tu Anh (born in 1983) is very special and admirable. This small family is considered a formidable "team" with an enviable track record.
Searching for a shared journey
From a young age, Nguyen Thac Vinh had a special love for sports, especially table tennis. Back then, his family was poor, so he and his friends in the neighborhood would lift down wooden doors, set up nets, and enthusiastically hit the ball. His love for the sport was nurtured and grew on that homemade table.
Driven by that passion, in the 9th grade, Thac Vinh boldly registered to participate in the Phu Dong Sports Festival at the city level and unexpectedly won a prize. From then on, Vinh's parents began to support their son's passion and allowed him to balance studying, playing, and participating in competitions within his capabilities.
"Even if we don't follow the same path"sport"I'm professional, but my abilities and achievements are also quite good. That's why, after starting work, I'm often invited back by agencies and organizations to promote sports. In 2006, after getting married, I decided to settle down in Vinh to have a stable life and participate in sports activities in my hometown," Vinh shared.
Unlike her husband, Bui Thi Tu Anh, Vinh's wife, only enjoys arts and culture and has never played sports. Originally an accountant, after giving birth, Tu Anh decided to take on work from home to have more time to care for her child.
Like most mothers, her primary concern during the process of raising her children was their health and education. She dedicated a lot of time to cooking delicious and nutritious meals for them, carefully selecting schools and classes, and finding excellent teachers. These are also the differences in parenting views between Vinh and Tu Anh. Vinh wanted to take his children to sports more often, to sweat it out together on the training field, while Tu Anh wanted her children to attend specialized schools and classes, and to focus on academic subjects.
Recalling that period, Ms. Tu Anh shared: “The disagreements between our two viewpoints grew larger with each of our children's school years, making it impossible for my husband and I to find common ground. It wasn't until I realized that both I and my children were exhausted from constantly trying to meet everyone's standards and expectations that I decided to change. After Nguyen Thac Duy (born in 2006) – my eldest son – finished his entrance exam to secondary school, I agreed with my husband to let him train our son in table tennis. For me, it was a wise decision. For my family, it was a turning point.”
With their innate talent, their father's guidance, and the unwavering support of their mother, Nguyen Thac Duy and his younger sister Nguyen Tuong Vy (born in 2009) quickly became rising stars in the table tennis scene in Nghe An province. For many years, the siblings have achieved numerous successes in various table tennis competitions at the city, provincial, and national levels.
"Because I didn't play sports, I felt like an outsider in the 'common forums' and competitions that the three of us went through. After many frustrating moments of waiting alone for the three of us to compete and train, in 2019, I decided to join the 'club'."ping pong"That decision once again opens up a new journey for this sports family," Ms. Tu Anh humorously shared.
Playing sports helps you grow.
Sports not only bring health but also build character and life experience, helping people mature and improve themselves. All four members of Vinh and Tú Anh's family understand this value very well.
For someone like Ms. Tu Anh, who had never played any sports before, starting to play table tennis at the age of 37 was incredibly difficult. Recalling that time, Mr. Vinh smiled: “Because I had trained with many people before, I understood the efforts my wife put in when she decided to conquer this sport. Although the three of us—father and two children—supported and encouraged her, Tu Anh wanted to give up many times because it was too difficult and the skill gap with her husband and children was too big. What was admirable was that after each discouragement, Tu Anh would pick up her racket again and continue practicing, showing up at the club every day, rain or shine. Finally, after only two years of persistently pursuing table tennis, all four of us participated in the national family sports competition and won a prize.”
Playing sports teaches children how to face difficulties, high demands from teachers, strong opponents, and how to accept setbacks. When Duy was younger, he was very competitive, easily upset, and would burst into tears whenever he lost. Initially, we encouraged and advised him a lot. But later, my wife and I agreed to let the children reflect on those disappointments, dwell on them, and learn from their experiences.
Indeed, time and experience have helped my children learn to focus on themselves, control their emotions, and remain calm and composed in the face of adversity. At this point, I am confident that both of them can confidently confront many challenges in life – this will be invaluable preparation for them in the world. That's also why I always tell people to let their children play at least one sport.
Ms. Bui Thi Tu Anh (Le Mao Ward, Vinh City).
One thing that's very noticeable in Vinh's family is the strong bond between all its members. This bond is built on a healthy sporting spirit, challenged by sporting difficulties, and strengthened by a love of sports. This bond is strong enough to help parents and children navigate the challenging teenage years smoothly, strong enough for the whole family to travel to Hanoi to support Duy for over a month during his summer training at the Advanced Athlete Training Center, and understanding enough to share the joys and sorrows of sports and life…
To date, the "table tennis family" of Mr. Nguyen Thac Vinh and Ms. Bui Thi Tu Anh has won hundreds of medals and dozens of championship trophies at table tennis tournaments at all levels. Throughout their family's sporting journey, Mr. Vinh and Ms. Tu Anh often encourage each other with the motto "when the children are successful, everything else is still important." This is because they prioritize dedicating all their accumulated time and money to their children, taking them to many provinces and cities for competitions, investing in their training, and spending time talking to, understanding, and respecting their children's aspirations. This unconditional love is the fertile ground for nurturing the seeds of success.every child.
