Dear people of Estonia !
Today at midnight, on the borderline of two years we deserve another moment of recollection, just for ourselves. Recalling more significant deeds and events of the year let us weigh them with eternal values. And planning future, let us have courage to strive for better and look farther ahead in order to open up new horizons.
This is what we have momentum for and hopefully also intent. A recent opinion poll has revealed that the vast majority of the population of Estonia was satisfied with the year 2005. It remains to wish that this satisfaction would encompass several years and all people.
However, start-off acceleration and strong will are not enough to aspire to high goals. Also wisdom and good encouraging co-travellers are necessary. But, first and foremost, family care and love as well as support of each others’ aspirations and creativity.
This is how children will get a feeling of security and spiritual strength for today and tomorrow, not through affluence. Without this they would not have sympathy, a desire to develop and create, to love their future spouse and children. We can say that we are creating our children’s future each and every moment, with each and every word and deed.
Many years ago my father told me : “My son, don’t ever fight on a village street, men won’t !” I took his words word for word. It was years later that I realised that my father had not meant boys’ wrangling. Life has confirmed his lesson: soft fire makes sweet malt.
A recent study in Estonian schools has demonstrated that students’ evaluations are guided primarily by positive values. The young rank friends, family and friends the highest.
Unfortunately, for the majority of respondents patriotic values are insignificant ? patriotism, national culture, respect for ancestors and traditions. This is an indication of a trend in the societal values, not only in the young people’s values.
For children fatherland is primarily associated with familiar people and things, like home and native country’s nature. Children understand and love their fatherland probably in terms of home, its spirituality and mum’s and dad’s interpretations. Thus, tremendous responsibility lies with parents but also schools should be more effectively involved in patriotic upbringing.
The study does not cover as respondents pupils who do not attend school. However, there are thousands of such children in the basic school age group alone. Many dropouts remain without education. This is highly tragic not only for these young people but for the entire society.
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