Book Review: Solon’s Family Book
This book focuses on moral education at home. While school education generally focuses on academic subjects such as mathematics and physics, the author says that moral education at home is also important to provide to children. The knowledge and skills provided by school can be misused with malicious intention. With good intentions, the education can be utilized to help people. Pharmacy, for example, is intended to treat illness yet may be used to hurt individuals with malicious intention. We can see that moral education is crucial to making good decisions in life.
Purpose of Education
According to the author, the goal of education is to bring out God’s child, who is bright, gentle, strong, merciful, kind, filial, serious, and honorable. This “bring out” implies that humans were originally God’s children, as God created humans. The goal of moral education is to help individuals return to being God’s children. Moral education is essential for this goal.
Home Education – Teaching via Traditional Events and Storytelling
The author presents a home moral education technique that brings together teachings from traditional Japanese events and storytelling. In other words, home education involves practicing traditional events, telling stories, and discussing the teachings associated with them. Faith, politeness, and peace with other ethnic groups and cultures represent some of the lessons provided by each event or storytelling.
For example, traditional Japanese New Year ceremonies develop respect for, and faith, in the gods. The old tale of the water that became sake suggests the importance of filial devotion.
The author highlights the significance of traditional events and cultures from other nations, not simply Japan. Traditional events in each nation present unique teachings that influence the country’s culture and identity.
Summary
Moral education enables people to make wise and right judgments when they need to make decisions in life. The book includes learning the ways of moral education at home and learning of the teachings in old tales and traditional events with illustrations, making for an enjoyable read and helping individuals to understand it more easily.