Living and teaching in China for more than nine years have granted me the opportunity to carefully observe the behavior of Chinese youth, including my own students. I've been able to read their moods in different situations, and their attitude to life in general and relationship with their mothers in particular.

Though all Chinese children have filial love, some of them take their mothers for granted. Perhaps mothers, without realizing the negative consequences of their actions, tend to spoil their children.

To change my students' attitude toward their mothers, I have tried through my teaching years in China to emphasize the importance of appreciating their mothers' contributions to their lives. With Mother's Day approaching this year, I devoted a few classes to discuss its significance and the ways to celebrate it. To motivate them further, I held contests that carried symbolic prizes for the most thoughtful mother's gifts designed.

To my surprise, all my students rose to the occasion by giving full play to their creativity and coming up with magnificent handmade gifts.

Mothers cater to their children's needs regardless of their state of mind and health. They bestow on their unconditional love on and are willing to sacrifice their own happiness for the sake of their offspring. The complexity of life in today's society prevents many children from performing their filial duties and a few even ill-treat their mothers.

My mother was wonderful. Among the millions of things she did for me was easing my pain and suffering through my childhood. But I didn't prove a worthy son. She passed away in Egypt in 2002 when I was living in Canada. Unintentionally, though, I deprived her of seeing me one last time before her death. Others ought to learn from my experience to meet their mothers regularly.

On May 12, we all must bow in respect and admiration to our mothers. We must celebrate Mother's Day to assure that children everywhere love their mothers and will forever remain grateful to them. We must offer them our sincerest apologies for taking them for granted and promise not to do so again.

As for me, I shall pay my respects to my deceased mother by offering a prayer for her soul and donating some money in her name to the less fortunate. From the bottom of my heart, I wish mothers everywhere a happy Mother's Day.

Thabet Hassan, via e-mail

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(China Daily 05/08/2013 page9)