An Ancient Guide to Raising Children

Modern-day overworked office worker Shen Qing dies suddenly from working overtime, then opens her eyes as Shen Siniang, the daughter of a county adjutant in the Great Song.

Her husband leaves everything to others, and her five children are little terrors. The eldest starts fights, the second is a slippery schemer, and the third skips school. They've raised their only daughter, A-Nan, into a quiet, self-sacrificing "brother-pleaser": she saves the best food for her brothers, rushes to do all the dirty and tiring chores, and lives like an unpaid nanny.

The original owner was worn down until she looked like an old woman, her last tear spent beneath the oil lamp. Shen Qing is determined to change things. She starts with a parenting handbook, sets rules, and makes rewards and punishments clear.

Shen Qing slams the table: "Whoever wants this lousy job can do it!"

She puts a performance review chart in the kitchen: "Housework KPIs. Whoever meets the target gets meat!"

The eldest son fights all over the neighborhood? Send him to a martial arts school to train as a future constable!

The second son cheats and swindles? Drag him straight to an academy and turn him into a study machine!

The third son can't stop skipping school? Arrange for a strict tutor to teach him!

The fourth daughter is timid and weak? She'll personally help her grow bold and spirited.

The fifth son is a foodie? Send him to cooking classes so he can become a chef!

As the children transform, the county adjutant discovers that his usually timid wife...

Shen Qing's parenting quotes:

"Children won't necessarily support you in old age. A parenting handbook and a guide to avoiding pitfalls will! Especially when it comes to protecting yourself from ungrateful brats who've been raised all wrong!"

"A-Nan, remember: your worth isn't in sacrificing yourself for your brothers. It's in living for yourself!"

"They say the palm and the back of the hand are both flesh. But you still have to tell healthy flesh from rotten flesh that needs cutting away!"

Just read this for fun! Here are some things to keep in mind beforehand. If you like it, please keep reading. If you don't, try something else. I'm a new writer, so there will definitely be lots of flaws. The logic may not be perfectly airtight, but I can only keep improving little by little!

1. This isn't a female-led power fantasy. The heroine will become somewhat well-off later, but she won't build a business empire.

2. The heroine comes from modern times, but she will adapt to the society of the period. She won't try to change people with modern ideas, but she won't tolerate it when her own interests are at stake (her boundaries are firm, and she'll fight back).

3. The male lead is chauvinistic, and some characters hold outdated views. That doesn't mean the author shares those views.

4. The heroine will gradually become part of the family, develop affection for the children, and then fall in love with the male lead.

5. The novel has a slow pace and may be a little boring. If you can keep reading, just bear with it.

6. If you have ideas for good scenes, leave them in the comments. I'll write the ones I like.

Theme: People should love themselves most.