try to help the Shoots grow by pulling them upward/spoil things by excessive enthusiasm

　　拔苗助长

　　There once was an impatient farmer who lived during the Song Dynasty.(sòng cháo，960-1279 AD).

　　春秋时代，宋国有个急性子的农夫。

　　Everyday the anxious farmer would measure the growth of the crops.

　　庄稼长出禾苗以后，他每天都去观看。

　　To his dismay， his crops were growing much slower than he expected.

　　令他沮丧的是，禾苗长得太慢。

　　The farmer racked his brains trying to find better ways of planting in order to get quickerresults.

　　农夫绞尽脑汁想让禾苗长快些。

　　One day he finally came up with a solution.

　　一天他终于想出方法。

　　He started to physically pull the crops out of the ground， thus making them taller.

　　他跑到田里，把禾苗一颗颗往上拔，使它们长高。

　　The farmer worked very hard and at day’s end was physically exhausted but mentally happy as his plan had produced the desired results.

　　农夫虽然很累但他很高兴看到禾苗长高。

　　When the farmer went home， he told his son of his “brilliant” method.

　　当农夫回家时，把这个好办法告诉了他儿子。

　　His son went to the field only to discover that all of his crops were all dead.

　　他的儿子赶忙跑到田里去看，禾苗全都枯萎了。

　　【成语活用】

　　To educate the young generation in such a way is just like helping the shoots grow by pulling them upward.

　　用这种方法教育下一代无异于拔苗助长。