1963年初的一天深夜，焦裕禄还在灯下看文件，这时大儿子焦国庆看戏回来。焦裕禄问他谁给买的票？国庆解释，检票的叔叔知道他是焦书记的儿子就放他进去了。焦裕禄眉头一皱严肃地问道：“国庆，你看戏不买票对吗？”国庆说：“我是小孩，没人在意。”焦裕禄说：“年龄小就知道占公家的小便宜，长大了就会贪大便宜，这是很危险的！演员唱戏，是一种很辛苦的劳动，看白戏是一种剥削行为！”。焦裕禄从自己兜中掏出了两角钱，交给了国庆，语重心长的教导说：“不要以为爸爸是书记，就要搞特殊。明天把钱送给检票的叔叔，向他承认错误。”

Late one night in early 1963, Jiao Yulu was still reading documents by lamplight when Jiao Guoqing, his eldest son, came back from the theater. Jiao Yulu asked Guoqing who bought the ticket for him. Guoqing explained that the ticket collector let him in without the ticket for knowing he was the son of Secretary Jiao. Jiao Yulu frowned and asked him seriously, “Guoqing, is it right for you to watch operas without paying?” “I am a child. I think nobody cares about that.” Guoqing answered. Jiao Yulu then said, “If you know how to take small advantages of the group in your young age, you will be greedy for big advantages when you grow up. This is very dangerous! Since actors who sing operas are doing hard work, it is a kind of exploitation for the audience to watch operas without paying!” Jiao Yulu took out twenty cents from his pocket, handed it to Guoqing, and said to him with gentle gravity, “Do not seek for personal privileges just because your father is a county Party Secretary. Tomorrow you must give the fee to the ticket collector and make an apology to him.”