Friday, August 1, 2008

Baby's Rat Race

Being a parent in the modern Malaysian society, we might be fighting a losing battle against a trend to view a child's success as a status symbol.

A neighbour might keep asking "How many A's does your son got ah? My daughter get 10 A's y'know" (with nostrils of the size of a chimney).


Feeling inferior, upon hearing this, the other neighbour's kid might lose his lustre if he/she just got an A or two.

I sometimes am afraid of myself being too pushy to my kids. Being the best student in the primary school, I think there is no reason not to get A's for the subjects. I would never want to say "I just want u to enjoy learning. Don't worry about the grades."

Kids don't like to be compared, what more to be discouraged. But the pleasure of their improvement might be discontented.

I remember Abah told me this story.

He once attended the Hari Penyampaian Hadiah at SKTL. While watching the bright kids going up and down the stage, receiving their prizes...he talked to a man.

The man said "I am eager to see which one is this girl named "Is....."
Abah asked "Why?"
"She always beats my son in class that he could never get No.1 bcoz of her."

When it was my turn going up the stage, Abah said "That's my girl."

I could imagine Abah's proudest face then :) I dunno what did the man say after that.

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