Last Friday I went to my daughter’s school to collect her report card.  She finished 19th in her class of 37 students and 60th overall among 200+ year one students.  She took 5 subjects and scored 4 As & 1 B in English,

4 As and 1 B. Not Good Enough?

which is quite surprising considering she talks in English right out of her mother’s womb.  Anyway, I thought she did pretty good, better than her last exam which she managed to score 3 As & 2 Bs.  So at least got improvements right?

However.  When my wife came back from work in the evening, she gave my daughter a lecture!  "How come other kids can get 5As, you cannot?", "Why your friend, xxxxxx, can finish in the top 10, you cannot?", "I don’t want anything below 10.  I want you to be in the top 10!", "From now on, no more TV. Only study!".

WALAU EH!  My daughter is only seven years old lar.  Few years from now, it wouldn’t matter. 

And it’s not just my wife.  While I was at the school, waiting for my turn, I heard some other mothers chatting.  One ask the other, "How did your son do?". "5 As. He scored 100 in 4 subjects but only 98 in English.  I’m so disappointed".  She then went on and on about how careless her son was.  WTF!  5 As also complain ar!

Later that night, another mother called up my wife to ask how my daughter did.  My wife told her and she replied "Consider ok lor. Your daughter never attend tuition classes mah. My son got no. 8 only you know. I send him to so many tuition classes also get no. 8 only. I expected him to do better wan". Again WTF!!  7 years old already so much pressure meh! 

What is happening to parents nowadays?  Are we getting more and more kiasu or what?  If you’re a parent, and if you’re also kiasu, please stop to remember that they need to enjoy their childhood as well.  Try to remember how it was when you were young.

When I was just a kid, I only managed 1 or 2 As in my exams.  I was bright, just not motivated ok!  To reward my efforts, my parents sold off their properties so that they could afford to send me on a 2 weeks holiday in Spain as reward. Yes, 2 weeks holiday in Espana!  Really….. Serious lar….. 2As only…..

They never kutuk me because my friends did better than me.  They were so proud that my mom even told our neighbours while I was standing beside her.  Kaw-kaw embarrassing ok!

Mom: "AH MEI AH! AH MEI!" (Yo ELIZABETH! Yo ELIZABETH!)
Mei: "Meh si? meh si?" (Wassup? Wassup?)

Mom: "Ngor chai, ah Wai Kit, how si loh thow leong kor Ace ar!" (My boy, Adrian, exam got 2 As!)
Mei: "Waaaaaah! Kung pan nai aaar?" (So clever? That’s off the hook!)

Mom: "Pan nai leh?" (Clever rite?)
Mei: "Yaw leng chai, yaw pan nai. Han sei kai fong ah"  (Handsome and clever also. Everyone also want one leh)

Something like that lar.

ps: Ok, I didn’t go to Spain but I went to Mimaland for a day.  Hey, at that time Mimaland was a big deal ok!  :)