Parents getting more & more kiasu?
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?
|
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! :)
HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH!! Wei..I aso went to Mimaland! saw the dinos and sliced my toe in the horrible tiled swimming pool!
but..U’re right la. Parents are freakin’ kiasu la. Lucky for my kids, this lazy mum knows one can get by with a street smart attitude..and good enough (pass also can la), results.
Coz u might be brainy..but if you aren’t street smart..u don’t know jack shit!
Comment by mott — 2 July 2007 @ 10:40 am
I heard Mimaland is still in existence. RM2 for adult, RM1 for kids. Dunno true or not.
I agree with you 100%. Street smart is important. I’ve work with too many sales/marketing grads with their prestigious degrees but dunno how to entertain or build relationships with customers.
Comment by adrian — 2 July 2007 @ 2:43 pm
Thanks for dropping by my blog! :-)
Yes, all too many times I’ve heard ladies (mostly ladies) pushing their kids. Of course it’s hard to tell them it’s no good without getting ‘it’s non-of your business’ in the face.lol
Teaching your kids to think is different from merely good grades. Like Kiyosaki said, good grades and paper merely meant your kids will end up working for people the rest of your life.
Glad you’re such a great dad. :-)
I’m actually a very, very bad dad. Will need to write a post on all the horrible things I’ve done. :P
Comment by helen — 3 July 2007 @ 3:00 pm
You just reminded me of Mimaland…gawd..it seems ages ago.
Sometimes I am not sure to blame the school or the parents when we see such a exam obsessed society. If only we as parents dare to stand out to be different, i am sure we can break the vicious cycle of tuition, exam, As. There is really more to life than As. I just pray that I would not pressure by sons too much in future.
In some cases, the kid is affected when they see their friends doing well. Because of that, they put pressure on themselves.
Comment by Empty babbles — 5 July 2007 @ 9:30 am
Now you know.. Kids also got stress now.. Parents always compare their children with others. This will make the kids feel stress. They get good results because of their parents not for themselves…
Reply : Why? U feeling stress ah? Parents giving u stress? ahahaha.
Comment by keeyit — 21 August 2007 @ 3:43 pm
get a copy of TELL magazine, january 2008 issue. an interesting story and pics of what Mimaland is now - sad.
Reply : Ok, will do. Thanks for the tip.
Comment by sir moose — 28 December 2007 @ 4:08 pm
well, kids who grows up in different era has huge different experiences…during my time, my mum pressured me a little oni…
but nowadays, getting 100% for all subjects?!! siao meh!
Reply : U think it’s siao? Wait until u have kids and they start school. U will see a lot of parents have the same expectations.
Comment by Nux — 18 January 2008 @ 4:27 pm