You know how young people tend to complain that they're not been given responsibilities or they're not allowed to make choices or they're not taken seriously?
Sometimes I want to tell them to sit down and think first about what you're doing. How have you shown yourself to be responsible? How have you returned the trust and love your parents have given you? How have you proven that you're old and matured enough to be allowed some degree of freedom?
My students complain all the time about not getting what they want. Yet, they have rarely given anything in return. They expect their teachers to be like robots; emotionless and only giving in to their demands. They never think that the teachers might just be hurt or disappointed in what they do too.
And when they ask me why the voting age in Malaysia is not 17 years of age, my only reply is 'You can't even organise yourselves properly. You want to organise the government?' It usually shuts them up.
But really! Think about it. How can you expect anyone to take you seriously when you act flighty or thoughtless?
I used to spend a lot of time outside. There was a time when I was hardly ever home. When I was home, I hid in my room. I emerged either to eat or to go out. So when my parents decided to do something, I got angry a lot because they didn't ask me. To which my reaction is, to stay out more.
See how vicious a cycle that is? How did I expect my parents to ask for my opinions when I was hardly ever around to be asked? They brought me up better than that. After 2 years of doing that, I realised where I had gone wrong. By then I had met Shook and I figured out staying at home was more fun than hanging out all the time. My mother, of course, agree. Even if I do end up hanging out at Shook's house, as far as my mom is concerned, it's still safer than some kaki limak somewhere where anything bad can happen.
Parents...they always presume the worst. I don't need to be a parent to figure that out. I'm responsible for both my sisters. Nobody needs to be a parent to know what it feels like if you have siblings to give you that feeling.
Sometimes I want to tell them to sit down and think first about what you're doing. How have you shown yourself to be responsible? How have you returned the trust and love your parents have given you? How have you proven that you're old and matured enough to be allowed some degree of freedom?
My students complain all the time about not getting what they want. Yet, they have rarely given anything in return. They expect their teachers to be like robots; emotionless and only giving in to their demands. They never think that the teachers might just be hurt or disappointed in what they do too.
And when they ask me why the voting age in Malaysia is not 17 years of age, my only reply is 'You can't even organise yourselves properly. You want to organise the government?' It usually shuts them up.
But really! Think about it. How can you expect anyone to take you seriously when you act flighty or thoughtless?
I used to spend a lot of time outside. There was a time when I was hardly ever home. When I was home, I hid in my room. I emerged either to eat or to go out. So when my parents decided to do something, I got angry a lot because they didn't ask me. To which my reaction is, to stay out more.
See how vicious a cycle that is? How did I expect my parents to ask for my opinions when I was hardly ever around to be asked? They brought me up better than that. After 2 years of doing that, I realised where I had gone wrong. By then I had met Shook and I figured out staying at home was more fun than hanging out all the time. My mother, of course, agree. Even if I do end up hanging out at Shook's house, as far as my mom is concerned, it's still safer than some kaki limak somewhere where anything bad can happen.
Parents...they always presume the worst. I don't need to be a parent to figure that out. I'm responsible for both my sisters. Nobody needs to be a parent to know what it feels like if you have siblings to give you that feeling.
5:56 pm |
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