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Hallo everyone
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The 'N' Levels are almost over,
save for subjects such as Accounts. The end-of-year exams for secondary
schools are also coming to an end early this week.
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So with secondary schools closing
within this month for the end-year holidays, there are many youngsters pouring
out into the streets and shopping malls beginning this week and lasting till
the end of the year.
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School breaks are a welcome
change. But such breaks bring with them problems. Teenagers need more pocket
money than they would during school days. That means two things - either the
parents dish out the extra cash or the teenagers find part-time work.
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Some teens will be out scouting
for part-time jobs early this week. Others will unwind on the beaches and in
the chalets. As these teens go about their holiday routine, what exactly is
going on in their minds?
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Of those who find part-time work,
some do so to supplement the household income - it's still difficult times for
some families despite the recovering economy. Some work to fund their holiday
activities. Others want the money for a new mobile phone.
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Those who need not work have it
easy. Many of them have parents who can afford to give them ample pocket money
each month. But not all teenagers who do not work are lucky with pocket money.
Some come from poor families whose parents would rather they stay at home than
go out to work. Their parents will not hesitate to work extra hours to bring
home more cash during the holiday season so that their children need not work
part-time. Perhaps, it's because these teenagers, especially the boys, are
precious to these parents.
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It appears that's the way the
Singaporean family has turned out. Save for some families in which teenagers
work to support themselves or their families, the majority of Singaporean
families have this thinking that it is the parents' duty to take care of their
children since they had made the decision to let them be born into the world
in the first place. And the parents should provide everything the teenagers
need till eternity.
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It is a far cry from the 70s and
earlier periods in which teenagers, especially the eldest child in the family,
took their duty in stride and bowed out of school to help their parents
support the family. These youngsters sacrificed their education, and their
future, so that their younger siblings could continue having an education
while they helped their family make ends meet.
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But, that's the 70s, you may say.
It's over and gone, you may think. Times are so much better today, you may
argue. But, let's not kid ourselves. Already, many young people, especially
those in their 20s, continue having the mindset that they work to support
themselves - not their parents or siblings. These young chaps also go about
their work at the office lackadaisically.
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That's the danger Singaporean
families are heading into. Over-indulged children growing into self-centred
adults is the fault of over-protective parents. The irony is that these
parents went this route simply because they didn't want their children to
suffer the way they did when they were young - in the 70s and earlier.
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A likely scenario will be that
parents of today will need depend on their retirement nest-egg to support
themselves, for their children may not support them in their twilight years. A
likely danger may be that these parents may even have to use their retirement
nest-egg to continue indulging their already-adult children.
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Children of today, I say to you
this - let's hope it doesn't turn out thus. Make a change in yourselves, for
the sake of your children and their children.
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Have a good week!
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Your comments will appear in our Letters
to the Editor section.
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Monday with the Editor: Over-indulging our children
