I 'meet up' with my 14-year-old niece Min quite often - via MSN IM. Though she lives like a 3-min drive from my home, it's tough catching up in person. So sad but in today's context, relationship is built through the click of a button! Well, at least there's the click...
Min, like all children in Singapore, studies too hard. Everytime I ask what she's up to, it's study and study and study. She's self motivated, bright and very hardworking. Engages in a little golf, surfs the web and plays the piano at grade 7 (who else doesn't play the piano in Singapore?). A good student, definitely a role-model child. She does not give her parents any trouble at all, at least from my perspective. No great surprises from Min. We will be shocked to hear of any...her life is so safe, so predictable. Ask her why she is often with her nose in her books till late in the night and she goes, "cannot blame me. Ask the government why they put so much pressure into the educational system lah. I must work in order to score then can find the job that pays well!So no time to play!"So occupied at 14 - working! Totally no nonsense and so clear minded about what she wants and needs to be in order to be seen successful - a doctor! So this year, she needs to be streamed into pure science else it's not going to make her happy :( It has been a long long time since I saw her letting her hair down. This September holiday, she came by my home and became a 'naughty' child - she played water bomb in the garden and was soaking wet, messed up the kitchen with new receipes, turned my walkway into water slides and pillow fought with her cousins. She still tried to steal time for study but eventually gave up! She is a child after all just carrying a little 'burden'.
Another of my nephew turns 3 in a few months time. He stays about 8-min drive from my home. Visits me every Sunday and every alternate Wednesday. He spends his time playing and most time up to mischief. Very spontaneous child and constantly getting into 'trouble' with his new found 'adventures'. With Zeph, it's surprises most time as he acquires new skills through new discoveries often resulting from his 'misconduct'. We adults, learn new findings from this little bundle of joy always! Now as I watch him, I cannot but wonder when the playfulness and spontaneity will succumb to the harsh reality in life. *sigh*... got to go, my son needs help in his studies...
