The thing with kids nowadays

I almost exploded with anger last night. My tuition session with my primary six student almost drove me crazy. Her PSLE exams are approaching in another two weeks but she is totally unprepared. Apart from being lazy and restless, she is extremely playful and doesn’t seem to care at all about her studies. I understand kids tend to be mischievous and homework and exams are the last things on their mind. At the very least, studies are still on their mind. For this student of mine, this is not so. Her studies are nowhere near her head.

Ever since she started taking tuition from me, not once has she completed her homework thoroughly. She doesn’t bother to think through the questions or attempt to solve the difficulties that she faced. The standard of her English, I’m sorry to say, is appalling. Let me illustrate with this exercise that she had to complete.

Me : This advertisement is about the different promotions in the restaurant. There are many main courses a diner can choose from, including seafood, beef, mutton, pork and venison.

Student : *blank look*

Me : …..

Me : What animal does beef come from?

Student : *pretended to think very hard* I don’t know. Hee hee.

Me : Beef comes from cow.

Me : Where does mutton come from?

Student : *really thinking very hard* ….. *blank look*

Me : *getting a little exasperated* mutton comes from goat.

Student : *very blank look*

Me : ??? You know what’s a goat?

Student: ya zi? (duck in mandarin)

Me : *what the fug!* NO. It’s “yang” (goat in mandarin). You’re a primary six student! How can you not know what a goat is?!

Student : Hee hee. *Plays with her pen*

I so felt like slapping her in the face.

But I calmed myself down and made up excuses on her behalf. “She came from a pretty traditional, mandarin speaking family. No one helps her with her English since young. Can’t really blame her.”

After I cooled down, I spoke to her nicely and in an attempt to motivate her, I thought I can get her a nice little present if she worked really hard for the coming exams.

Me : Is there something that you want very much but your parents wouldn’t give to you?

Student : *mumbled something*

Me : What?

Student : Handphone lor.

At that point in time, I almost imploded.

What the hell is with kids nowadays? A mobile phone for a twelve year old kid?! You gotta be shitting me!

Me : You are way too young to own a hand phone.

Student : Now primary two students also got hand phone.

Me : *what the …. ?!*

Me : Can you afford to pay for the phone and your bill?

Student : Got phones that are free. Starhub give free phones. Then SMS is very cheap wat. Oni 5 cents.

She doesn’t know what a goat is, but she knows what Starhub is.

Me : And where are you going to get the money to pay for your smses?

Student : Save lor.

Me : Save from your allowances? Who gives you your allowances?

Student : My father.

Me : So you take money from your father every day, and you want to use this money to pay for your phone bill? What have you done for your father or your mother to deserve this?

Student : *shrugs. Plays with her pen*

Thereafter, I spent half an hour after our official tuition session yelling at her, trying to knock sense into her head.

Kids nowadays are way, way too pampered since young. I do not blame parents for doting on their children but spoiling them with material wants only means more trouble resulting from more burnt holes in the pocket.

Already, many from my generation do not understand the value of money. Most of my friends spend a huge chunk of their earnings on branded goods, posh restaurants, expensive hairdos and not to mention over-priced spa getaways. There is nothing wrong with spoiling yourself now and then. But what is the percentage of allowance that you give to your parents compared to the luxurious life you’re leading? Some of my friends cannot even bear to give a tiny portion of their earnings to their parents who gave them what they have now. Their excuse? “Oh, my parents have enough money.” “I don’t have enough for myself as it is!” “But I want to travel every year!”

Of course, I do also have friends (like Barney) who love their parents to bits and are willing to spend less so that their parents can spend more. But sad to say, the number of such friends is diminishing.

From the way I see it, the situation is going to get much worse. Not sure about other races, but the Chinese do not seem to teach their young on our Chinese values anymore. In the Chinese culture, filial piety is ranked the first of all the virtues. How much of this message is being conveyed to the children of the 90s? I do not know. You may ask “why is filial piety important?” When children feel for their parents, they will be in a better position to put themselves in their parents’ shoes and understand the pain and effort parents have to go through to bring them up. Knowing that your parents’ money is hard-earned money, means you will have second thoughts about fulfilling your material wants. Which in turn, will make you understand the value of money.

Anyway, the conversation with my student ended like this:

Me : Do you love your parents?

Student : *shrugs*

Me : You mean you don’t know if you love your father or your mom?

Student : *shrugs*

At this point, she could no longer play with her pen because an exasperated me, had snatched it away from her.

Me : Will you feel sad if your dad or mom leave you?

Student : *shrugs*

I bet she was only thinking about her mobile phone, which sad to say, her mom has promised to get her, once her exams are over.