Yesterday on my way home, I saw this family of 4 on the bus. Their family unit is made up exactly the way mine was. Ang-kong filled dad, not so ang-kong filled mom (haha kk my mom is not angkong-filled k!) , an elder son and a little sister. So, the dad and son came to sit beside me, while the mom and daughter sat on the normal 2 persons’ seat.

Haha, the little boy was real cute so I couldn’t help staring at him. He was quite active at first, making a lot of noise and stuff. Then, he waved to his lil sister, said HELLOOOO! and tried to move towards her. But, it was pretty dangerous for him to move across as the bus is moving and he’s soo small. Like 4 years old? So the dad stopped him. The young boy persisted, and his dad just stopped him by tiak-ing his ear. Commanded him to just sit down and not go where he wanted to go. The lil boy sulked and went to sit properly. I was quite surprised that he didn’t cry because the tiak was quite loud, and it seemed super painful. And the mom tried to pacify him by giving him some crackers. But, throughout, no communication was being made. Like why the boy couldn’t go and find his sister and play together. Why he is being tiak-ed.…..

This, is super similar to what I’ve went through when I was younger. Whenever I wanted to do something, my mom would hit me and tell me not to do it. But I never really knew why. Was my intention wrong to begin with? Or was my action wrong? Or it’s right, but it’s just too dangerous? I guess, this is where parenting fails sometimes, when you just want to get your child’s actions right, instead of getting his mindset right. Communicating to him why certain things are out of bounds, and why we don’t allow him to do whatever he wants. Hmmm…. I always wonder what kinda parent I would be……

So, the boy just sat down and ate his crackers. But all this while, he never once took his eyes off the place he wanted to be. I think it’s quite sad when your child don’t tell you what they want, or they are fearful of telling you what they want? It’s like, you are supposed to be the one for them, yet if they fear you, something is not quite right, right? Hmmmm… I think I had this fear when I was younger too. because whatever I said, my mom would just shoot me down and tell me it’s not right, or it cannot be done blah blah. I really saw myself in that boy. And I think I know why he didn’t cry. It’s not because it didn’t hurt. It’s because he’s pretty used to it already? And I think, although he’s super young, pride already grew in him? Like, I shall not cry this time although he tiak-ed me. Because I don’t think I did anything wrong. And even if I cry he’s not gonna hug me and tell me it’s okay and stuff….

Haha, of course, this is just but my assumption. :/ Because a few minutes after the rejection and stuff, I think the lil boy knocked his head against something, then he began wailing. Like I didn’t even hear what happened to him then he can cry until like somebody chopped off his fingers. I don’t think he really didn’t want to cry when his dad tiak-ed him. Ohwells….

And the whole family was communicating quite loudly on the bus, haha, abit like mine. But nobody dared to stop them or shhh them. I think tattoos can really instill fear in people. I believe if it’s some foreigners talking that loudly, everybody would start killer-staring him/her. Stereotypes, oh stereotypes.

When will it stop having a hold on us?

And I wonder how the little girl would grow up to become. I hope God would bless her like He did for me. Or maybe even more. So that she wouldn’t grow up like what the world deemed her to be, but what she can really be in God’s plans. Give her a good brain, and most importantly, give her a good heart.

P.S the dad was quite nice cuz he smiled at me when I looked at their family. And it was a super sincere smile. haha..