上梁不正下梁歪

My family is in the school transportation business and having being in this business for 20 years, cos I started helping out since 10++ years old! Haha! Not exaggerating, last time I used to help out in registration and sometimes double up as bus attendant in my secondary school uniform.

I am glad I have a job of my own and need not do this business, else easily puke blood and high blood pressure. I am part time helping out by answering phone call of English speaking parents and stuff. Lately I m dealing with this parents who I think it will be a dis credit if I do not give her an award of most unreasonable person and super complain queen.

Anyone in the service industry will agree with me that the last thing u want to hear is " I m going to complain about u!" but this line is becoming 家常便饭 over the years. I dun understand, as one become more educated, does one also lose our common sense and our sense of reasonable?

Let me do a comparison of parents from 15 years ago and now. Back then parents are less educated, but they understand why the big bus cannot u-turn on a 2 lane and thus they have to walk a bit or cross the road. Now parents are educated and they throw $ at you literally to ask u make a u-turn so that they kid who has legs need not walk. They would say things like "I pay u a bit more!" or " I dun understand why my car can u-turn and ur bus cannot!" In my mind, I m scolding u an asshole, ur car how long and my bus how long!

Back then parents understand that by clustering (which mean having to walk a bit) would cut down traveling time so that the last one can reach home early. Now? They dun really care as long as their precious kid dun need to walk and they r not the last to return home.

Recently I even have parents who insisted on a pick up point despite I already told him not possible. The reason he gave is cos his wife is with an infant and he wants the daughter to alight at a place where the wife can sit down and wait or in shelter! Uncle! How about u bao taxi lar... And when I pick up his call at the 3rd missed call within 5 minute he say I m not responding and what if he has urgent matter. I shoot him back immediately. Uncle I also need to bath shit rite! I can't be carrying my phone 24 by 7!

Oh I haven cover the most unreasonable auntie. Just finish a phone call with her that spark me to write this... Her daughter of 12 years old has extra classes after school and she insisted we send her back in the evening with the lower primary on every Friday, which we are no obligated because her daughter is in the morning session which mean the regular time is morning and returning trip in the afternoon. When I explained that my evening bus is full she rebuts why I can't squeeze the kids. I told her if the kid from Monday to Thursday has a seat to their own and Friday have to squeeze, I would sure receive complain from the afternoon session. She reasoned that the parents from the lower primary should be understanding. I replied her "Auntie, if now your girl is in the lower primary I am sure u would not be understanding as well."

Then she raised an old issue where she said her girl is being made to sit on the staircase. I told her, when your kid of 12 years old wants to have fun and fool around there is no way we can stop her. We cannot scold nor say a word else u will complain to school say we scold her, u as parents should help us by telling your girl that she should just sit down on the proper chair and stop playing in the bus.

Through these years of helping with the family business there is definitely a reason why the business shrink and no interest to expand cos olden days uncle like my uneducated father would not be able to manage these modern unreasonable parents. Last time is 讲道理，now is 讲zhua Li ($) pay master the biggest no need reason.

There was once we even have to make a police report... quite "kuang zhang"... The whole incident started whereby the kid did not pay the bus fare for a couple of months, despite constant reminder (verbally). The father of the child would call and say we should not ask remind the kid to tell her parents to make the payment, cause will cause her to throw face. The hype of the case was when one fine day the father of the child step up the bus and refuse to get down despite the driver is rushing for them to send the kids to school. He started scolding the driver like why he has to chase for payment and calling the driver "ah long". Then when the driver ask him to get out of the bus, he is angry and called up the school to complain.

The matter blow big and idiot man expect the driver to apologies for asking him to get out of the bus. Of course, my father who is the driver refuse to apologies and was fuming hot for being labelled as "ah long". The best thing about education and Google. Immediately you can find out about your rights,... I goggled and found out that I should make a police report, take the report and when necessary, that can be use as a basis to sue the idiot uncle.

So, in order to protect our rights, we made a police report that the idiot man "人生攻击" and as a "creative" modern super complain Singaporean who like to draw a big picture, I told the police, "Ah Long" is illegal in Singapore, and we did not do any illegal stuff, they owe us payment, we chase for it is through legal means. We even draw the picture that the uncle(idiot man) come up to my bus so fierce and "WHAT IF" he beat me? 

Why I bold "what if"? cos I learn this through my years of experience dealing with parents. They like to use "what if" this and that... even when things haven happen, they would say "what if" and we should not take "for granted".... All these.... valuable words that I used to shoot parents back... There was one case whereby the kids almost fall down because she wasnt holding to the bar when alighting... She din fall down, she ALMOST... the next thing, the father called, and say we should make the kid stand up only when the bus come to a complete stop (uncle your girl is a normal kid who like to rush for alighting, fighting with the friends). Then he made this line which I always remember. (we should not take safety for granted).... which I have used this line to shoot back ample of cases... hahahhaha

I have tons of stories like this... I guess the main reason for unreasonable children these days often lies with the unreasonable parents. As a parents myself I understand we have the kids best interest at heart but let's not do it till we lost our basic moral and sense of reasoning.

If a 2 years old already know how to tell lies and to bully a nice teacher in school I dun see why a primary school student would not tell lies and bully teachers or the service provider like school bus uncle/auntie. Yes, why I say a 2 years old, because I can tell when Charlotte tell a lie (in order to get to eat something or go out and play) and when she choose to bully a nice teacher in the process of toilet training.

Random

Quite random stuffs that pops up... perhaps just being back to work after cny...

Spend the morning cleaning my document and file it properly...weird that I only do the "spring cleaning" in office after CNY. Hahhah... perhaps before that was too busy clearing stuff, and now back to office but still in the CNY mood. This year is a bit quite as compared to the past. Cos I am in a new team where not much "tradition" is followed nor created. Nonetheless, will have "loh hei" and gathering with my ex team mate tomorrow.

CNY happen early this year and everything is like fast forward. Given that this is the dragon year, unavoidably will have to answer qn like are u going for a dragon baby. Even the govt is hoping to have baby boom this year! But all I can comment is, you are not the one facing the problem, its easy for you to comment.

No doubt kids are precious and the joy is also beyond description. But it come with a price as well. The first few years are the toughest if you ask me. Now with a toddler, I do feel life is easier as compare to taking care of an infant. And best of all, I have come to a conclusion that I really cannot tan han maid. I think no one can tell me they really have a super good maid, if they do, its either they simply bo chap or they are trying to maintain a good image.

I think the problem of taking care of the young one will never get resolved. Given that there are many options like infant care, maid, nanny, grandparents (which is out for me), I still cannot figure out the best solution. Having 1 toddler in CC which means we have to be on standby to take urgent leave if she fall sick, I dun think I can manage with 2 kids who require me to be on standby. Nanny is really unless u are super lucky to get a good one. But cant promise that the nanny to follow strictly to your method. Having the experience of a maid to take care of an infant, I would still think maid is better than infant care. But the problems that you have to face as a package from the maid, I really really dun like the idea at all. Talking about maid, CNY season when you see a maid, naturally you will give "ang bao"... but this year, I see many incident that change my mind about giving "ang bao" to the maid. First it at a cousin in law place where he immediately took the "ang bao" from the maid to check the amount inside... I dun think its very nice to behave like "its a damm serious thing", next its at my grandmother house which my auntie complain that my mother gave the ang bao to the maid and she dun know how much. She ask me to check with my mum.

As much as I also wish to treat maid like a normal human, but as an ex employer of maid, I totally understand the kind of trauma and stressed an employer feel. My friend just told me about sacking her maid soon... hahahha Trust me, the minute she board the plane and go... its an unspeakable relief on your stress. Cos one hand u want to be Mrs Nice, on the other hand U feel like slapping her... everyday you are living in split personality. My ex maid still sms me from time to time. Does it mean I am a super good employer that she couldn't get go... but sorry, Mdm is every stressed when you are here with me, though I must also credit her as sometimes she really is an asset. But Mdm really cannot manage the stress that comes with this asset.

The good thing of having a maid at home with kids, you can always run errand without lagging your screaming kids and constant looking at home to ensure their meal time is well taken care of. Sometimes I read on FB on some posting of how "wei da" a mother is....... forgo long session of saloon for ponytail. Short bath session instead of enjoying your bath. I have to add on, forgo long "cake making" session for quick one, forgo frequent drinking and hanging out session with your friends to be back home to spend time with the young ones.

Its all part of parcel of parenthood. I guess one have to be really really ready to forgo some comfort and convenience in life to take care of the next generation. And this applies to both party.... the term parents is there for a reason.

Was at a work plan seminar last Friday, where a panel discussion consists of the board members (mostly bosses of big organization), their parting words is what would u advise the officer; one of it make me think hard. He said, work is work, the value lies in what you are doing, hopefully is for the better of the future generations.

The black auntie scold u unhygenic

We were at Northpoint yesterday to meet my friend for lunch. And this cranky Charlotte refuse to nap and there goes my shopping plan. Spotted a damn bargain pearl shoe for her, $10 only! But she simply refuse to go near the shop and start screaming the minute we went near. She keep saying she wants mickey mouse, Dora..... ...

After repeat asking she just went irritated and very cranky... Guess she was tired too....finally settle down at toast box and we ordered our coffee and sit down. Decide to change her diaper (she on pull up and she wore a dress) in less than 3 min we are done and Nick brought the soiled diaper out to throw.

Just as I was chatting with my friend, an mid age Indian lady came to our front and start to scold me. She says " u should change her in the toilet, it's very unhygienic!" I just smile and say OK but she refuse to let go... She continued " people are eating here u know" then I just ignored. She later on went to the counter and complain to the cashier.

The cashier did not do anything... We just continue our coffee... Using this experience I told Charlotte u must go to the toilet when u want to pee ( she is on toilet train at home) I say to her, the black black auntie come and scold u unhygienic, u know what is unhygienic? It's dirty! She says u pee outside is dirty (there are still time she din tell us she want to pee and just pee). When ask if she rem the black auntie come and scold "her" she rem! Nick says I should ask the Indian lady to scold Charlotte on the spot then the effect is better!

Back at home, when she is not on diaper, I keep reminding her that if she dun go to the toilet to pee the black black auntie will come and scold her!