"Full many a ray of purest ray serene the dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, and waste its sweetness to the desert air."
from "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Born Losers?

Is parenthood always a losing game? Can you never get it right? The recent debate on Asian parenting vs American parenting has been discussed ad nauseum on social networks and letters to editors of all newspapers and magazines.

The other day, the princess said - I wonder if my kids will blame me all the time. Why, do you blame me? - I asked. Of course - she said, in a matter-of-fact voice, and you blame your parents, I wonder if my kids will blame me. Let's go back to the critical issue here, - I said, you blame me for what? For everything, mom - said the teenager cheerfully, she has just been picked up from school, and now was texting away on her iPhone, her soccer cleats kicked off in the car and putting her feet up, chuckling at some message somebody had sent her. Really, you blame me? - if I just ask her often enough, she may give up and say, geez mom, jk.. But no such luck. She persisted. Yes, I blame you - she said, just like you blame your parents. No I don't - I said. Yes, you do - she said. Well, OK maybe, but they are to be blamed - I said. There you go - she said.

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