I love the coments from Conrad and Samuel on my last posting. Yes, I agree its really sad to see how spoilt and unappreciate some young kids can be. And I totally agree that it is their parents who unknowingly screwed them up by giving them what they want and taking their crap.
Recently, a mum came for my preview for my kids training program. She wanted to send her 10 year old son as he was lazy, rude and had no interest at all in success. When she asked him if he wanted to go, he screamed at her and said, ‘If you dare to sign me up, I will kill you!’
The mum looked at me and asked, ‘what can I do? he won’t go?’ I was thinking in my head that if I even dared to talk back to my father, I would be hit so hard that I would not be able to stand up for a week.
I shook my head and said to her, ‘ma’am if you cannot even put your foot down and make him respect you, god help you when he turns 18 years old!’ ‘ “If you continue to let him treat you like that then no program in the world (not even mine) can help him!’
” So what should I do?’ she asked? I said, ‘send him to Sri Lanka/ Somalia/East Timor for 3 months!’ She looked at me as if I was mad. Honestly, I was not. I think that all our lucky SIngpore kids who have been living in their happy little bubble, should go to Somalia (or some other third world country where children are starving) for a 3-month trade mission. when they return, their perspective on life will change.
erm .. what is trade mission ? like .. help those people there by giving them food .. ?
Hahaha lol Adam!
Man your ideas just cracks me up… Send them to Somalia again… Haha…
Also, I still remember in SSMM CD2 you were talking about how you asked the lady to put her head on a 20kg lighter body photo, email to all her friends, throw away all her big-sized clothings and go to the store to get new clothings which are 5 sizes smaller to lose weight!
I know it doesn’t sound logic and funny but hey, it works! That’s what I call stretching yourself above the limits and putting yourself on the line!
Great going Adam!
And I agree about the Somalia thing actually. The worst solution I might say is the BEST solution. I mean the parents themselves have gone through childhood, if there were to be someone who understand the consequences of not bringing a child up properly, then it should be them!
I understand they love their children but I think I’d rather have short term pain than long term ones.
Seeing who you have become Adam, next time my kids are getting the same treatment you got from your Dad when you were a kid. Period.
To everyone’s Success!
SaM
I agreed because kids nowadays are not “taught” manners, etiquettes or appropriate behaviours…
Perhaps you can start a training camp on that …. 🙂
To allow these kids who have been spoilt to see the reality of the world and be grateful that they are living in Singapore and not struggling in some 3rd world country.
I used to pity these kids as it’s their parents who did not take the responsbility of taking their kids in good hands, they leave it to the teachers in school. The parents should start to reflect on themselves too.
I sympathise with that lady…
Her son sure needs some lecturing… on the spot TTP ;-P
But beyond that, I think if I were you I’d challenge that particular lady to see beyond the convention.
What I mean by that is I believe it’s NOT the WORDS (I will kill you) that need to be addressed but rather the EMOTION behind it… ie, what is the EMOTION his son is trying to convey by using ‘death’ as a ‘threat’ TO HIS OWN MOTHER!
If you were to look from this perspective, the limelight is no longer on the son but rather the MOTHER… (and I am really sorry to say that) There must be certain actions that her mother undertook that cause her son to feel such intense EMOTION.
Perhaps in the past, she ignored her son’s feelings and made all of the choices for him and her son LOATHE it… despite all the screamings and cries and endless pleads… her mom still refused to allow him to choose or at least, allow him to voice his opinions… thus, he has to RESORT to using ‘death’ as a ‘threat’ in order to win her attention over and get her to ‘listen’.
ps: maybe i should send myself on a trade mission.
Hmm… yeah i agree with you on that.. Kids nowadays are realy spoilt. Even my cousin shouts at his mum and orders her around like she is her maid.
Proper upbringing is really vital in shaping a child’s beliefs and values, which will ultimately have a huge bearing on a person’s success.
Though I do not believe in physical punishments, but I do see a strong need for parents to instil in their children to display the proper respect and courtesy that everyone deserves to receive.
Regards,
Calvin
1 thing since when is the last time you praise your kid at any great stuff he/she did .. ? that answers your question .
haha! i agree with what you said. as an educator myself, i agree that no program or school can help the child if his primary authorities are not taking any responsibility to discipline him. education starts at home and discipline is caught not taught most of the time. if parents fail to educate their children, someone else will or his eventual circumstances will. sometimes, we have to be unkind to be kind.
my suggestion: spank him.
This remind me of the show “super nanny”, about the nanny who taught this type of children in england. If of any help, I would love to suggest that particular mum to read up that super nanny’s book.
Cheers
Judson
Respect has to be earned, not taken. Yeah, even though that brat is so rude, it only goes to show the mother didn’t earn the respect that she should deserve. On the other, hand, the boy treating her like that is absolutely going overboard because of the fact that she is his mother. I mean, can anybody imagine the pain a mother must go through to carry the child and to raise him thereafter?! In this case, both sides have their own faults, although i would say i would rather be on the mother’s side.
I mother of only son is also having problems with my kids daily. My perspection is as a mum’s responsilibity I try my best to give the best, is this wrong?? Despite, explaining, slow talk it doesn’t help at all. My son now even learn to tell lies becoming more and more lazy like slipping his schoolworks, wake up as late as 1pm on weekends. He has no responsibility as to went to prepare for school, tuition & etc. Rude and Selfishness & Pretending is what he is doing now. I really don’t know what to do with him now. I very fear to go back home after work everyday cos I do not know how to get close to him. I think ” I REALLY HATE HIM “
may be i should send myself on a trade mission