During this semester break of my study time, I am busy with my work. I have to re-scheduled my students due to my tight schedules next semester and also do the training for my assistants. But I want to talk deeper than just my busy days. I am very interested in the involvement of parents in what-so-called their child achievement.
Children nowadays are being pushed to the edge of their limits. Schools, homework, projects, tuition and studying. No more play or free time after school. It happens down here in Indonesia, and I believe in other Asian countries too. The load of curriculum and the demands of parents are taking almost all of their times as children. I can see the tired faces of my students who come down to my place in the afternoon. My tuition place is responsible to help them finish their homework and preparing for the upcoming test/exams. Each child will study for 2 hours and then go home. I never know what they will do after that…
One young mother is driving me insane. She keeps on asking and pushing me to put her boy on the top of everything that I prepared in the class. She wants the first available schedule, first available teacher and she wants them all without a care of others (me, the teachers and the boy himself). She insists to send her boy earlier than others and stays until everything is done. I just feel bad for the boy…. He has been with me for the past 3 years, since he was in Primary 1. He was in the bottom low on his class (20/21 students). Just 3 months before he did his final exams, her mom sent him to me. I worked so hard to make him pass the test. He did! He was on the 19/21 students. Then, he raised his position into 16/21 students from Primary 2 up until now.
Well, I know that parents have the biggest portion of taking care of their children. But most of the time, they translate ‘taking care’ as send their children to many tuition places or clubs at one time. You can hear them say, ‘Oh, my daughter is number one in her singing club’ or ‘Look! My boy is holding his trophy as the fastest swimmer in this club’ and so on. Parents are happy with those achievements, and that is very understandable. But, do they ever think about the children? Are they happy? Do they know what it means to be number 1? Do they know the meaning of being in the spotlight?
As parents, we need to know about the limitation of our children. They are just children, who want to play out with their friends, who want to wake up after nap without a thought of going to tuition place. They really need a break, not just during holidays, but during their daily life too…
Let’s hope for the better life of our children!
My Writing Paper 