Wednesday, November 12, 2008

sunshine...

The sun shone bright and hot today. for the first time ever, I actually felt the heat...and almost, almost wished there was a fan in this apartment. but then night came and it's cold again.
***
As i was running, getting my skin burnt (i used sunscreen, don't worry) i saw 2 little boys no taller that my waist. They must be about 6 years old. They were talking to each other rather animatedly. With their eyes big and round, and their hands gesturing all over the place. Then all of a sudden, one of them bent over and started rolling down the grassy slope, in a literally head over heels manner, to his home. My heart almost lurched up my throat. I thought he fell and broke his neck. But then the other kid followed suit, and they erupted in laughter. It was the cutest sight ever. Then they scrambled back up and did it again.

Kids here are so independent. I've seen little 3 feet tall children walking home all by themselves. Nobody walks them home from school. They just know how to. They can wait by the lights for the Green Man to appear, then cross the pedestrian. I think if a kid of Chinese parents stepped so much as 5 steps away from mum and dad, they'll be rudely dragged back in by their parents and given a firm warning to never do it again.

heh. i think we're so spoilt sometimes, do u?

4 comments:

valeriechuan said...

YEs i do feel spoilt!...

慧沁 Wai Sum said...

halo, came to here through some runner's blog...I think it is the environment in malaysia that cause the parents to be so "gan cheong" about their precious little one.Not sure how's the road condition in Auckland so I can't comment. In Malaysia, I used to walk home alone after my ballet classes when I was in primary school (that was about 23 years ago!! haha), I played badminton by roadside...I missed those days and I definitely want my kids to enjoy such a life if possible but I dare not do so now because there are too many snatch thieves and cars on the road nowadays, kidnapping happened all around, I can not afford to take the risk unless I am very sure that the environment is safe for them.

galnexdor said...

hmm definitely so true...i think id be scared to leave my children wandering if it were back at home also. but here quite alright la. Maybe not 5,6,7 yr olds la...but about 8 yrs onwards should be quite ok. =)

Unknown said...

It's the same here in Edmonton.They walk to school and take the bus all by themselves (smetimes with mum/dad/sis/bro).