Remember the phrase i blogged about? "Man and Woman Must Sign Contract"? Well, today i introduced it to my sec 1 class so they too would rem. I asked them what contract i was referring to, and you know what they said? Divorce...

Talked to many students and that is the sad fact about society and the new generation these days. I came from a relatively good school, where these things were rare and seldom talked about, if any. So now that i'm a teacher in a neighbourhood school, the differences are rather stark. I have students whose parents are not only divorced, but have also individually married other people. I have students who long to see their siblings but can't because his/her brother or sister lives with the other parent, who refuses any sort of contact between siblings. I have students whose parents are separated because one party is in jail for doing drugs.... So many cases...and the one who is the real victim is always the child.

Every term, there are reports of students dropping out of school or complaints from parents who say they can no longer control their kids and are going to court for that reason. Students are starting bgr as early as in primary school and getting more than just distracted. Feel sorry for the students...but also frustrated when lessons get difficult. Sometimes i think the students really ought to also put themselves in their teachers' shoes. It really isn't easy teaching 40 kids when many are often uncooperative (don't bring work, don't do work, can't stop talking, make crude jokes while teachers talk...) Yet, I also recognise that for some of them, life isn't too great for them either. It's a vicious cycle.

I know the root of it all originated from the Fall. I know also, that things will only get worse everywhere. The bible already tells us so. We just have to try our best to make the best out of the situation, no matter how bad it may be, and to be a good testimony in whatever capacity we have. But THAT is the difficult part...

I'm convinced that a large part of the change in the grain of society has to do with the difference in the way our children are being brought up. Too many children are not getting the attention and 'home-schooling' they need from their parents. Althought we are getting more affluent, the strife to earn more remains. It's the all-too-familiar story again and again. Children are given money and material things as a substitute for the time and attention that parents can no longer give. I am impressed with the parents i know who have been able to see the importance of spending time with their children, to the extent of arranging their jobs AROUND their children, rather than making their jobs the center of their lives. And i'm convicted that it all makes a big difference in the way their kids turn out.

My aunt is a role model to me. She has 3 children and she is a homemaker. She could have continued in her career as an interior designer but she gave it all up when she became a mother. Today, she enjoys a close relationship with all 3 children. Her eldest son is in the army right now. All through puberty, in spite of his quiet nature, he has been and still is close to his mom. He is able to share with her personal thoughts about bgr and ambition. Even now, my aunt knows all about his army life because they are close enough to talk about everything. I know many other mothers who are close to their children because they were willing to give up their jobs or switch to flexi-hours to accomodate their role as a mother. I can see that their children are a pride and joy to them, and rightly so, because i would be too if i were them. It is a worthy investment to make. Kudos to all such mothers...someday i'd like to be able to do that too, if God permits.