Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, the Straits Times published a letter by modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge. A mother wrote to the national spread sheet, saying the year-end school holiday is “too long”. She said her children are too restless and she had to plan activities to occupy their time. She also mentioned how her children will forget the mother tongue with a lack of practice, recommending making March and Sep holidays two weeks instead. A few thoughts to my mind: 1. Selfishness Just because you cannot handle your children, you want everyone else to have a shorter holiday too. 2. Language Why isn’t there a complaint about English? Surely, it hasn’t been taught for six weeks too? If you are concerned, then get your children to read and write Chinese for the six weeks! Why is there a need to deprive children of holidays because of this? It is insufficient to just rely on lessons to improve your language anyway. You MUST use it daily. 3. Cut your holiday I don’t think your children can handle having you at home in one stretch too. You will get restless and think of appalling ideas. I need to suggest to your boss to only allow you to take two-three days break at any ONE time. 4. This is why Singapore cannot be creative Every time someone meets an obstacle, he/she thinks about having a rule/law imposed to resolve the issue. There isn’t any effort to try to go around the problem. Also, the year-end school holiday is one that the children look forward to the most. After a long year of studying, one can finally take a break. Isn’t it right that we need a break to rejuvenate ourselves? Isn’t it right that we need a break to stop and think about the important matters in life? Isn’t it right that we need a break so we can spend quality time with our family? To this concerned parent, the children have earned the right to be a tad restless this Dec holiday. Have some Christmas spirit and let them enjoy themselves before working hard again next year. If you put your mind to it, I am sure you can think of ways to bond with your family without making everyone else suffer with you with a shorter break. Merry X’mas! Ktksbye. #thurswithwei Photo credit: Jim Carrey’s 2009 A Christmas Carol movie poster

Posted on by Wallace


Yesterday, on Christmas Eve, the Straits Times published a letter by modern-day Ebenezer Scrooge. A mother wrote to the national spread sheet, saying the year-end school holiday is “too long”.

She said her children are too restless and she had to plan activities to occupy their time. She also mentioned how her children will forget the mother tongue with a lack of practice, recommending making March and Sep holidays two weeks instead.

A few thoughts to my mind:
1. Selfishness
Just because you cannot handle your children, you want everyone else to have a shorter holiday too.

2. Language
Why isn’t there a complaint about English? Surely, it hasn’t been taught for six weeks too? If you are concerned, then get your children to read and write Chinese for the six weeks!

Why is there a need to deprive children of holidays because of this? It is insufficient to just rely on lessons to improve your language anyway. You MUST use it daily.

3. Cut your holiday
I don’t think your children can handle having you at home in one stretch too. You will get restless and think of appalling ideas. I need to suggest to your boss to only allow you to take two-three days break at any ONE time.

4. This is why Singapore cannot be creative
Every time someone meets an obstacle, he/she thinks about having a rule/law imposed to resolve the issue. There isn’t any effort to try to go around the problem.

Also, the year-end school holiday is one that the children look forward to the most. After a long year of studying, one can finally take a break.

Isn’t it right that we need a break to rejuvenate ourselves?

Isn’t it right that we need a break to stop and think about the important matters in life?

Isn’t it right that we need a break so we can spend quality time with our family?

To this concerned parent, the children have earned the right to be a tad restless this Dec holiday.

Have some Christmas spirit and let them enjoy themselves before working hard again next year.

If you put your mind to it, I am sure you can think of ways to bond with your family without making everyone else suffer with you with a shorter break.

Merry X’mas!

Ktksbye.

#thurswithwei

Photo credit: Jim Carrey’s 2009 A Christmas Carol movie poster from Study Room https://ift.tt/2Mtpxkl