Ramblings...

Having taught kids for 3yrs since 2007, I've found the quality of kids' manners and sense of respect for elders to be more than disappointing and still deteoriating.

I believe the new generation parents have been very focused on many other things that has no concern to what a kid should be equipped to grow up to be a fine person who not only have good IQ but also EQ.

Without much spare time for family, people usually try to make the time to be of as high quality as possible. Same goes to training where everyone always try to focus on speed work to get the most breathelessness and torture out of a short period of time.
In this case, a quality family time will often equate to keeping the children at a stable state of emotions without any flaring up or crying from the children.
I've observed too many parents shifting their focus from providing the needs to the children to providing Every "Wants" of the children to buy themselves some quiet and "quality" times.

Obviously more often than not that backfires and made the kid a spoilt person who just whine to get his way through whether or not he thing he's doing is right.

It is really sad to see kids telling his mum off when the mum saw him shivering and thus gave him a cup of water that was a little too hot.
And I have kids who don't look at me in the eyes when I as his coach/teacher is talking to him. Some don't even bother to listen during one on one teaching, let alone reply.

Respect should be earned, but when one faces a teacher or a mentor, or even someone who wishes to share knowledge with us, the basic courtesy will be at the very least to listen and see what this generous man has to offer. I believe that courtesy should apply to everyone regardless of status of a president, king, coach or just a Small kid.

Many will argue they r still small and they don't know what they r doing. But ask yourself, if you as the parent don't even try to teach or share the values that are correct, because you felt and assume that he's too young to understand, then how can he have the chance to even just get exposed to the values that all parents should inculcate? Wait til the CIVIC AND MORAL STUDIES IN PRIMARY 1?!

所谓的「家教」，本来就应该是家里的人教的。。要是家里的人不教，那又那里来的家教呢？

Many parents underestimate what a kid as young as 4 yrs old can understand and many simply don't know how to put the teaching into words that can pass as a understandable conversation to the kids. And many of them stopped trying right there.

I'm thankful that I have the opportunties to get exposed to many kids and explore their potential of intelligence in my job as a swim instructor. At least I know how I can and I should find ways to express the values I hope my future children should have.

Cheers
Kk

PS - people sorry for the long nonsensical ramblings.. 4 weeks to tribob sprint biathlon and 6 weeks to Singapore biathlon, 7 weeks to aviva HIM. time to up the intensity!