Sometimes we are too busy to notice what we are doing and we tend to complicate things.
This is what I mean.
It’s very common that almost every household in Malaysia (maybe Singapore too) has a maid.
Here’s how a typical family operates.
Since the maid is already hired, besides doing tons of house chores, taking care of children is part of the maid’s job scope too.
From taking shower to ironing school uniforms.
From being playmate to feeding the kids.
In short, the kids are well taken care of and they live nothing short of like a king.
The kids need not have to chip in and help at all for the household as the maid has done everything for them.
Now the kids have grown up…
As in one case, one kid is doubly lucky because their mother is very caring and she wants the child to have the best education.
After an intense search, the mother finally settled at a private homeschool.
Needless to say, since it’s a private institution, the mom has to pay through the nose.
But why? And what will the child learn that can’t be found in public school?
I wanted to find out too.
One of the things the child learns is independence – as I was told.
The child learns to take care of himself.
Here’s one example:
During recess, the students get their own food (no spoon feeding so to speak). Find a seat and finish their food. Bring the utensils to the basin and wash them.
Sounds good. I’ve no problem with that.
But wait a minute!
Doesn’t this contradict with what happens at home? Where everything is done for the kid?
What’s happening here?
On one hand, everything is done by the maid.
On the other, the caring mom pays the school (quite a handsome amount of money I must say) to teach the child to “unlearn” what he has learned at home and “learn” something that is not taught at home (but can be taught at home) – that encourages independence.
Quite an irony, isn’t it?
Of course, to be fair, independence is only one of the noble values taught at the private school. There’s more to it.
But from this example, this seems like you are touching your right ear with left hand from the back of the head – while you can do so easily with right hand.
Why bother taking the long and winding path?
And why pay extra (both maid and school) when you can do it yourself?
I love simplicity.
Things should be kept to bare essentials and they are easy to manage.
We should not complicate things further.
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