Parenting #01

Host of the party:"What time you've got to make a move to home?"

Guest:"It has to be before 11p.m. Any later than that and i'm screwed."

Host:"Ah, okays. By the way, will Andrew be able to make it today?"

Guest:"As usual, his parents don't let him come out. Don't have to invite him anymore la.. don't say party, normal simple outing also like end of the world to their parents."

Host:"True.. but I heard that he curi curi climbs out of the house and lie big time to his parents if he were to get caught. Susahlah, his parents."

If this discussion was held back when I was 15 or 16, by all means, I can still comprehend.

Thing is, discussions like these are still occurring around me today.

Would a parent calling you up to find out where their son/daughter went while you're 20 years old seems rather exaggerated to you, or it happens to you all the time?

People say, the key issue about parenting is - Trust.

Once the child breaks it, even while very young, the parents find it hard to buy their words. On a personal aspect, I broke that trust. I lied to go to cyber cafe when I was only 13, but everyone else was going and it was so much fun going there. Ever since I became a Christian, through God's guidance, I managed to heal that crack of trust between me and my parents.

It took me time, but it did earn their trust. To let them know what sort of friends I'm mixing with and the activities that I do. It's far from drinking, smoking or taking drugs. Everything else was least of their concern.

After 17, the word "curfew" don't exist anymore in my vocabulary. But it's until I meet certain friends who bring up that word, I was appalled.

"You've got to be kidding me, curfew?"