Moral values of our children - are we ready for any possibilities?

This morning I came across an interesting article in NSTP by Chok Suat Long, New Sunday Times editor called 'Miley, a role model no more for young'. No, I am neither a Hannah Montana nor Miley's fan that had me glued to the article. As I went through the writing, I could not help but recalled the hu-ha on Miley's previous performance in 2013 VMA on Facebook. There were even clips from the performance but no, I never watched them. I only did this morning on Youtube and God knows how much I feared for the parents who's daughters idolised Miley or Hannah Montana or just into pop cultures. The performance featured Miley clad in nude colour latex bra and hot pants, and dancing in a provocative way (suddenly I feel so elderly when I had to use the word 'provocative'). If I'm not mistaken, it was kinda something to do with 'twerking' (google, please. I'm trying to keep my blog U-rated). I guess Miley is shedding her good girl image following the steps after Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears and now Selena Gomez is looking at the same direction. How come I know all these? Well, I am a parent as well. I may not have a daughter yet, but all these do catch my attention as well. But that's not all. 

I do have concerns with the teens programs or shows from the west. I don't have to point out the assortment of fashions that they promote but its the values that they bring to the table. Thumbs up to the good values of sticking up to friends and family or become straight A students. How do you think with the attitudes of talk back screaming to parents, sarcasm to the elders and parents, bullying other people (mean girls. ring a bell?) to name a few. Let me quote some from the article.

"Indeed, there is a whole new generation of youngsters who think nothing of talking down to adults or taking a condescending tone with their elders. They are just emulating their role model"

"It is not just lacking in the music world. The cartoon universe these days is also filled with dark, brooding anti-heroes; characters who bleed when injured-kids who sneer at adult authority. The children portrayed in cartoons have adult issues, and often talk and dress like them"

"which is why it does not come as a surprise, too that many children now have no qualms dropping f-bomb and any other words that would even make the most foul-mouthed rapper blush"

Could anyone relate to these?

I only have an 18 months old son and now he is just into toy cars, picture books and nursery rhymes. No, I am not exhaling my relief just yet. You see, my son knows how to operate the Ipad and Youtube all by himself. He may not know how to read but he sure knows by tapping on the screen, videos will pop out. I'll be damned if one of the video that he tapped popped out Miley-VMA kinda videos and messed his brain out. First of all, he's a boy and his brain is like sponge taking absolutely anything without any filter. I will most certainly faint if he suddenly burst out 'twerking' moves when his nursery rhymes songs play. 

Hang on, before you all come out pouncing like a hungry lioness saying Ipad is no good, will make him addicted, will make him go crazy etc, we are both working parents who are still figuring out on how to compartmentalise our energy as the day leave us with one red blinking bar in our energy cell hence the Ipad  is to keep our boy quiet and sit by us. However, we made it up by enrolling him in a daily playschool so he could be 'normal'. Hey, we are trying our best, ok?.

We were all teenager once and we used to have issues with our parents. We adore our friends and dissed our parents and God knows how much our parents have put up with us. They understand adolescents, enough said. The difference is that our parents did not have the  luxury of abundant information access except through our friends or being a stalker themselves compared to our time now with all these social networking lots. We may ought to watch over our children and their whereabouts. Although my son is only a toddler now, I have some degree of nervousness and anticipation when he reach his teens in the next 11 years! paranoid? which mother doesn't?

Haziq at 17 months old and future plans

Today is quite a historic day for us. Haziq has started his first day of school. Well not quite a school really, its more of a play school. For the past few months, I have noticed his development in wanting to make friends and play but did not know how. As well as did not know how to react when being hit or pushed around by other children in his age or older. At the same time, he has shown interest in books mostly with alphabets and picture. We got a bit excited and been spoiling him with some new books and alhamdulilah his interests keeps growing from time to time. Hence, we as parents took the cue and decided to enroll him in this play school that we believe (more of hope, really) could nurture him better. 

Before I came across this school, I did some research and site visits for information and testimonials on many others but didn't have that 'confident' feeling, since I am sending my only child (for now) to a total stranger to whom I shall give my up most trust to care and nurture. After some scrutiny, walk-around, and 'interrogations', then I got that 'confidence' that I was looking for in this school. Perhaps its too early to commend but if you ask a mother's gut feeling, I would say I have pretty good vibes with this one. Haziq is attending his 2 days trial to assess his acceptance and preliminary ability to adapt to changes before we go ahead and commit. When we do, we will disclose the school's name. 

To be honest, my hubby and I were quite nervous for Haziq on his reaction in a room full of strangers and dread to think whether will he throw tantrums or clinging on to me like a possessive cheeky monkey at all time or what not. I even have prepared to stay in for half a day if case if things get out of hand. When we arrived there, I just can't imagine how silly and paranoid we have been. Yes at first, he was being a bit clingy but that was just only for the next 5 minutes. His teacher skilfully 'bribed' him with a box full of toys and a girl (slightly older than him) to entice him to come and play. I gotta say, my son is pretty cheap in that area. Toys and girls, a perfect combo for a toddler boy, huh? He just let go of me and I saw him willingly whisked away to the play area. At that point a thought came across my mind. Yup, I'm pretty much invisible now and I'd better make myself useful elsewhere. Surely I wouldn't want him to come back and scorned 'Mummy, go home. It's not cool to have you here stalking me in front of the girls' (in his own toddler gibberish). Wipe that smirk off your face. I'm telling you he could do that and he did actually. He actually scolded me for stopping him from playing with pebbles with the total package of frowned eyebrows, clenched teeth and really really small eyes to complete. Ok, the scorned thing was a bit OTT but hey, I can't help it if I have big imaginations. Oh yes, I think he will be able to adapt well there given plenty of friends and a cute teacher. His teacher is called teacher Farah and she seems like a sweet person. Haziq likes sweet soft people, but he didn't have much choice when it comes to his mom though. Tough luck son, someone gotta teach you how to have and keep your balls!!

Now my son is at school, I am now in a library. What am I doing there? well, after I'm done with this post I will get on with my research proposal for PhD. I have only started with some journals and believe its a long way to go. I hope with this arrangement, I could be more focus with my studies and keep my family in balance, In Sha Alllah. I believe as long as our intentions are true, Allah will certainly approve and guide us the right way. 

Since the new semester in UniKL will start next month, I have the luxury of time for my research and writing. At the same time I am hunting for other part time lecturing jobs at some nearby local universities and luck is still yet to come. Its ok, Allah knows best.