How true.
It seems that, while there are couples who love children and who reproduce to complete their family, or to take their love to a higher level, there are also many others who have kids simply because they see it as a part and parcel of life, without fully realising how heavy the responsibility is.
In Singapore, it may be astonishing to the average Singaporean, who lives comfortably, that there are many many real-life cases in which parents cause their own children's downfall. One has no idea the pain and suffering that these children go through at such a tender age, when they need the most emotional support as they undergo adolescence.
No matter how naughty, rebellious or lazy a child may seem to be, there is always a root cause of his behaviour. And often, the root cause is the parents.
In my view, no one should have the right to have children unless he/she knows what being a parent entails. It's a LIFE we are talking about. If we decide to give life, we should have what it takes to be able to sustain that life to the fullest, be it in terms of financial, mental or emotional needs.
Some parents obviously do not fulfill the above unspoken criteria, but just give birth to one child after another, thinking that all they need to do is to keep them alive. In the end, the children suffer, and when they grow up, they continue the habits of their parents, and hence the next generation suffers too.
It's a vicious cycle, but one that seems to be getting out of hand in the Singapore context.
I was just discussing with a colleague today how all couples who decide to have children should be made to attend a parenting course which imparts to them the skills and knowledge required to be good parents. It is just so sad to hear of the lives of kids being ruined forever simply because their parents do not know how to cater to their needs.
I don't claim that I would one day be a perfect parent. But at least, I know I will try to be as good a parent as I can be.
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