Role of parents to bring up children well

I WAS saddened and livid as well when I read Vizla Kumaresan’s account of her horrible experience, “Talk about sexual harassment” (The Star, Dec 6).

That horrible man was not brought up properly by his parents to respect women. I tend to blame parents more as they are their children’s first teachers and role models.

I attended a charity dinner last Sunday and saw one of the worst forms of sexual harassment there – and the perpetrator was a boy between four and five years of age who looked very innocent and sweet.

He was at a table near ours and was sitting with a Filipino maid beside him. His mother sat next to the maid. First, he went around the table collecting everybody’s table gifts and stacked them up in front of him. The adults didn’t do anything to stop him. Next, he noticed that the gifts on the next table, which was a VIP table, were different and he took one of his to exchange. He got what he wanted.

Then a woman wearing a flared skirt walked past his table, and he flicked up the hem! The maid tried to discipline him but he grabbed her and bit her breast. He also repeatedly pulled up the maid’s blouse.

When I finally could not stand his behaviour anymore, I reprimanded him and told him to behave!

His mother stood up, said something to him and walked away, leaving him with the maid. She later joined another table.

What kind of upbringing was that?

While telling a friend this and talking with her about the inconsiderate behaviour of young children nowadays, she also had a horror story of her own to tell.

It was about a woman and her young daughter who wanted to take pictures with the Christmas decorations in a mall. They both messed up and damaged some of the festive ornaments in their bid to get the pose they wanted. The mother did not care at all about the damage they had caused and this attitude was conveyed to the daughter.

When I was a teacher in a school that was notorious for bad behaviour among its students, I would stop my lesson when some cheeky boys whistled at girls walking past the class. I would ask them whether they had sisters and if they did, I would ask how they would feel if their sisters were whistled at.

Let us all be aware of our roles as parents to bring up our children well. Do not be afraid to discipline them when necessary and, most importantly, do not leave that responsibility solely to others, whether they are teachers or caregivers. I am sure we want the best for our children.

FOO SIEW PING Klang