My Super Mum!

With my Super Mum!

Most parents are the first superheros in their children's lives.

My Mum is no exception.

When I was very young, the most superhero stuff she does was to catch cockroaches for us.

Especially those flying ones!

To battle a cockroach, it takes a hero/heroine to do it.

What's more, she does it with no weapon but bare hands.

Not even tissue paper!

Of cos, I admire her for more than just a cockroach eliminator.

My Dad works as an aluminium foreman, earning a $1,600 per month salary.

He is the sole breadwinner.

However, Mum being the finance controller actually can do so many things with that $1,400 (after giving Dad a $200 pocket money each month)!

We even get to eat Mac every Friday night!

To most kids nowadays, Mac is like an everyday meal.

Back then, many years ago, to us, it was a luxury!

Only when you have been there and done that would you understand how it feels.

Mum has her own set of upbringing and guidance for her kids.

It somehow differs a little between my sisters and me.

Probably because I was the oldest and she needs someone as a guinea pig.

I can never forget how she makes me finish reading the Chinese textbook 1A & 1B (if I didn't remember wrongly that's how they differentiate 2 semesters) and memorize time table 1 to 10 before I even started Primary One!

It was in Dec 1989.

Okay, I've just disclose my age to those who didn't know how old I am.

You can imagine how boring it was for me to attend Primary One during Chinese and Mathematics lessons.

I already know it all!

It's good and bad that she was not English educated.

Good was at least I have English lessons to keep me awake and the bad thing was my Primary One form teacher is an Indian and I didn't know how to tell her I needed the loo on my 1st day of school and yah, you imagine the rest of the story.

Since young, Mum never interfere with the choices we made in life.

The only thing she would tell us is, "When you make your own decision and choice in life, you bear the responsibility on your own."

To some, she might seem like a boh chup (don't care less) Mum but I would say I've definitely learnt a lot through this upbringing.

Yes, we may fall due to the wrong decision and choice made.

However, don't you agree sometimes we need to experience pain to learn a valuable lesson?

Though Mum says we have to be responsible for ourselves, she will still be there with each step we take.

When we injured ourselves too badly and find it hard to stand on our feet again, she will lend us a hand.

Mum has been supportive in almost all the events I took part in.

I appreciate recognition, love competition and is a little kind.

Thus, I took part in countless competitions and events.

Mum was there always to support me.

Subaru Challenge, Gold Kili Kopi Kia Competition, Sudoku Challenge, Scoot Challenge, Hair for Hope, Blood Donor's Day, etc.

Being the eldest has its pros, I have known this fact since young that Dad and Mum are always more bias towards me.

Mum never fails to deny this fact.

(She likes to be seen as fair to all her children, let's just allow her to continue thinking that way.)

Today, I would like to take this chance and thank her for all that she has done for us all these years.

I apologize for not making it to the top and being able to earn enough such that she can retire in peace.

Sorry that I've not work hard enough for my own happiness and letting her see I lead a happy life with a wife and a few small ones running around the house.

Hope that day would not be too far away...

Last but not least, as an Asian shy boy, I'm not as open as my sisters who can speak out those words easily into her face or give her those good night kisses I'm used to giving when I was young; I want to let her know, "Mummy, I love you!"

很多父母亲都是自己子女人生中的第一个英雄或女中豪杰。
对我来说，我的妈妈也不列外。
当我还是小孩的时候，妈妈常做的一件伟大的事就是抓蟑螂，尤其是会飞的那种！
要赤手空拳与蟑螂战斗，唯有英雄才能做到。

当然，除了仰慕那消灭蟑螂专家，我更欣赏她的理财能力。
身为技工头手的父亲当时是家里唯一的经济支柱。
月薪只有$1,600, 但是母亲却能在给了父亲每月$200的零用钱后，利用剩余的钱做很多事。
其中一件事就是每个星期五带我们去吃麦当劳！
对现在的小孩来说，可能天天都能吃到麦当劳。
但是， 对当时的我们而言，吃麦当劳是一件多么奢侈的事。
唯有经历过的人才能了解那种感觉。

妈妈有她独有的一套管教方式，但也在妹妹与我之间也有些许不同。
也许，她把我当成白老鼠来实验吧。
我这一生都不会忘记妈妈在1989年12月时逼我把一年级的中文课本的上下册都读完，并把生字都学尽，还有那一到十的乘数表也都背得苦瓜烂熟。

你可否想象接下来的那一年，华文与数学课对我来说有多无聊？
我已经什么都会了啊！
庆幸的是母亲对英文一窍不通，这也有个劣势。
好是好在我至少有英文课能向往，但是，惨就惨在我小一的级任老师是印度人。
上学的第一天，我不知道如何告知老师我要上厕所的欲望，后果就由你们自己去想象了。。。

从小，妈妈从不干涉我们的任何人身抉择。
她唯一说的是，“当你们做了决定与选择后，就要自己背起所有责任。”
对一些人来说，她听起来象是个 boh chup （不在乎）的母亲。
但我不得不承认我在她的这种特殊教育下获益良多。
没错，我们的确会因为自己做出错误的决定于选择而跌倒。
但是，难道你们不认为有时候人就是需要体验到一点小痛才能学到宝贵的一课吗？
虽然，妈妈说过必须为自己负责，她还是会在身旁鼓励着我们。
每当我们跌得太重而似乎无力再站起来时，她就会扶我们一把。

妈妈也相当支持我参与的多数项目。
我是个需要被认同，喜欢比赛也有那么一点点慈善心的人。
因此，参加的比赛于活动无数，而妈妈就是我的忠实支持者。
Subaru Challenge, Gold Kili Kopi Kia Competition, Sudoku Challenge, Scoot Challenge, Hair for Hope, Blood Donor's Day, etc.
身为长子是有好处的，从小我也已经察觉到父母对我的那一点小偏心。
虽然，母亲常否认这一点。
(她自认自己是个不偏心，对每个孩子都一致的母亲。我们就暂且让她那么认为吧。)

今天，我想借此机会由衷地感谢她为我们所做的一切。
我为自己还无法赚到足够的钱好让她早日退休而感到惭愧。
也为自己没有好好为自己的幸福多加努力娶个媳妇并为家里添加几个孙子给她感到抱歉。
但我希望让她喝媳妇茶和抱孙子的日子离我们不远了。。。

最后，身为亚洲害羞男，我无法像两个妹妹一样常把话挂在嘴边或如同小时候一样在临睡前给她爱之吻，想借此想对她说，“妈咪，我爱你！”