Table Turned

As I watch people shop for Christmas presents, I cannot help but be ashamed of my generation. Once upon a time, our parents gave us presents that they thought we needed and threw in a toy or two that we wanted. The gifts that we wanted were treats, source of excitement. We had our wish lists, not shopping lists. So many people, many of whom my dearest friends, do not considered their children’s lists wish list, i.e. no one expect everything on it will materialize. The whole point of Christmas, Hanukah or Chinese New Year presents is that they are our report cards from our parents. We used to work the whole year to be in our parents’ favour to get the presents. In the process, we learnt to behave and to act and to think. We worked hard to earn our parents’ love and the valuable tokens of that love in the end of the year. Time has certainly changed. Parents now are the ones who are desperate for the love of their children, instead of the other way around. And in this season of report cards, it is the parents who are trying to get good grades from their children with what they are told to be the sure items of bribery. No more socks, sweaters and books for the kids; the all-important items are ipods and xboxs and cell phones, all of them. No wonder parents are complaining that they cannot handle their children. Instead of working of their parents’ love to get things they want, children find it easier to simply withhold love to get them. Watching it is just depressing.