A true story

Categories: Others
I would like to relate a true story. This story involves a relative of a friend. I am relating this story to highlight the misfortunes some kids go through and to make parents aware of their responsibility. Lastly, hopefully someone can provide a good solution to this unfortunate story.

I will call this family A. Hubby A works in a factory and Ex-wife A a housewife. They have 2 children, Son A1 and Son A2. Years ago, Hubby A was involved in smuggling cigarettes into Singapore. He did this so that he can earn more money for the family. However one day he wanted out and told the boss so but was persuaded to do one more consignment. Luck would have it that he was caught and sentenced to jail. His misfortune did not end there for Ex-wife A later left him saying that she does not want to spent her life with a poor man. All this while, the family of Ex-wife A actually supported Hubby A and understood why Hubby A was involved in smuggling. They actually chided Ex-wife A for leaving Hubby A. Eventually the couple divorced.

Ex-wife A insisted that the children should be with her. Hubby A relented although he had wished for the children. Things had not gone well for the children. Eventually Ex-wife A met Boyfriend B. Son A1 who was already in primary school cannot accept him. Boyfriend B presence brought about a lot of conflict with the boy. This made Ex-wife A to punish son A1. During this time, son A1 had been doing badly in school. Hubby A finally convinced ex-wife A to let him take care of son A1 while son A2 remains with ex-wife A. Following this move, son A1 results improved. Although son A1 is to spend weekend with ex-wife A, he generally refuses to do so.

In the meantime, son A2 is neglected. Ex-wife A spends a lot of time with boyfried B (understandable). She also spend time playing mahjong. Son A2 was sent to aunt C to take care of him. Although ex-wife A was suppose to take son A2 home in the evening, she sometimes defaulted on this. Worse, sometimes she did not even pick up son A2 or even call for a few days. Because aunt C already has financial constraint taking care of her own 4 children, this put tremendous strain on aunt C and finally this arrangement was ended.

Now son A2 is in school. His school work is bad. Homework was not done. Despite the school calling on ex-wife A to supervise his homework, this comes to naught. One day he was to stay back for remedial class which ended at 3 pm. The school had called ex-wife many times but received no reply. Only at 5 pm, did ex-wife A call her mother (A2's grandmother) to ask her to pick up the child. Excuse ex-wife A given was that she forgot to fetch A2. Unfortunately son A2 cannot be found in school with the school compound already locked! So grandmother called out the other siblings to help looked for son A2. Ex-wife A did not help to look for the son because she was not free!! And this incident happened at a time following Nonoi's incident.

Eventually, aunt C found son A2 at 6.30pm. He was sitting on a slide looking pale and tired. When aunt C asked how he was, he just said he was tired. Later on it was found that he only had a piece of bread for breakfast and nothing for lunch. So aunt C carried him home. When cousin C, who is still in primary school, saw son A2, she cried and keep asking why ex-wife A neglected son A2. Imagine a child sympathises with another child. Incidentally, ex-wife A did not come to fetch son A2. Son A2 was brought back to ex-wife A by uncle D.

It is especially sad because all this while Hubby A is willing to take care of the children but ex-wife A refuses. One wonders why this is so if she found the children to be a hindrance on her independance. She somehow has lost her maternal instinct. Even animals have maternal instinct to take care of their babies, why has this mother lost hers?

After reading this story, I hope parents are made aware of their responsibility towards their children. Children are innocent. We as parents brought them to this world and it is only right that we take care of them. We may not be able to give them everything but at least we should give them proper love, food and shelter.

If anyone out there has any idea to solve this problem without having to resort to the courts, please leave your comments.