Teaching older students is a lot different from teaching younger ones. And when it comes to boy-girl relationship it has to be dealt with subtly because respecting space is extremely important. A little background on the scenario in this school, boy-girl relationship is badly is viewed and sometimes I find that disturbing. It’s really not nice having adults poking their nose into your business especially when it’s got a lot to do with your feelings. But then again, adults have the responsibilities of taking care of and guiding the ‘children’ so they do not go astray. So here’s the deal. Since a few weeks back I noticed a couple in the upper six class. They’re pretty obvious, always clinging to one another and that flirts, I’ve lived those days, so it’s pretty easy to see. I didn’t say a word, just observed and kept it to myself and suddenly flashes of my young, silly days crept into my mind. That lasted for a few seconds before I scoffed them inside. Anyways, about two days ago while preparing the exam hall for tomorrow’s MUET exam I overheard one of the students expressing her annoyance with the couple I was mentioning. Especially with their PDA – I do hope you know what it means. Hence, I thought it’s a good time to ask. They did reveal, and they talked a lot about it. I just tried to be professional, took in and listened well. Finally I said, “Don’t get yourself involved in relationships now. You’re 19 and you’re definitely going to different places next year. God knows who’ll you be meeting and where you’ll be studying. So keep your options open and just be focused with what you are supposed to be doing right now, which is studying. Don’t even date seriously in uni, because the best time to find a good guy is when you’ve started working. Trust me, it always gets better because guys take time to be matured. So many couples spent years dating, being extremely attached that they don’t know themselves without one another and allowed that relationship to define them. Once it comes crumbling down, then only they’d know just how real reality bites. I am not speaking just because I am a teacher and I’M SUPPOSED TO BE TELLING YOU TO STUDY, but I’m saying this because I have been there and I know. I really know. As for them (the hot couple), well, it’s just a few months. I don’t think it’ll last (cruel me), but they’ll come around to realise it someday, InsyaAllah. Hopefully it’s not too late by then. At this age, it’s like 70% or even perhaps 80% hormone driven and the rest is probably the sheer excitement of being flattered and some boost of confidence to feel wanted and attractive in someone else’s eyes and perhaps a bit of love or infatuation. Commitment? I don’t think so. Just don’t be too judgmental because maybe the same thing could happen to you. We all know that love blinds us from seeing the truth, so we can’t talk, judge and label people because God is great and sometimes we’ll be eating our words when we realise we would do the exact same thing, or even worse when we’re in their shoes.”
So yes, I did it. I have become a boring adult. I have become almost like a parent instead of a partner in crime and telling them my 2 cents worth of advice and doing the responsible thing. Aren’t you proud of me now? I feel grown up. Now I know why adults say, “Do as I say, but don’t do as I do” or rather “did”. As adults we’ve realised that our experience, mistakes and bad choices were the ‘teacher’ that taught us the most about life. That’s what you call, learning it the hard way. Having said that, although experience is the best teacher, adults do feel the need of protecting the younger ones. If possible, we don’t want them to repeat our mistakes because it reminds us of our naivety and silly choices. It’s also because we know how bad the aftermath could be. However, it’s something that perhaps they have to go through to learn and grow and eventually become better people. We could only do so much and that’s why prayer is the best shield to safeguard our children and the younger generation from going astray and getting lost in the cruel reality of life. I think this profession could help me become a good mother – InsyaAllah…
No comments:
Post a Comment