When you think of Parents, you think of a lot of things. If there were no parents, there would be no me, no you. It’s something, that a lot of us will become in our life.
Some of us embrace it, some of us struggle in the role of parent, here though I want to just highlight some of the things that all parents do.
I will qualify that, what all Asian parents do. Now non-Asian parents (some at least) are known by their first name to their children.
Any Asian kid, dare to call their parents by their name …. Let’s just say get the funeral directors on the ready.
In non-Asian households going out to play, for example, might be as simple as ABC and 123, in an Asian household? Nope!
First, you have to ask your mum and hope she’s able to twist the arm of your dad and make him ‘give in’ on this occasion.
This almost reminds of a video game, where you defeat all the bosses, then you got the final boss- the hardest of them all, and that’s an Asian dad.
Some are worried about lockdown? Well in an Asian house it’s a near lockdown every day.
I need to also mention an Asian father is a true depiction of an Alpha Male. You will never, a handful of times if you’re lucky see your old man cry.
If you do indeed see your old man cry, know it’s a collectors item. If you see your dad get up in the middle of the original Lion King, right before Mufasa dies, you know he isn’t putting the kettle on.
An Asian parent is more efficient than Royal Mail’s sorting office, they very kindly go through your post.
They’re HR too, I can recall many occasion where I was ill but ended up going into work to withstand the questions upon questions as to why I am off, and I don’t ‘look ill’.
In a non-Asian household, the narrative tends to be, you’re 16 years old out of the house, you’re old enough to stand on your own two feet.
If an Asian at 35 had that attitude that he/she can stand on their own two feet, then civil war and, although not a nuclear war, violence with the slipper would ensue thereafter.
Asian boy or girl, try to move out of the home, and that might be one of the last things you do on planet earth.
There’s a flip side to this, yes this is a very satirical piece, but should my parents get old, or even frail, I would honestly love to look after them in their old age, like they did me in my infancy.
I have seen the Dispatchers and Panorama programmes alike, and they show mistreatment of the elderly in nursing homes. Yours truly couldn’t have that on his conscience.
Could never dream of putting my parents in a nursing home.
In front of your Asian parents, if you swear like a trooper, again you will get the slipper or even a backhand more deadly than Rodger Federer’s.
In a non-Asian household, there have been instances where kids and parents only address each other by swearing.
One thing, that both non-Asian parents are in unison is that neither encourages their child to smoke. Both Asian kids and non-Asian kids tend to hide that they smoke from their parents.
Maybe in a non-Asian household, it’s eventually tolerated, but in an Asian household it’s very frowned upon to smoke, but what about drinking I hear you ask? Don’t even go there.
Other differences with non-Asian and Asian household and their attitude of parents is that in a non-Asian household they tend to leave it to the kids themselves to find their own partner for settling down, that means in a long term relationship or marriage.
In an Asian household, if word gets out that the child themselves chose their own partner for settling down with and in this case to marry them, the parents are seen as possible weak and the child a ‘wild child’.
It’s fair to say, I have poked a bit of fun of parents, but deep down it’s something that’s thrust upon you. He/she will never be truly ready for parenthood until you are in the moment.
I am not a parent as of yet, so when I do become one, it will be hilarious in my mind, if I do any of those things that I poked fun at for parents doing.
Deep down, I am personally very blessed for my parents …. Genuinely so.I have had anxiety issues, my parents have been there for me, I suffered heartbreak from my first love.
In both of these instances where I was at an all-time low, my parents were there for me.
Quite simply, I wouldn’t be the beard I am today if it wasn’t for their love, care and support that they have shown me over the years.
That is priceless and makes me think don’t take anything for granted.
The Bearded Captain 