A singular event happened today and I want to record it in detail:
My form class was scheduled for CIP (Community Involvement Programme) duty today, which consisted of flag-selling to raise funds for the Singapore Disability Sports Council. Reporting venue was at the entrance of Bedok Library.
I cycled to the library at 1pm to take the attendance of my class, and spotted this cute little boy seated on the ground next to a lamp-post. Thought nothing of it, but half an hour later, he was still there. That was when I observed more closely, and realised that all along, there was a little (but older) girl seated nearby too. She had tears flowing down her pretty face, and was trying her best to wipe them off with her t-shirt sleeve. They seem to be siblings.
I wasn't too surprised when I saw that there was no sign of their parents around. My guess was that they had been naughty and were left there as punishment. When I asked them where their mummy was, the girl replied that they were waiting for her, and she had not turned up. After further probing, I was even more concerned. Apparently, the mother had brought the two of them to Bedok Central in the morning for a visit to the library; before they reached the library, she let them go off by themselves to buy a toy-compass for the little brother. They were supposed to meet the mother at the library but when they reached there, she could not be found. These 2 kids had been sitting at the same spot since 11am ( for over 2 hours), waiting in vain for their mother who didn't show up. The mother's handphone line had been cut, there was no one at home, and there was not even a phoneline at home. Their father is living in another flat, but the girl couldn't remember the father's number and said it was stored in her handphone at home. Luckily, their flat is within walking distance, and the girl (QH) had the keys. I suggested they go home, but the girl preferred to stay put as she was worried that if her mum showed up, she wouldn't be able to find them.
By now, the situation was starting to resemble a case of child-abandonment (not surprising, as the Japanese film 'Nobody Knows' is still fresh in my mind). Or worse still, it was possible that something had happened to their mum, hence the no-show. What should they do?
Of course, a few students wondered why I was talking to the 2 young kids, and I had to explain their story to them. When we discovered they had not eaten since morning, Valerie, Xueying and Serene were kind enough to rush to the nearest Burger King and buy them a chicken sandwich meal. So I had the 2 kids sitting on the ground and sharing the meal (with glances from passers-by) while I wondered what to do with them.
After their meal, I told QH that the best thing would be for them to go home and contact their father or a relative. I would walk them back, and if possible, notify their neighbour about the situation.
By this time, QH seemed to have cheered up. So off I went with QH and her little brother, P. QH is in Primary 4 and P is in Primary 1. Both are studying at Red Swastika Primary in Bedok North. They live with their father from Monday to Friday, and with their mother during the weekends. Their flat had 2 bedrooms, one of which is rented to a 'fat man'.
When we reached the flat, I was somewhat relieved when we saw that the man was in. QH used her keys to get in, and lo and behold, she said her mum's keys were on the table. True enough, they told me happily she was indeed in the flat. That was when the mother stuck her head out of the bedroom while I was standing outside the flat, and asked who was that. It looked like it was inconvenient for her to come to the door. I told her that I saw her kids waiting at the library by themselves so I walked them home. So she thanked me, and I left hastily.
What to make of this? The sight of QH and P sitting on the ground by themselves still haunts me. QH with her tears, was obviously worried sick. At the flat, the mother behaved as if nothing serious had happened; didn't she miss her children? Was she aware that they had waited over 2 hours for her at the same spot? This does NOT seem like a simple misuderstanding between mother and children; it is more like a case of irresponsible parenting (and possibly hanky-panky, but we shall not go into that).
All this is rather disturbing. It seems necessary to inform the principal of Red Swastika, so that the teachers are aware, and can keep an eye on QH and P.
My form class was scheduled for CIP (Community Involvement Programme) duty today, which consisted of flag-selling to raise funds for the Singapore Disability Sports Council. Reporting venue was at the entrance of Bedok Library.
I cycled to the library at 1pm to take the attendance of my class, and spotted this cute little boy seated on the ground next to a lamp-post. Thought nothing of it, but half an hour later, he was still there. That was when I observed more closely, and realised that all along, there was a little (but older) girl seated nearby too. She had tears flowing down her pretty face, and was trying her best to wipe them off with her t-shirt sleeve. They seem to be siblings.
I wasn't too surprised when I saw that there was no sign of their parents around. My guess was that they had been naughty and were left there as punishment. When I asked them where their mummy was, the girl replied that they were waiting for her, and she had not turned up. After further probing, I was even more concerned. Apparently, the mother had brought the two of them to Bedok Central in the morning for a visit to the library; before they reached the library, she let them go off by themselves to buy a toy-compass for the little brother. They were supposed to meet the mother at the library but when they reached there, she could not be found. These 2 kids had been sitting at the same spot since 11am ( for over 2 hours), waiting in vain for their mother who didn't show up. The mother's handphone line had been cut, there was no one at home, and there was not even a phoneline at home. Their father is living in another flat, but the girl couldn't remember the father's number and said it was stored in her handphone at home. Luckily, their flat is within walking distance, and the girl (QH) had the keys. I suggested they go home, but the girl preferred to stay put as she was worried that if her mum showed up, she wouldn't be able to find them.
By now, the situation was starting to resemble a case of child-abandonment (not surprising, as the Japanese film 'Nobody Knows' is still fresh in my mind). Or worse still, it was possible that something had happened to their mum, hence the no-show. What should they do?
Of course, a few students wondered why I was talking to the 2 young kids, and I had to explain their story to them. When we discovered they had not eaten since morning, Valerie, Xueying and Serene were kind enough to rush to the nearest Burger King and buy them a chicken sandwich meal. So I had the 2 kids sitting on the ground and sharing the meal (with glances from passers-by) while I wondered what to do with them.
After their meal, I told QH that the best thing would be for them to go home and contact their father or a relative. I would walk them back, and if possible, notify their neighbour about the situation.
By this time, QH seemed to have cheered up. So off I went with QH and her little brother, P. QH is in Primary 4 and P is in Primary 1. Both are studying at Red Swastika Primary in Bedok North. They live with their father from Monday to Friday, and with their mother during the weekends. Their flat had 2 bedrooms, one of which is rented to a 'fat man'.
When we reached the flat, I was somewhat relieved when we saw that the man was in. QH used her keys to get in, and lo and behold, she said her mum's keys were on the table. True enough, they told me happily she was indeed in the flat. That was when the mother stuck her head out of the bedroom while I was standing outside the flat, and asked who was that. It looked like it was inconvenient for her to come to the door. I told her that I saw her kids waiting at the library by themselves so I walked them home. So she thanked me, and I left hastily.
What to make of this? The sight of QH and P sitting on the ground by themselves still haunts me. QH with her tears, was obviously worried sick. At the flat, the mother behaved as if nothing serious had happened; didn't she miss her children? Was she aware that they had waited over 2 hours for her at the same spot? This does NOT seem like a simple misuderstanding between mother and children; it is more like a case of irresponsible parenting (and possibly hanky-panky, but we shall not go into that).
All this is rather disturbing. It seems necessary to inform the principal of Red Swastika, so that the teachers are aware, and can keep an eye on QH and P.
