Bringing up a child is no easy matter. Even with two parents around, it's an unenviable - usually thankless - task that takes up endless time and effort.
However lately we seem to have forgotten that the upbringing of a child isn't only wholly dependent on the already overwhelmed parents. Lest we forget it takes a village. Problem is the modern villagers these days seem to think the entire hardship of childrearing shouldn't be their burden to bear.
Even when the child is a part of the family.
Something I find difficult to fathom. Especially when it comes from Benedicta Borgia. Seems like the new year brought a real nian 年兽 to their door.
Calvin : Actually we spent the new year babysitting a monster.
Paul : Not the monsters from under the house?
Calvin : No.
Benedicta : You wouldn't believe how obnoxious the child was. Screaming and wailing all day long.
Paul : Well you should have reprimanded the child.
Benedicta : How could I?
Paul : How could you not?
Benedicta : But it's not my child.
Paul : She's your niece.
Benedicta : Still not my child.
Paul : She's part of your family. A quick scold would have sufficed.
Benedicta : What would the parents think?
Paul : They should know better.
And if they think otherwise, really I would have given the parents a stern lecture as well.
Despite being seemingly conservative Confucian, the Borgias surprisingly don't seem to hold to all that many traditions and attitudes. Apparently even a niece doesn't count entirely as part of their own. Which I find odd since in my own loud boisterous family, my uncles and aunts - possibly even random unknown elderly folk who aren't even vaguely related - would have walloped me swiftly if I'd stepped over the line. Certainly kept us all in check.
Something I've been doing as a crotchety uncle these days as well; so far, none of the rugrats have defied my evil eye.
Actually cross the line and I would have threatened the proverbial cane. Never believed in sparing the rod. Steadfast child educationists might screech in horror but really, have their namby pamby methods actually produced a finer, better behaved society?
However lately we seem to have forgotten that the upbringing of a child isn't only wholly dependent on the already overwhelmed parents. Lest we forget it takes a village. Problem is the modern villagers these days seem to think the entire hardship of childrearing shouldn't be their burden to bear.
Even when the child is a part of the family.
 |
| The children return to Castle Borgia. |
Something I find difficult to fathom. Especially when it comes from Benedicta Borgia. Seems like the new year brought a real nian 年兽 to their door.
Calvin : Actually we spent the new year babysitting a monster.
Paul : Not the monsters from under the house?
Calvin : No.
Benedicta : You wouldn't believe how obnoxious the child was. Screaming and wailing all day long.
Paul : Well you should have reprimanded the child.
Benedicta : How could I?
Paul : How could you not?
Benedicta : But it's not my child.
Paul : She's your niece.
Benedicta : Still not my child.
Paul : She's part of your family. A quick scold would have sufficed.
Benedicta : What would the parents think?
Paul : They should know better.
And if they think otherwise, really I would have given the parents a stern lecture as well.
Despite being seemingly conservative Confucian, the Borgias surprisingly don't seem to hold to all that many traditions and attitudes. Apparently even a niece doesn't count entirely as part of their own. Which I find odd since in my own loud boisterous family, my uncles and aunts - possibly even random unknown elderly folk who aren't even vaguely related - would have walloped me swiftly if I'd stepped over the line. Certainly kept us all in check.
Something I've been doing as a crotchety uncle these days as well; so far, none of the rugrats have defied my evil eye.
Actually cross the line and I would have threatened the proverbial cane. Never believed in sparing the rod. Steadfast child educationists might screech in horror but really, have their namby pamby methods actually produced a finer, better behaved society?
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