I have always defined irresponsible parents as those who prioritise their needs over their kids and end up not taking good care of them.
We all know of someone like that, be it friends or family, because unfortunately it is now more prevalent than before.
Parents who deposit their kids with helpers or grandparents while they go out for dinners/drinks/shopping every night.
Parents who during weekends stuff their kids with the iPad to keep them entertained so that they don’t have to entertain the kids themselves.
Parents who go for holidays themselves 2 to 3 times per year yet have never ever brought their kids overseas before.
To be fair I have gone out with Mama Toh alone for a couple of nights before, and have gone for one 3D2N trip without our kid (back then it was just Summer), we were swiftly struck with guilt and quickly promised each other not to do it again.
I guess going out alone once in a while for a quick dinner is fine, but once it happens on a regular occurrence that is just being irresponsible.
This is usually how we spend out nights
Just the way we like it
Anyhow in these cases, the victims are their own kids, which to put it bluntly and slightly selfishly, their actions do not affect me or anyone else. The only people who suffer are their kids.
What has shocked even myself, is the discovery that there is a second group of parents who can also be branded irresponsible, albeit with a different meaning.
So Mama Toh has this acquaintance who is apparently… bringing her kid overseas for a holiday despite him being diagnosed with HFMD (hand foot mouth disease, for the uninitiated) two days ago.
WHAT. IN. THE. WORLD.
These parents, whilst caring for the kids by not leaving them alone at home and going for their holiday themselves, put other kids in danger of contacting HFMD. Hence the different meaning of irresponsibility.
Different amalgamations, same morally-lacking actions nonetheless.
To me, this is pretty much akin to escaping from quarantine when you have SARS, or spreading HIV to your partner who has no knowledge. Ok the disparity in severity is there but the gist is the same.
Parents, spare the rest of us some thought. How would YOU feel if your kid caught HFMD from another kid who was supposed to be quarantined?
Would you be saying ‘Ayah it’s ok la, the doctor also didn’t say the boy cannot go out what.’
Which is what Mama Toh’s acquaintance said when trying to validate her decision to bring her kid overseas.
Maybe… the doctor assumed you have common sense? Which apparently isn’t too common now.
You ought to be shot