it was a crowded train as usual, with the influx of people coming in from Raffles Place and Tanjong Pagar. Well, besides it being crowded there was a LOUD cry from a young girl - approx 1 year old. she was sitting down and crying for attention from her mum.
to my utmost surprise and disgust, the lil girl's mum started slapping her. it was not a light slap, it was a loud and forceful sweep across her face! I was totally taken aback. How can she do that to her own child? And of course that slap did not stop her crying, it aggravated. she cried even louder. What was the mum's reaction? Another hard forceful slap.
shortly after, the mum had a seat beside the lil girl. the girl's incessant cries drove looks from commuters. When i got off at my stop, i witnessed this last horrifying act - the mum actually pushed the lil girl off her seat onto the train floor.
This got me thinking: Why vent your anger on your child?
Looking at the mum's point of view - she's young and probably did not plan this birth. As a result, she's faced with a high level of stress having to take care of this child. She probably feels angry with her child as well - for robbing her of her freedom and her youth.
However, to view it in another pespective: If you have decided to give birth to your child, you have made a decision to take unconditional care of her. I believe unconditional care does not equate to hitting your child in public.
It feels my heart with sadness when I see such happenings - a child not born of love will not be treated with love at all. It makes me resolute: If I can't afford to provide my child with love and care, I will not succumb myself to such situations when I might be forced to.
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