I never ponder over how cumbersome it would be to maintain a family; the living expenses, the bonding and mutual respect between family members, the savings and investments, the interior design of your house and the list goes on.
Seriously, how many of us show appreciation for our parents on such issues? When I started giving tuition at 14, I was earning about 300+ a month. I gave half to my mum and thought it was a really great thing. Lols. When it came to the rebellious phase, I think I was more rebellious than many other kids. There was anger and resentment and disrespect. I was so agitated with their 'use the rod' way of discipline. There was never any room for discussion or understanding. Any issue was presented in either black or white, and I felt stifled to the point of suffocation. When I had high fever of 39.8 at 11, I went to the clinic alone; When I dislocated my knee at 16, I limped to the MRT and to the hospital myself. Same goes for fracture of my collarbone.
But as we grow up and take up the roles and responsibilities of a lifetime, we realize how misled we were in our thinking. My parents were working everyday to maintain the family. Even as a housewife, they take care of the family's meals, the cleanliness of our nest, the dish-washing and laundry etc. Sometimes, on top of that, they would buy insurance for themselves and every child in case any misfortune falls on them. Their planning and efforts every single day were often taken for granted. Who rules that parents must give allowance to their children? Who rules that parents must do the laundry or wash the dishes? Who rules that they must be there when you're ill? Nobody did. It's because they love you and therefore, they want to build a loving environment for the family. They want to make things right, and make things work.
In short, it's really the little things in life... that really mean the most :)
