「虎媽」的抉擇 THE DECISION OF Tiger MOTHERS

永生系列（六）
「虎媽」的抉擇（谷10:13-16）

過了「母親節」差不多兩個星期了，可是，『世上祇有媽媽好』始終是一首不會過時，歌頌母愛偉大的歌曲。真的不會過時嗎？且看，在競爭激烈的都市生活壓力下，很多媽媽已變成了「虎媽」、「直昇機媽」、「冰壺媽」…等；這首名曲恐怕要改唱成為『世上祇有媽媽不好』了。

這些媽媽們誤信了「贏在起跑線」的謬論，為了子女的前途，不惜為他們掃除一切可能障礙成功衝線的人和事物：不但要入讀名校，還要參加各種音樂、體藝、演藝課程，裝備他們他日可以拿來擊敗所有競爭對手的「代表作 Portfolio」。可憐的孩子們，拖著心力交瘁的身軀，跟著密密麻麻的時間表，終日奔波，連患病的時間也沒有！在他們的世界裡，祇有對手，沒有同學，沒有朋友…至於時間表上，我敢打賭沒有預留時間上「主日學」或者參加彌撒、領聖事，尤其是考試測驗的日子！

誰人不讓小孩子到主耶穌的跟前，接受天主子的祝福（谷10:14, 16）呢？可是，把矛頭直指「虎媽」和「冰壺媽」，實在有欠公允。倘若社會的競爭不是這麼大，母親們會變身成為「直昇機媽」嗎？相信「虎媽」們在小女孩的時代，一定沒有捱受過今天她們的孩子們要捱受的艱苦歲月。所謂「虎毒不食兒」，為甚麼她們今天要做社會制度的幫兇，這樣虐待親生的子女，阻止他們獲得天主子的祝福呢？

「虎媽」們說：「對不起！是你自己前一天說的，『不要判斷不同立場的對錯』（瑪7:1）。大家的價值觀不一樣，我們不希罕你說的甚麼『天主子的祝福』，請不要浪費我們的時間。」的確，「虎媽」們已不再是小女孩，她們的「成本效益分析」能力，已煉到爐火純青境界。她們寧願努力叩門送子女入讀名校；也不會選擇通過「窄門」，為子女護航到永生去（7:13; 路13:24）。既然道不同，不相為謀。「我寫的，就寫了」（若19:22）。
教會之母，為我等祈。亞孟。
天主保祐！

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生命恩泉:
圖片鳴謝: bestmom.id

THE DECISION OF Tiger MOTHERS (Mark 10:13-16)

It has been almost two weeks since Mother's Day. However, the song "Only mother is the best on earth" will never be outdated as a song singing praises to the greatness of motherly love, will it? Behold, many mothers living under the pressure of competitive urban life have transformed into "Tiger Mothers", "Helicopter Mothers" and "Curling Mothers" etc. I am afraid the famous song has to change into "Only mother is NOT good on earth"!

These mothers have wrongly believed in the fallacy of "Winning at the Starting Line". For the future prospects of their children, they will do away any people and circumstances that are perceived obstacles to their children's crossing the finishing line ahead of the others! Not only do they enrol in elite schools, they also participate in all kinds of musical, physical and performing courses to equip their children to build up a porfolio to defeat all rivals. Poor children! They drag their exhausted bodies along after regular school, following a tight schedule so much so that they even do not have time to fall sick. In their world, there are no classmates nor friends but rivals. As for their schedules, I bet there is no Sunday School, nor masses, nor sacraments especially where it is test or exam time!

Who prevent little children from coming to Jesus to receive His blessings? However, pointing fingers at "Tiger Mothers" or "Curling Mothers" is not fair. Had the society not been so competitive, would mothers have become "Helicopter Mothers"? When "Tiger Mothers" were little, they did not suffer the same sufferings of their children today. Parents should give the best to their children. Why do they become accomplices of the dysfunctional social institutions today, abusing the very children they gave birth and prevent them from receiving the blessings of the Son of God?

Tiger Mothers would say, "Sorry! Two days ago, it was you who said, 'Do not judge the correctness of different stances' (Matthew 7:1). Our value systems are not the same. I don't want the "Blessings of the Son of God" you talk about for my children. Don't waste our time". Indeed, Tiger Mothers are no long little girls. Their ability to do cost-benefit-analysis has become their second nature. They prefer knocking all the doors of elite schools to escorting their children to pass through the Narrow Gate to eternal life (7:13, Luke 13:24). Since the Way is non-negotiable, "What I have written, I have written" (John 19:22).

The Mother of the Church, Pray for us. Amen.
God bless!