Why do they want to know?

[babyblissnz]

Nebbermind:

I have people asking me whether I have eaten (my lunch, I presumed) at 4pm!!


Perhaps it's a kind of greeting between parents while trying to kill time or juz plain curosity.

But now that u have mentioned, perhaps I should be more sensitive next time and avoid this qn coz I'm one of those who will pop this question.

Yeah, my next door neighbour asks me often if I had breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Thought she wanted to know if I was on diet or on fast. :siao:

You are cute, Nebbermind. Don't worry, there are many mums who are dying to answer your question. But if you encounter a person like me, please do not pursue any further. I'm having a problem with those who don't easily give up! :faint:

[babyblissnz]

buds:

Chin up yeah girl? PSLE is but only the beginning of our children's academic marathon.. most times people get over it in due time n no one cares abt who scored what and who went where.. :hugs:

Thanks for the helpful advice, buds! I couldn't stop smiling at your step by step approach! I would stand with my hands on the hips, roll my eyes, and roar at the one who doesn't back off(excuse me!) easily. Now my poor P2 kid is their easy target. He is sometimes stopped by aunties and gets barrage of questions. Some mum who we don't know directly went to him and asked about PSLE score of his brother. Why?? :frustrated:

My uncle used to work in Singapore many years ago. He talked about his fond memories of the country and doesn't believe what I have been through. He didn't have school-aged children back then, maybe that's why. Or has Singapore changed drastically in the past 20 years? I came in Singapore pretty relaxed but have been baptized with Kiasuism. You're right. I need to come to terms with it and move on. My heart is much lighter, thanks to you!

[babyblissnz]

Funz:

Married?
Kids?
How many?
How old?
Which school?
Results how?
Which sec school?
What CCA?
What enrichment? Where?
Any tuition? Where?

I will share the funny questions that I've received so far:

-How much did your parents house cost in XXX(my home country)?
-Why local schools? - Doesn't the company pay for international school fees?
-What is your hubby's expat package like?
-Which passport do your kids have?
-How did your kid do for SA2 maths?
> \"OK, LAH\"
Band 1 or 2?
> \"SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER\"
(a few days later... )I've heard from such and such that your kid scored XX in maths.
> \"...OH, THKS FOR REMINDING...\"

As I don't like asking questions, the interrogation is always one-sided. I am the one who is at a receiving end.

If I don't anwer, some may get motivated and finds the way to get what she wants... On a personal note, I do share my private matters with friends(sometimes that's where the info leaks come from, though). :slapshead:

[UncleLim]

babyblissnz:

Funz:

Married?
Kids?
How many?
How old?
Which school?
Results how?
Which sec school?
What CCA?
What enrichment? Where?
Any tuition? Where?

I will share the funny questions that I've received so far:

-How much did your parents house cost in XXX(my home country)?
-Why local schools? - Doesn't the company pay for international school fees?
-What is your hubby's expat package like?
-Which passport do your kids have?
-How did your kid do for SA2 maths?
> \"OK, LAH\"
Band 1 or 2?
> \"SORRY, I DON'T REMEMBER\"
(a few days later... )I've heard from such and such that your kid scored XX in maths.
> \"...OH, THKS FOR REMINDING...\"

As I don't like asking questions, the interrogation is always one-sided. I am the one who is at a receiving end.

If I don't anwer, some may get motivated and finds the way to get what she wants... On a personal note, I do share my private matters with friends(sometimes that's where the info leaks come from, though). :slapshead:

I would say it is all harmless curiosity although it may sound offensive especially to some of us who are more private about personal things. I presume these folks knows you are not local (by the way you and your kids look and/or speak) so it is their chance to learn a bit more about how the foreigner who lives among them is faring. If you are in, say a condo with lots and lots of expat families, no one would bother asking. But where you are, you stand out so .... . I would guess that there is a tinge of admiration or envy since many locals associate expats with unbelievable salaries and perks. The culturally-correct posture in answering all these pesky questions is to answer them without really answering them. Exhibit modesty and try not to remember the times your kids top the class or got a distinction grade. Sigh (loudly and dramatically) and talk about his/her B grades and the times homework has not been done on time. Failing which you can always find fault with universal issues like watching too much TV, or spending too much time on the computer etc etc. Ultimately, they just want to arrive at the conclusion that expats are just like them, dealing with the same issues and struggles in their everyday living.

[pacetone]

Like most parents have already told you, they’re trying to make small talk and really no harm. My next door neighbour loves to ask me questions, "going out?", where to?,etc… and most of the time, I’ll say, yes… and walk very fast to avoid answering more.

[Funz]

Some of the questions I encountered from strangers that leave me totally befuddled.


DD was about 8-9mths old. Dressed in a pink dress with a pretty pink clip holding those sparse few strands of hair. This lady came up and asked "boy ah? how big?" I told her umm girl. She said "no lah look like boy leh, not much hair hor."

Another incident, was with both my kiddos and DH was beside me. A middle aged woman said to me, "aiyoh, mixed blood kids ah, soooo good looking." I told her no, not mixed blood, Chinese, Singaporean. She say cannot be lah, hair brown brown, eyes so big, so fair summore, must be mixed blood. DH cannot tahan, told her aunty, my kids, I’m chinese, very sure. She looked at DH then at me, then say "heheh look like mummy hor."

[Nebbermind]

:rotflmao:

[jtoh]

Funz:

Some of the questions I encountered from strangers that leave me totally befuddled.


DD was about 8-9mths old. Dressed in a pink dress with a pretty pink clip holding those sparse few strands of hair. This lady came up and asked \"boy ah? how big?\" I told her umm girl. She said \"no lah look like boy leh, not much hair hor.\"

Another incident, was with both my kiddos and DH was beside me. A middle aged woman said to me, \"aiyoh, mixed blood kids ah, soooo good looking.\" I told her no, not mixed blood, Chinese, Singaporean. She say cannot be lah, hair brown brown, eyes so big, so fair summore, must be mixed blood. DH cannot tahan, told her aunty, my kids, I'm chinese, very sure. She looked at DH then at me, then say \"heheh look like mummy hor.\"

:rotflmao: :slapshead:

[Beansprout]

This is part of our culture you need to adapt and learn how to manage your response. We are all members of kiasuparents henceforth i think we are all curious about each other as well eg. kids academic performances, where your kids are studying, which tuition centers do they go and etc. However, we normally ask such questions more tactfully so as not to sour the relationship.

If you choose to come here then need to adapt to our culture.

[verykiasu2010]

Beansprout:

This is part of our culture you need to adapt and learn how to manage your response. We are all members of kiasuparents henceforth i think we are all curious about each other as well eg. kids academic performances, where your kids are studying, which tuition centers do they go and etc. However, we normally ask such questions more tactfully so as not to sour the relationship.

If you choose to come here then need to adapt to our culture.

that is more kaypoh parents than kiasu parents ? :rotflmao: :rotflmao: