A Less Rugged Generation?

In the wake of the deaths of two NSmen in Singapore recently, questions have been raised if the new generation is getting softer.

Coincidentally, coming back from school yesterday, Son No 1 grumbled, in his semi-slumber state after a long car ride, asking why he had to walk everyday such a distance from the car to the apartment where we lived.

Let's be clear how far this is. We are talking about walking across a basement carpark, up two flights of stairs to bring us to the lift lobby, where the lift or elevator will carry us to our 2nd floor apartment door at the press of a button.

My reaction was, I am proud to say, muted. I held my tongue and did not do a Tan Ah Teck, though I was tempted to "educate" him how both his parents used to walk at least 20 minutes to and from school everyday, come rain or shine (ok, maybe that's just a little exaggeration there, but so what?)

Thing is, this generation of youngsters have it too good. We bought the Wii console, thinking that the games would at least require some physical movement of body parts. But we were deceived - there are games, lots of them, which only require movement of finger parts. Ya, it's no different from other games in the market.

Coming back to my son No 1, he is indeed getting more laidback. He will not swim laps in the pool, preferring to frolic in the water with his brothers. His idea of exercise is to brandish imaginary swords (or light sabres) with his brothers, with full sound effects. His only redemption is the 1 hour of tennis training that he has every Friday evening and the 1 hour of taekwando on Saturday.

I can't help but think how a stint of National Service would do him good.