So you see, I got one son whom was asthmatic when he was small. Missing schools is part of growing up. I spent all my 21 days in hospital stays and sometimes, had to take unpaid leave too.
He used to be under a paediatrician, a very nice doctor. So, things were okay. If sick, see doctor, get MC, rest at home. Done. But he has outgrown the paediatrician as Malaysians paediatricians can only see children 15 years and below. Once over 15 years old, they cannot treat the child anymore.
The other day, I had asked my paediatrician whom I should consult as I had been taking him to see the regular Medical Officer in the last two years. Getting an MC from the MO is a big obstacle as there are steps to be taken before I can get the written chit. Felt like criminals asking for MC to evade court like dat. Therefore, most times, I prefer to make the decision of him not going to school rather than plead for MCs.  Anyway, paed referred me to someone who is a specialist in Internal Medicine.
OK, enough of whinning. Hahaha.
As you know, my kid was involved in the bike accident and was given a day or two of MC. But we did not let him go to school because I don’t like the look of the wound. Then, during the World Cup, the father missed waking up to wake up the kids. More days missed school. Then, the haze came and he got sick. Another one day. And so on. Being in Form Four is like honeymoon year so we are not too stressed out about that.
But, we were slapped with two warning letters that can get ‘suspension from school’. Also no big deal because we are aware that our son cannot go to school.  We can see Bro. Paul, the principal to settle the matter. No problemo. Anyway, there were at least three MCs but it wasn’t recorded by the teacher. That’s how the days totalled up. And she didn’t demanded a letter of permission so we never bother to send the standard ponteng letter.
Well, the letter came from the Penolong Kanan. We replied by filling in a form to give the reasons and supposed to retun the form to the Penolong Kanan. But PK asked us to see the teacher. Hrrmmmpphhh…I am so not gonna see her. I will send my atm with his charms to talk to her instead. If ask to see Bro. Paul, the oh so suave and handsome school headmaster, maybe I will do so lah. *blink blink, oh my poor son is sickly, Bro have mercy on us, sob-sob, Bro, can I borrow your kerchief, sniff sniff* But see a female teacher, nay…I shall leave it to the father.
About this teacher. She had told my two kids, Call me datin, not teacher. So, that’s why I won’t see her. Hahahaha. Oh well, it’s her calling to teach these stubborn, obnoxious, bull-headed, couldn’t care less 16 years old youths. I tell you, I have only one and already can climb the coconut tree. She has to deal with 36 in a class. That’s a total PMS-ing disaster.
malaysia got a lot of asmatic kids anot? here in australia, almost every kid’s an asmatic! but most just grow out of it later in life!
wuah! i’m first wor! forgot to do this; *oneoneone1111satu satusatu!!! hehe
Actually, if memory serves me correctly, the proper rules of etiquette require that you introduce yourself without any titles. For instance, HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen of (too many to note down here) is supposed to introduce herself as merely Elizabeth Regina. So, if you are not supposed to introduce yourself as such, I do not think that you are supposed to expect people to call you so-and-so, unless they choose to do so themselves.
aiya… i always ponteng school last time when i was in secondary school… hate school cos very far and i always over zzzzz! and mom and dad said nemermind wor… so no go school lor me. but in general, our MY schools are ok… sick just produce mc or letters fm parents will do la. asthma ah, have you heard of crocodile meat soup ah, works wonder wor, my nephew drank it all the time and his asthma ok liow.
Asking people to address her datin?? Obviously she’s not set free… lol
Hi Lilian,
I tot I would drop you a note before I start to procrastinate and never end up doing it! Wow! Finally I got to see the `real’ you. You look lovely. Second you blog is sure `exciting’ and very `addictive’. Just can’t help it….I am almost `drugged’ by the contents, coming again and again for it even more. You sure have a lot of energy to write so many blogs, what amazes me is your ability to even maintain it. Having one myself is already so time consuming, what more thinking of suitable topics to write about is another struggle. Too bad my new `site’ (as you will notice I have moved to a South Indian website for a closer community link) does not allow me to have links attachment like in blogspot, so I can’t have my own personal blogroll listings. But you are definitely on my list! Great job Lilian and we will be in touched. Pay a visit sometime to my blog and write something!
last time my son’s school oso got one cikgu and i noticed she was addressed as datin too.
I wanna ask u ar.. do u think u will have enough money for their future education…I am just thinking abt my two kids…(not even in primary yet) and I already headache..you got 4 of them!!!!!!!! HOW AH?
We used to have a Datin in my Form 6 school too, but she did not teach us, so we didn’t have to address her. But from what I heard, her Form 4 students called her “Datin XXX” instead of “Mrs. XXX” or “teacher”..
Needless to guess, the Datin’s two sons in the same school were prefects with positions. And other students used to address the boys as “Datin XXX’s son”..
We can’t blame them though. Some people have very high regards to the titles they bear, oblivious to the amount of responsibility that comes with the titles.
i remember in my high school days just years ago when we had our first datin enter our classroom.
being the class monitor i shouted to attention
“Class Stand… SELAMAT PAGI CIKGU”
and the class repeated after me.
Then the teacher looked at us with no response when the norm is to greet us back. But no matter, some of us proceeded to sit down but as we were about to she said “BERDIRI!”
and then she said “UCAP LAGI!”
so we said it again “SELAMAT PAGI CIKGU”
and she still wasn’t happy … we were a little confused on what we had done wrong… again she said “UCAP LAGI” . this happened a few more times until she finally said
“CAKAP SELAMAT PAGI DATIN”..
So we all wished her “SELAMAT PAGI CIKGU”
and she finally let us all sit down.
Oh dear, and i thought Cik gu is the highest form of respect! I was once a temporary teacher, waiting for my sixth form results – and i taught in a primary schools. Until today, when i meet parents, they still called me Cik Gu..and I love it!
I do not let my boys off easily !!
Teachers pulling ranks or titles make me sick. They are there to teach and getting close to the kids. Maybe they are insufficient and need the titles to boost their mundane up-bringing.
There seem to be too many datuk/ datin in Msia. The titles were given for their good deeds and contributions to the society. Ain’t we joe public juz so lucky to have so many of these kind-hearted and distinctive individuals 😛
Lilian.. I think U can sure ask me for a ‘free MC’ if U really need to.
I remember that in SG, if child ponteng or went AWOL or disappear from class after 9am, immediately the NOK (usually my mom cos I was a hell-in-school) is called up to check as it’s the form teacher’s duty to do so. After that… I always get the call from the Principal directly if over 3 occurances.
No need for stupid MC etc.
Datin ? she must be feeling damn inferior….diu
Actually, being in Form 4 is not that much of a honeymoon year coz that’s the year where the basics of foundations were built up for SPM.
back in my school, our teachers were datins, puan sris and the lot.
we never called them by their titles.
they never asked us to.
we called them ‘teacher’ or ‘cikgu’.
as in “selamat pagi cikgu!” or “teacher, teacher… i don’t understand this problem…”
unless we’re addressing them by name when bumping into them in corridors “selamat pagi, datin rosnah,”
but they themselves never corrected us, telling us to call them by their titles. it’s usually someone else who will nudge us and say… “eh, you know pn. rosnah’s husband got a datukship?”
man, it’s pretty sad when people start pulling rank…
How can she demand to be called Datin???? In school or out, she shld be referred to as “teacher”. If i get to hear that fm my kid, i’m so gonna goldfinger her to the Ed Dept.
I had an English teacher during Form 4 in Malacca’s Infant Jesus Convent, this teacher is a wife to a doctor aka Dato. Everytime when the students greet her “Good morning teacher”. She will reply “Dont call me teacher, call me Datin!”. So, everytime she came into our class, we will greet her “Good morning Datin”. And she walked like a peacock.
Calling datin? So 3rd world.
Due to lack of wisdom and confidence, shallow plate need title to fufill their ego. I don’t see how the children will benefit from such people.
Lame, lame, lame is all i can say. Egotistical teachers. The problem now is that most people DON’T WANT to be teachers. The other thing is, Datukships depend on how much money you contribute to “society”. Sorry to those who genuinely help. Also as a “Datin” they NEVER EARNED the title. It was all the husband’s work. Of course they will then be proud of that title esp among their stuck up peers.
SHAMEFUL! The degradation of what my alma mater has become. I was under Bro Paul for a short period of time after Bro Casimir (God rest his soul) retired.
Don’t know if u will see this, just wander across your interesting site @ past articles.
I have kids myself, when they were 3 & 5, had to sent them to paediatrician practically every 3 weeks, after one another on nasal related problems/asthma/flu. The doc had become so used to us that on one occassion she mistakenly said, good to see you again. ‘What’, not in this circumstance. It was one of that period on a sunday, medicine ran out & the clinic was closed, I had no choice but to visit a pharmacy for medicine replenishment. I related my perenial problem to this pharmacist, Nancy Ho( now Datuk, mind you, not datin), she recommended some muti-vitamins (i should say they are quite expansive, from usa) for my kids to built up their immunity. Since taking that all their problems seem to disappeared overnight.