2015-08-10

【Aiden in English】

        Without discipline, nothing can be done. Some kids just are way too violent. I don’t know what their parents teach them. But whatever it is with them, the new generation of kids hurt! 

        Never in my life have I seen such a fearful stick. It gets even more intimidating that it’s being wielded by a cranky six years old. The day was another regular one, other than the fact that mom nearly took me to her work place by accident. It was a minor issue, but that cost me about twenty minutes, which was why I was late to the GHCS camp. I taught the classes, and helped when I was supposed to help. In the afternoon, as the day’s final activity, all the kids put on their sunblock, grabbed whatever they wanted to play outside, and lined up for the great outdoors. 

        When I was a kid like their ages, I loved to “sword fight”. I would use sticks, rolled up newspapers, and basically whatever long and hard thing I could find. Now I’ve grown up and see how stupid I used to look. But these kids were rather different than the way I used to handle swords. They got newspapers that, in their hands, seemed like battle axes that were on fire. They whacked hard! As a teacher assistant, I wasn’t allowed to harm any kids, but the contract never said anything about not having fun. So, I turned around and picked up a stick. Yeah, you’re probably right. This was a bad idea, but what the heck?! It’s the kid’s fault for starting it, which was true. The assault on kids ten and above was started by a whiny kid who probably got cranky because he didn’t take a nap. Oh well, but he still was asking for it. I, on the other hand, felt obligated to give it to him, full force. Eventually, it wasn’t me who hit him, but another pissed-off twelve years old who bashed him in the side of his head. He started to cry, which should’ve seen it coming. He sulked off a few meters away and just stared at us like a weirdo with a puffy face. After the outdoor time, the kid told the teacher that we hit him, which kind of made him look sillier than he already was. I guess he’s jerk and a hypocrite. 

        The newspapers were actually for Kung-Fu lessons, but I think that the teacher went too far. You know how dangerous it was to teach such skill to someone who handled could not.

【红霞译文】

        没有规矩，难以成方圆。有些孩童行为野蛮，我不知道其父母如何管教子女，跟这类淘气包无论做什么事情，同伴们肯定遭殃。

        我有生以来从未见过如此可怕的棍子，年仅六岁调皮捣蛋的男孩手里拿着这种玩艺真会把人吓死。今天可谓极其普通的日子，可妈妈偏偏出了纰漏，差点带我跟她一起去公司上班，这么小小的一个失误，让我白白搭进了廿分钟光景，结果等赶到光华中文学校，夏令营已经开始。我有教课任务，同时还要义工服务，一定随叫随到。在下午进行最后一项活动之前，所有营员都已涂抹防晒霜，并带上户外所需用品，正排好队伍朝户外开拔。

        记得我像这些营员这么大的时候，特别喜欢“舞剑”，随手撩起棍棒、卷起报纸以及任何又长又硬的东西当替代物。现在长大了，我逐渐意识到过去的举止行为十分幼稚。眼下这帮小不点与我当时玩剑的方式大不相同，紧攥在他们手心的报纸看上去宛若金火闪闪的斧子，他们不管三七二十一到处乱舞！身为助教，我不能不管，但又不允许强行制止，以免误伤营员，况且夏令营合同上从未明文禁止娱乐形式。我只好借助转身之际顺手抄起一根棍子，你大概是对的，这么做并非恰当，但突发状况下哪顾得上周全考虑呀？！本来错就出在挑头惹事的那个孩子身上，他可能因为缺觉而乱发脾气，可挨打的对象都是十来岁的大孩子们，他完全自讨苦吃。我只好任其折腾，最后倒不是因为我的阻止才停止交锋，而是被一位十二岁惹得发毛的男生打中了脑袋，他嚎啕大哭，其实这种结局早在预料之中。他站在离我们几米远的地方，像个怪物一样气鼓鼓地瞪着大家。等室外活动结束，他向老师状告我们打人，充分暴露出不讲道理的恶习，我觉得他已浑到自欺欺人的地步。

        话说营员们玩的报纸，本来都是为功夫课准备的，我认为老师太过大意，要知道对年幼孩子教授舞剑技能是很危险的，因为他根本不懂得适可而止。