After 25 years of living in America, I have to say that we, Chinese, really need to learn from the western culture about public behaivor etiquette, such as greeting people properly, speaking discreetly in public, being polite to fellow shoppers at crowded grocery shops, etc.  Therefore, in addition to prep the children for Ivy league colleges, I’d like to suggest that chinese parents pay a little bit attention to training/influence/educate kids about public behavior etiquette as well.

Several years ago, I was taking a shower in the lady’s shower stall in a swimming club.  Here walked in a chinese mother with a boy and a girl.  They came in the shower and behaved as if they were right in their own bothroom.  I asked the mother how old the boy was, she replied proudly:"oh, he was 7 years old".  Oh, my god, has she seen the note posted at the entrance that no boys over 7 are allowed?  I asked"Isn’t he a little too old to be here?" She pretended not to hear me and went on her business to pamper her two kids (a girl and a boy).  Well, I will not let it go.  The club staff escorted the boy out of the women’s shower right after I reported the incident.

I thought I mellowed down a little bit after these years.  However, what happened today made me wrtie this blog to urge parents:" Public Behavior Etiquette" is as important as "Going to Ivy League Colleges"

A chinese boy and his mother walked into Women’s restroom right in front of me, the boy intended to go to Men’s, but his mother tugged the boy and led the boy into Women’s.  The boy, to me, is at least 7 years old.  I understand that the mother may be concerned about the boy’s safety if the boy goes to the Men’s alone.  But the mother could have stood in front of Men’s room and wait till the boy came out.  Anyway, they were in front of me, and unfortunately there was even a line.  If bringing the7-year-old boy into Women’s room is not appropriate,  what happened next is more inappropriate.  The mother got impatient in the line, she bent down to peek the stalls to see whether any of the stalls are vacant.  The boy copied.  That was it for me.  I said:"no, stop, this is Women’s room, boys should not do that.".  the mother pretended nothing happened and the boy lifted himself up and  looked at me with a curious look.  A white woman vitnessing the incident gave me a thumbs up and a smile.

I felt proud of myself for speaking out and bad for witnessing my fellow chinese behave inappropriately in the public.  I urge the parents to pay little bit attention to teach/educate the kids about public behavior etiquette, because" Public Behavior Etiquette" is as important as "Going to Ivy League Colleges"