Tiger Mum

So I was having a leisurely swim at the swimming pool. It was just me and another sunny afternoon, clocking laps in the bid to keep that engine oiled. Minutes passed, and the scenery stayed the same. Raise head out of water, inhale, splash back into water, exhale. The monotony of the sound of water flooding and then trickling out of my ears was only interrupted by the entrance of the main characters of this blog post. 

A middle aged woman emerged, with two young boys in tow. By the looks of it, the boys couldn't be older than ten years old. 

"Get into the pool!", barked the mother. "Today we are doing 40 laps."

"But Mum! Daddy says we're only supposed to do 35 laps..", bargained the older boy. 

"No buts! I say 40 means 40!", the mother rebuked. The two boys were disgruntled, but they meekly obeyed. The younger boy was only too happy to leave the bargaining, and subsequent scolding, to his older brother.

They started with swimming boards for warm up. With the boundless energy that springs from their youth, it seemed only a short while before the twin dynamos did 4 laps. Their tiny legs kicked in sync, harmonizing the pitter patter rhythm across the water's surface.

For some reason known only to little (and necessarily pesky) boys, a short while into their routine they started quarreling. I cannot pinpoint the exact reason, but I think it was because the the younger boy cut into the older boy's lane. Over something inconsequential, they started bickering.. Boys are silly like that. In my head, I went "Uh no..". No doubt, the mother will soon be hot on their trail. I know because I speak from personal experience. 

True to my prediction, the mother burst onto the scene. Over the cacophony of arguments, the two boys presented their case to her. The older boy thought he had the stronger suit. Obviously, his brother was in the wrong and should be punished! But oh.. woe is him and his sense of righteousness! 

Regardless of who was right or wrong, both boys were punished. The swimming boards were taken from them. They were made to swim the remaining laps without its aid. Against the wrath of Emperor Dowager, the boys had no recourse. That afternoon, their mother taught them an important lesson in teamwork and cooperation.

While the boys were put through their paces, the mother paced tirelessly along the length of the pool. Under the blazing sun, she kept a vigilant eye on her charges. Grasping a stopwatch in hand, she constantly barked orders at her boys. The snap of her fingers split the air resoundingly, its amplitude not unlike that of the crack of a whip.

"Change to breaststroke!"

"Ok. Now butterfly!"

She didn't need a whistle. Her shrill voice rang out authoritatively across the expanse of the pool. There was no mistaking it - the lady glowering from the reflected rays of the sun was the physical embodiment of the fabled tiger mother.

The competitive side of me whispered furtively. Given how I'm more advanced in years, I could surely lap the inexperienced fledglings easily? That inception planted a seed of thought in my head, which blossomed into a course of action. I'll do it! 

I thought I should give them a handicap. So when they launched off, I surreptitiously counted to 10 before I took off. I slammed down the throttle, but no matter how furiously I paddled, they only seemed to drift further and further away. They torpedo-ed through the water like a dolphin, while I lagged behind in their wake like a wounded duck. My muscles burned, eventually refusing to continue functioning at the breakneck speed I demanded of them. Then, I knew the race was lost.

Under their tiger mum, the boys have already started putting in their hours. It'll only be a matter of time before the 10,000th hour mark (achievement unlocked!) is hit. By hook or by crook, using a mix of persuasion, pleading, cajoling and threatening, she put her children through rigorous training. Yet, beneath that tough facade, hints of motherly love were apparent. There was a water bottle positioned thoughtfully at the water's edge. When the boy's trunks slipped a little (opps parental guidance advised here), she readjusted the knot for him before slapping his ass to get back into the water. 

Tough love indeed. Perhaps I should make a rain check on these 2 precocious kids 20 years down the road.