Voice Your Opinion About Cambodia: Who’s Your Hero? 
Who’s Your Hero?
Who’s Your Hero?
By Prak Hap
April 15, 2005
As first time parents many have had this experience as I did when my first grade child caught me by surprise with his three word question while I was preoccupied in the kitchen on one Spring Saturday morning back in 1991. Then days later my nieces, same age as my son, popped the same question at me again when they were visiting us. Weeks later, our families got together for a cook out in my backyard. There were about 10 kids in grade school with us in that cool afternoon.
Kids had plan and warned me to stay out of it. One noticeable thing about kids they stuck together and off they did pop the same question to other adults. I realized myself as I saw all faces were awestruck and fell silence. But kids insisted, some adults mumbled and others affectionately yelled at kids with a question answer “what’s that, huh?”
The simple question required soul searching for brief moment. The chat and tease was on hold as kids giggled and repeated the question. Adults looked at one another and gave kids some answers that did not meet their learned answer. Parents tried to impress their own kids with well known singers, cartoon characters, athletes or some big names comedians but to no good. The children shared answers with each others and enjoyed adult dumbstruck reaction to their simple question with a lack of spontaneity.
I recalled my moment was one on one. Actually I was lost for moment with known names but thought that served no purpose for my kid memory. My parents were my answer. Also I mentioned that in Cambodia farming background and no big name in public domain was not socially respected. My child gave me the cutest smiling surprise. Yaw’ sure Pouk, he asked? Then he came close and whispered “Good Pouk (father in Khmer).” The reply he was proud, his grandparents were earth linked people. In the evening he did share with his mother the same thing.
The point is kids expected us to be ready and provided them confidence even with the most simple thing. My son taught me the unexpected may be the clue for best answer that mattered most was within the house. He said his teacher told him root was important matter for a person. That was very meaningful and exemplary pride for them. They did not care about others but their people whom they already knew. A lot of time people looked outward for best answer but kid liked it better if it was family root.
Khmer emphasis on heroism is more altruistic and divine. Often parents used riddle in morality guidance such as we must first worship in-house before outside divines. No other divine is far better than own. Thus it invoked memories that Khmer way of teaching heroic virtue and loyalty was far more tactful than the comparable. This little example made me proud of my early Khmer public education in morality.
By Prak Hap
April 15, 2005
As first time parents many have had this experience as I did when my first grade child caught me by surprise with his three word question while I was preoccupied in the kitchen on one Spring Saturday morning back in 1991. Then days later my nieces, same age as my son, popped the same question at me again when they were visiting us. Weeks later, our families got together for a cook out in my backyard. There were about 10 kids in grade school with us in that cool afternoon.
Kids had plan and warned me to stay out of it. One noticeable thing about kids they stuck together and off they did pop the same question to other adults. I realized myself as I saw all faces were awestruck and fell silence. But kids insisted, some adults mumbled and others affectionately yelled at kids with a question answer “what’s that, huh?”
The simple question required soul searching for brief moment. The chat and tease was on hold as kids giggled and repeated the question. Adults looked at one another and gave kids some answers that did not meet their learned answer. Parents tried to impress their own kids with well known singers, cartoon characters, athletes or some big names comedians but to no good. The children shared answers with each others and enjoyed adult dumbstruck reaction to their simple question with a lack of spontaneity.
I recalled my moment was one on one. Actually I was lost for moment with known names but thought that served no purpose for my kid memory. My parents were my answer. Also I mentioned that in Cambodia farming background and no big name in public domain was not socially respected. My child gave me the cutest smiling surprise. Yaw’ sure Pouk, he asked? Then he came close and whispered “Good Pouk (father in Khmer).” The reply he was proud, his grandparents were earth linked people. In the evening he did share with his mother the same thing.
The point is kids expected us to be ready and provided them confidence even with the most simple thing. My son taught me the unexpected may be the clue for best answer that mattered most was within the house. He said his teacher told him root was important matter for a person. That was very meaningful and exemplary pride for them. They did not care about others but their people whom they already knew. A lot of time people looked outward for best answer but kid liked it better if it was family root.
Khmer emphasis on heroism is more altruistic and divine. Often parents used riddle in morality guidance such as we must first worship in-house before outside divines. No other divine is far better than own. Thus it invoked memories that Khmer way of teaching heroic virtue and loyalty was far more tactful than the comparable. This little example made me proud of my early Khmer public education in morality.
SUBMITTED BY: Hap Prak Email: prakhap....@hotmail.com Sat, 16 Apr 2005
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