mine are better than yours

Little children, Taipei loves you! And so do ampulets, especially TOHA

On our first day in Taiwan, J already insisted that kids in Taiwan were cuter than those in Singapore. Our second day in Taiwan, this conversation took place -

J: Taiwanese kids are definitely cuter.
Y: Really?
J: Yah, see. Look at them. Kids in Singapore are plain irritating.
Y: Aiyah, this is another case of grass is greener...they are about the same. Mostly ugly Chinese kids. Duck girls and boys.
J: No, really. Look at them.

I looked at two mothers walk by, each with a toddler holding their hand.

Y: Ok, maybe you are right. [casting a critical eye] But maybe it's just styling.
J: No, no, something more... don't you think they are not so irritating, not trying so hard to be cute, less noisy and inconsiderate.
Y: Oh, I see what you mean now...

J and I walked into a park, where kids are running around the playground, their parents and grandparents watching from a distance. Taipei has many parks and all of them have generous playgrounds. J and I then walked to a square outside a train station, where kids were running around playing with a frisbee and cycling, their parents and grandparents watching from a distance.

We then entered a subway station, and walked behind a mother whose kid was trailing behind. She turned around and said matter-a-factly: "hurry up now, or we'll miss the train." There was no shouting. No humiliating scolding. No interfering instructions. No extended babytalk. None of that endless fussing about not running around, holding hands, not getting dirty, not falling down.

J: Hmmm...
Y: Hmmm...
J: I think I know the main reason why...
Y: Yup.