spare the grandma (spoil the child)

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9 lives - click for larger flickr view

Y: Hey, look at this! [points at image in the Butterflies of Singapore book.]
J: What's that?
Y: It's a caterpillar! You know, the young one of a butterfly...before it transforms and becomes a pretty butterfly. Duh.
J: [grunts]
Y: Anyway, the book says that in order to avoid being eaten by its predator, this caterpillar of a lime butterfly "adopts the shape and colour of bird droppings". Haha...
J: Haha...
Y: Caterpillar A meets his friend Caterpillar B on a leaf and says - "Hey man, what's wrong with you?"
J: ... Haha, I know I know - "Hey man, what's wrong with you? You look like shit today!"

J and I finished this drawing today. The idea was inspired not by our corny conversation but triggered by the monologue at the dinner table next to ours last evening. It wasn't difficult to eavesdrop, given the agitated tone of the speaker - a lady in her 30s - and the volume of her frustrations all through dessert. The complaints to her companions were about her mother-in-law who helps to look after her two young daughters and in the process, has supposedly spoiled them. It's tough to be a grandma if you aren't allowed to indulge your grandkids, and are required instead to re-play the disciplinary routines you exercised with your kids. It's a flawed logic, but maybe it would be better not having kids if you cannot enjoy one of the rewards of parenthood - spoiling your grandkids to bits.

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