I was working on a translation job of a Japanese high-school drama scheduled to go on air next month in Japan and recalled a number of incidences I saw about what the Japanese call Monpa (short for Monster Parents).
For the unfamiliar, Monpas are parents who create havoc in the school, giving trouble to teachers by making unreasonable demands and either not give them enough authority to help discipline their children or give them entire responsibility in educating their off-springs.
In a scene of the drama’s trailers, a statement appears saying that the drama is made for adults. Not as in pornography, but for them to understand the problems and difficulties teachers face.
Back when I was teaching at schools in Aichi, I witnessed a couple of cases of Monpas. Although in one case, I wouldn’t call the parent a Monpa when the rest of the teachers called the mother that in the staff room. What happened was, the kid had been attending English classes since he was little, so it is only understandable that his level of English is better than most of his peers. During a test, a fill-in-the-blanks question went something like:
Koji _________ to school already.
While the correct answer in the teacher’s booklet was “went,” the student wrote “has gone” and the teacher marked him wrong. Seeing that, the mother was furious and went to school to get his son’s points back. The English teacher came to me and asked me if his answer was correct and I said yes. She seemed slightly disappointed that the mother was right and went back into the principal’s office to explain to the mother that he was marked incorrect because the class hadn’t learned that yet. But the mother insisted, how can you mark a right answer incorrect just because the class doesn’t know it? I agree with the mother because a right answer is a right answer; just because the rest of the world doesn’t know gravity exists doesn’t make Newton wrong. Unless the question specifically asked them to fill in the Past Tense.
Back to the drama, I think it is an appropriate show that should broadcast on free-to-air TV in Singapore as well. We’ve all seen a lot of dramas about horrible parents treating teachers badly and shake our heads at it. But when most of my friends my age are parents now, I’ve seen disappointing behaviors by some who used to cringe at Monpas.
Some time ago, a friend Y posted on Facebook a picture of her kids playing with their toys past 10 pm and said they refused to keep their toys and go to bed. Her friend commented saying she faces the same problems with her kids and asked how Y solved the issue. Y proudly announced that her solution to that was, she called her daughter’s teacher and asked her to tell her daughter to keep her toys and go to bed.
That worked.
But I’m not sure if she realized what she did. She called a teacher past 10 pm at night when the working hours are over; when it should be the teacher’s time and right to rest and relax; to have fun and have a private life. She asked the teacher to tell her daughter to keep her toys and go to bed; a non-family member to tell her daughter to be obedient. By doing that, she has given up all authority on her kids and, as much as this is a strong word, failed as a parent.
But seeing things like that happening means, even though I’m shaking my head at it now, I could very possibly become one of them should I have children of my own. Friends like this help remind me I should keep myself in check as well. That is IF I have kids of my own.
Monster Parents. My fav topic.
Just to share a story that happened last week:
A child (let’s called her “M”) threatened to get her mom to come to school to beat a classmate who refused to share a toy (the poor child just started playing) . The child who was threatened was so traumatized that she cried while complaining to teacher.
M has done this form of threats often and often engaged in fights.
When informing the M’s mom- her response : “Have you actually heard M saying that?” (read: Don’t anyhow accuse my child.)
This type of parents is not in the minority.
Overprotective, defensive and refusal to manage their child’s behavior.
And the only form of “discipline” for any misbehavior in school is just a 4-5 minute time-out, or perhaps a trip to the Principal’s office (if the principal is around). So, yes, Parents still have to manage their child, not the school. We don’t have the authority.
To add on, fav statements from these parents often include: “My child don’t lie ( Yes! they do, and they most likely learn it from you.) and “Please make sure that my child don’t get injured in school (Double standards: can you ensure that at home?)
And for the calling of teacher on a late timing- I think it should be in any school’s SOP that teachers’ personal numbers should never be released to parents.
I made the mistake of accidentally releasing my number to a parent when I had to called her as she was late in picking up the child- and she called me on a public holiday (Christmas) to ask about school matters. I changed my number after that call.
Wow, I’m interested in hearing how the situation panned out.
Can I ask… what’s your rate/market rate for translating subtitles? No worries if you find it uncomfy to answer. Thanks!
That depends on a lot of factors. I’m assuming you are asking about J-E translation and some of the things to consider are:
– is the script available?
– if not, is transcription required?
– do I have to mark time code?
– is there character limit per line of English text?
– how many lines per scene can I break it into?
– what’s the turnaround time?
– if there is an external checker, do I have to respond to that and do the final edit? etc.
So I can’t give a rate without taking all these into consideration. Maybe I’ll write a more detailed post about this another day.
Ah, ok, thanks!
I mean did the school end up having to apologise?
I’ve never really consciously decide to write about children so I didn’t notice it. Anyhow, I can’t speak for all men since I’ve been labeled abnormal by people but I used to want to get married at 23 so that the age gap between myself and my children wouldn’t be too great. But I just entered uni then so it couldn’t happen (and also I didn’t have a partner). Then I thought 25, but I just graduated so again, out of the question, and again, no partner. Then I thought 28 but I just moved to Japan and spent almost all my savings to do that, so out of the question. And then it didn’t bother me to decide on an age anymore. But when I turned 30, I felt very thankful I didn’t marry earlier because I realised I wouldn’t have been matured enough to be in a marriage. Now, I do think I am, mentally, so if the right person comes along, it could happen. But still, no partner.
I don’t want to rush into things or set a target age because I don’t want to get married for the sake of being married. Given my age though, it’s probably better that I get married soon, but I guess if fate hasn’t planned a partner for me, I can be that doting uncle to my sis’ and cousins’ children.
And, by the way, I never saw Overtime =\
Hmm, might I ask if this drama is 先に生まれただけの僕? Just curious. =P
Bingo! Are you watching it?
I didn’t catch a single episode so am not very sure how good it is (not a fan of dramas =\)
Haha, yes, I am :3
How good is it? Hmm, I’d say it’s an okay drama (on my rating scale, it currently gets a 7/10, but may possibly fall by season’s end). Not one of the outright good ones, but I’ve certainly seen worse.
It is, however, one of the type of drama that features very little cheese (in terms of acting or “direction/special effects”), so that’s a plus in my book, heh.
7/10 doesn’t sound that bad. Regardless of how the drama actually turned out, based on the trailers alone, I thought the concept was pretty cool.