【童趣】Born in a Hong Kong prison

r
renqiulan
楼主 (文学城)

Don't get me wrong. I am not crazy enough to think or say that it is fun being born in a prison. But prison-born babies are babies too. Having some fun is every baby's birthright, in my humble opinion.


Back in the good/bad old days when Hong Kong was still run by a pragmatic British administration, "prison babies" were everyone's angels behind bars, as witnessed by my mother who was an officially-appointed visitor checking on child welfare. She speaks fluent Putonghua and Cantonese on top of English. Along with a pediatrician, she made sure that every "prison baby" was in good hands. She was rarely disappointed.


Technically, "prison babies" were born in public hospitals. After birth, they would be back in their jailed mothers' care until they're three years old when their future welfare plans had been worked out, thanks to the Social Welfare Department. My mother once showed me a Radio/Television Hong Kong documentary on these "prison babies." However, this documentary is nowhere to be found today. 


My mother is still missing her "prison babies." 



Author: renqiulan

 

This Google image is in the public domain.


C
CBA7
Unique story tells unique babies, thanks for sharing!
l
lovecat08
新鲜题材;"prison babies"
l
lovecat08
中美体制可能不同?尤其是洋娃娃的"prison babies"!
r
renqiulan
I like the word "unique." Thanks! I have to run. See ya!
r
renqiulan
Their babycare was really good, according to my mom.
r
renqiulan
Pre-1997 Hong Kong's "prison babies" fared better, I think.
花似鹿葱
瞧你这题目,吓出一身冷汗啊!不过,真正涨姿势的故事。赞
l
lovecat08
1997年,我在香港,大日子啊!
A
AP33912
有意义的工作。香港的全民医保制度也确保了pb 的健康。
r
renqiulan
据家母回忆,“政权移交”当日,天昏地暗,风雨大作。我家不迷信天象,许多香港人却相信。
唐宋韵
谢谢分享。反映的是一个文明的社会。这不是靠钱,靠的是理念。
r
renqiulan
莫非葱姐以为秋兰在香港狱中出生?再看自己的标题,的确会令人有此猜想。
r
renqiulan
谢谢AP! 九七之前,港英政府经常委任无官职人士义务充当监察狱政工作。家母是由当时驻港美国领使举荐的。
r
renqiulan
谢谢唐宋君。香港自上世纪七十年代成立廉政公署起,逐渐肃贪成功。加上议会制度渐趋成熟,民意民气居前,所以社会较文明。
L
Lucky_man
你是香港仁?
r
renqiulan
谢谢提问。家母才算得上是香港人。我自己只是过客。
花似鹿葱
你高看自己啦,我以为你母亲呢!
r
renqiulan
欣赏葱姐的对答。
s
shuier
Back then, child welfare came first even in prisons.
h
hahumiaomiao
curious to know the title of the documentary about

HK prison babies 

寒苇
I like your writing style and your story.
r
renqiulan
If I recall correctly, it's an episode of The HK Connection.
r
renqiulan
The title of that episode? It slipped my mind.