【童趣】Born in a Hong Kong prison

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.

所有跟帖： 

• Unique story tells unique babies, thanks for sharing! -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 10:31:27

• I like the word "unique." Thanks! I have to run. See ya! -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 10:47:54

• 新鮮題材；"prison babies" -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 10:43:35

• 中美體製可能不同？尤其是洋娃娃的"prison babies"！ -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 10:45:12

• Pre-1997 Hong Kong's "prison babies" fared better, I think. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 10:53:10

• 1997年，我在香港，大日子啊！ -lovecat08- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 11:18:21

• 據家母回憶，“政權移交”當日，天昏地暗，風雨大作。我家不迷信天象，許多香港人卻相信。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 11:48:16

• Their babycare was really good, according to my mom. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 10:49:44

• 瞧你這題目，嚇出一身冷汗啊！不過，真正漲姿勢的故事。讚 -花似鹿蔥- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 11:12:31

• 莫非蔥姐以為秋蘭在香港獄中出生？再看自己的標題，的確會令人有此猜想。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 12:02:04

• 你高看自己啦，我以為你母親呢！ -花似鹿蔥- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 15:24:03

• 欣賞蔥姐的對答。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 15:57:04

• 有意義的工作。香港的全民醫保製度也確保了pb 的健康。 -AP33912- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 11:24:00

• 謝謝AP! 九七之前，港英政府經常委任無官職人士義務充當監察獄政工作。家母是由當時駐港美國領使舉薦的。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 12:07:21

• 謝謝分享。反映的是一個文明的社會。這不是靠錢，靠的是理念。 -唐宋韻- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 11:51:49

• 謝謝唐宋君。香港自上世紀七十年代成立廉政公署起，逐漸肅貪成功。加上議會製度漸趨成熟，民意民氣居前，所以社會較文明。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 12:11:59

• 你是香港仁? -Lucky_man- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 14:49:01

• 謝謝提問。家母才算得上是香港人。我自己隻是過客。 -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 14:56:39

• Back then, child welfare came first even in prisons. -shuier- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 19:01:59

• curious to know the title of the documentary about -hahumiaomiao- ♀ (31 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 19:13:20

• If I recall correctly, it's an episode of The HK Connection. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 19:20:31

• The title of that episode? It slipped my mind. -renqiulan- ♂ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 19:22:55

• I like your writing style and your story. -寒葦- ♀ (0 bytes) () 05/17/2023 postreply 19:16:44