Beggers like to choose

Growing up I was taught that one should empty one's plate. Although it's not always great for the waistline, it's good manners and food doesn't go to waste. After all, there are a lot of people who have no food at all.

In recent months, however I have been seeing how picky people can be about food. It seems to be a huge tendency in the people that are previously diisadvantaged.

I may not be nuts about rice, pap and cabbage, but I eat whatever is put in front of me with all the appreciation possible. It's much worse where there is none.

A few months ago we visited the home of relatives and had pap or oats for breakfast, whilst the domestic's child luxuriated on huge bowls of cereal that was actually bought for us. This child also refused to drink cordials, insisting on Coca-Cola instead and he didn't eat vegetables as he preffered meat, no matter who got short-changed in the process. This child wears R400 Reeboks whilst my children look great and are perfectly happy with their R40 Ackermans shoes. The mother had her hair done for R100 recently and then cried as there was no food at home for the children. I refuse to have a haircut if it's more than R60 and that's only once every 3 months. This same woman is expecting me to give her a heirloom of a woman she hated and stole from on her death-bed.

Last week I attended a function and happened to land at a table with a lady and her 4 young children. The children were thin with big, hungry eyes, looking around in anticipation at the food and treats available.

The first course arrived - chicken soup, ideal for the cold winter's day. It may not have been the most tasty soup I have ever had, but my body yearned for the nutrients. My daughter asked for seconds, but I explained that there are other children that are less fortunate and she should leave some for them. Alas, the three older children of the other woman, all sent back their entire bowl of soup. The youngest was a baby and shared with the mother.

Then arrived the main course: fried chicken with rice and veggies. Again, the family scoffed down the chicken, but the rice and vegetables were sent back as is. My family could've been fed on that alone for 2 meals. What a waste - how rude?

Dessert was gulped up by the now starving kids and when the cake arrived, my family had to share two tiny little pieces.

I don't understand how poor people don't teach their children to eat what they get and be appreciative. You could count on 2 hands how many times my children had cereal in their 6 years, instead, they eat pap, Mabella and sometimes as a treat, oats.

This utter rudeness obviously stems from the parents' inability to prioritise and the general sense of entitlement.

We can't expect this country (or the world for that matter) to change unless we can change our priorities.