Parenting on Purpose

Three Thursdays ago, my little one started school. Thanks to a recommendation from one of my fellow stay-at-home mums, we booked a trial class for Z at a playgroup near our home. I already liked the name of the centre as it certainly did not sound too academic. Furthermore, it seemed to be in line with our philosophy of learning through play, especially at this stage of Z's life where he learns best this way. We just wanted him to know that learning is good plain fun! I was honestly quite apprehensive about the whole affair, as it has just been Z and me at home all this while, and our son tends to be very clingy. He therefore takes a long while to warm up to strangers. We had however decided that the time was ripe. Recently, I have noticed the look of longing on his face every time a child from the neighbourhood came by to say hello and eventually bade goodbye. Z would stand there and look mournful as his new friend walked away. Mark says that was how he often felt as an only

A brand new year. A brand new experience. That's what school children across Singapore went through last week, the start of a brand new school year. Anxious parents across the country accompanied their children to their new schools, hopeful that their little ones would adjust to the biggest change in their lives as yet. My good friend Edwin remarked sadly that he was not able to join his oldest daughter, A, who is entering Primary One this year. For my step-sister Priscilla, her son, E, has been eagerly anticipating school even before the year began, and he enjoyed his first day in Primary School. Also present in school was the Education Minister Heng Swee Kiat. Addressing the parents, Mr Heng stressed that fathers should take a more active role in raising their children. He noted that involved fathers have a postive influence on their children, a role that should be shared with the mothers. Research studies concur with Minister Heng's comments. For inst