Singapore — mamawearpapashirt

What does it take to raise socially responsible kids in Singapore?

May 16, 2013 3 Comments

Do you want your child to learn how to be socially responsible?

To be more aware of social issues, be able to think of ways to achieve a better way of life, and take the appropriate action?

Enter the Design for Change (DFC) School Challenge.

Organised in Singapore by social enterprise SoCh in Action (an abbreviation for social change in action), all components of the programme are designed to empower 8-14 year olds to make a positive change in society. Now in its fourth year, some 45 schools, and 1200 students have gone through the DFC programme.

Madhu Verma, Founder of SoCh, says, “The interesting thing is that we begin by asking the children what bothers them, and then get them to go out and fix it themselves. By enabling children to take charge of the issues that affect them, we are inculcating a life-long habit where children assume responsibility instead of waiting to be told what to do.”

I had a chance to speak with Madhu to find out more about the DFC Challenge. Here are snippets of our conversation…

~~~~~~

1. What inspired you to start this movement?

I believe that social change and connecting to society should be a way of life. There are many simple things that one can do, and it doesn’t mean you have to build houses or plant trees. Even small little action steps can be taken to bring about positive change.

I’m a mother. My son was 9 years old when I started this. I drew inspiration from my desire to help my child be more socially conscious, and learn to give back. I found out that when a child is around 8-9 years old, it is prime time for them to understand and explore this concept of giving back.

I also felt that there was a gap. There were many programmes for youths to make a difference, but nobody was asking the child these questions: What issues bother you, and how can you make a difference?

In the Singapore education system, we tend to celebrate the smartest child. But we don’t really celebrate the one who’s the most kind, empathetic, and generous.

2. How exactly do you guide the children to contribute to society?

We meet with the students in a series of workshops, in which we provide tools for the students to perform and do their project.

1) We inspire them by sharing stories, connecting them to society/issues, helping them identify causes they can relate to.

2) We provide them with the tools to implement their ideas. It’s based on a design-thinking process – that is employed through creative thinking and problem-solving activities.

3) We empower them through the process, and as a result they are able to have a real social impact in their community.

After these workshops, they are ready to implement their project. They submit it, and at the end of the year, there is an annual event, where these projects are showcased in Singapore. The event serves as a celebration of their work and ideas.

When I started working with children, it was an amazing journey. I saw that this platform actually presents an opportunity for them to act on something that is close to their hearts, and empowers them to go out to do it.

3. What are some of the more interesting projects you’ve come across?

There are many different social causes. Some are concerned about genetically modified food, or other environmental issues.

One particular child (from Clementi Primary) was bothered about how teachers and parents “make a monster out of PSLE.” And because they make a monster out of it, it becomes a monster for us! (Those were his exact words.)

This boy went on to craft a message: that PSLE is not a monster. And that we can have better attitudes towards it.

At the end of the day, while we can’t really measure the impact he made with that project, we saw how much this student himself actually changed.

It’s all about the attitude.

There was another project on showing respect for elderly cleaners. Often, we don’t know the names of these people who clean our tables every day. We barely acknowledge their work, and they are generally not respected in the community. Through this project, students became more aware of these cleaners and more started clearing their own plates after a meal.

So, it’s about stopping and thinking about the world around you. When we gives children an avenue to think, and not just be told by others what to do, they actually start to own the problem it and be empowered by a spirit of “I can”.

~~~~~~

The DFC programme crosses socio-economic and racial barriers, and is tailored for every child.

SoCh will be offering holiday programmes at the end of this year for the first time. If you’d like to be updated, please email Madhu at: contact@sochinaction.com. Do also watch out for the Be the Change Exposition 2013 that happens in November.

I’m heartened that are such programmes available to help our kids grow in an area that is easily overlooked. Yet at the same time, I’m also sorely aware that social change and responsibility begins with us parents, and our children will first and foremost learn from our own attitudes and behaviour.

Which is why I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read this inspiring post by fellow blogger Elisa, who started A Litter At A Time. Let’s a lot to learn from her experience and exemplary behaviour.

Do you have a heart for a special cause? How would you rope your children in to contribute towards this cause?

Filed Under: Education, Learning is fun Tagged With: children, Singapore, social change, socially responsible

Sleep no enough

May 13, 2013 12 Comments

Sleep is almost always a big huge thorn in the butt for parents. Most of my friends with newborns or young babies are usually asking about sleep, naps, schedule, tactics, strategies, and the rest of it.

Javier was a rockabye baby. I remember when he was two to three months old, I felt like my arms were dropping off from all that rocking, so I turned to the yaolan for a few months. It helped because I could train him to settle into a reasonable routine (inspired by Gina Ford with a few of my own personalised tweaks). And when night came, I just made sure that he slept in his cot.

Overall, he was a better sleeper compared to Vera. Less yelling and fussing when sleepy-time came. More disciplined after feeding so he would unlatch and sleep when he had had his fill. I once thought he was quite the dream baby actually.

Then he reached his one-year milestone, and somewhere between that and 18 months, things went downhill. We saw periods of bad sleep, interspersed with some good “miracle” nights. But unfortunately, bad was the norm — He woke multiple times in the night, always needing some rocking and cajoling before going back to sleep.

When he started childcare at 20 months, his sleep remained pretty bad, partially due to the onset of flus and fevers, we think. It wasn’t till after 2 months had passed that we saw the light, which was just about time as I was starting to tear my hair out and scream, “What are we doing wrong?”

His nap was a good solid 1.5 – 2 hours, and he had a bedtime routine. Apart from sometimes running around playing with his sister, and getting a bit too excited because of that, I just couldn’t identify anything that could be the culprit. He was eating well at dinner-time (which was a clear two hours prior to bedtime), and having his milk before bed. We even tried to give him some bread with his milk for a time, just to eliminate hunger as the issue.

Then one day, hubby had a revelation. He suggested turning on the aircon for Javier at night. I felt dubious, but went along. We had nothing to lose, barring some increase in PUB bills.

Guess what? It worked like a charm. That first night with air-con, Javier slept and slept, with only a stirring round about midnight, and slept and slept till dawn. And for subsequent nights too.

Today, a few weeks from his second birthday, he can fall asleep on the bed without needing to be rocked, but with me (or grandma) beside him of course. (Of course, that didn’t just happen, you say? But it did. Daddy just asked him to sleep by himself on the bed one night, and it happened…Like a flick of a switch.)

Till now, I still wonder if it was a fluke on our part. That Javier was developmentally ready to sleep through peacefully, and we just happened to push him over the edge (or enhance the sleeping environment for him) by turning on the AC.

Whatever the case may be, I’m just glad to have a normal life back.

What I find funny is this — we crack our heads and spend half our zombified days fretting and trying to find a solution, and then suddenly the answer just appears, like a door you never saw. (I don’t like to generalise, but men sometimes have their moments of brilliance like that…)

And now I’m thinking that maybe just maybe it’s no use fretting and trying all ways and means to solve this and that problem with our babies. Maybe just maybe, it’s not really a problem per se.

No, I’m not saying that we leave them to their devices completely. But if you’ve tried and have left no stone unturned, then maybe it’s time to give it a rest. Maybe it’s okay to walk away from it all and process it when you’re able to do so without an emotional overload.

Maybe just maybe, they will be ready and do it all by themselves one day.

Maybe just maybe, despite all the best intentions of the Gina Fords, Elizabeth Pantleys and Tracy Hoggs, sleep is just a real mystery, one that needs time to unlock its secret keys…

But what do you think about children’s sleep? How do you cope with tiredness and lack of energy?

Filed Under: Family, Parenting Tagged With: developmentally ready, parents, problems, Singapore, sleep issue

Growing up with a nanny in Singapore

April 30, 2013 4 Comments

I was brought up by my nanny when I was a wee little baby. She was introduced to my mum by a close friend and plop into her arms I went.

As a few other babies were also in her care, I picked up social skills (you know, jealousy, toy-grabbing and self-defence), and apparently got so good at it that in the end she gave up the other babies and only continued to take care of me. All the way through the middle primary years.

You can tell I said that with a hint of pride.

So as the months and years passed, my nanny – originally envisaged to be a temporary carer – became my grand-godmother (“grand” simply because she was already advanced in age and her daughter had took on the position of godmother in my life).

I was sticky-tape close to the family, perhaps more so than my own in those carefree growing up years.

They never pressurised me through school. I just cruised by somehow. At that time, school was a breeze also, right?

I grew up in sunday school singing kiddy songs about Jesus, colouring worksheets, acting in plays, and learning about the world. Although I disliked waking up early, I was pretty much made to do it. No excuses. I reserved the right to be grumpy and dislikeable the whole morning though.

I don’t know how I would have turned out if I had not come under their care. At that time, my family was quite dysfunctional and my parents were caught up in their own lives. I cried every weekend when I had to return to the place called “home”. Not that I was abused or anything, I just didn’t feel loved all that much.

It’s funny how as a child, the time and love invested by my nanny and godmother could have such a profound impact on me. I remember even as a kid, I could still love with a kind of fierce love. When my nanny was old and her bones grew weak, I can distinctly remember the feeling of helplessness and wanting to do all I can to protect and to help her.

She influenced me in ways I can’t fully express. I saw how she lived her life with two children, without her husband beside her. I saw how she endured difficult moments with family members, and how she persevered. She embodied strength to me, even when I was still too young to understand it.

Even though she’s long gone to a better place, she’s left an enduring legacy in my life.

My godmother now is heavily involved in my kids’ lives. Despite being close to 70, she’s also my friend on facebook, and continues to be my most ardent blog reader (I suspect).

The reason why I’m sharing this story is because some of you may have gone through similar situations. But there was that one kind soul, a family friend perhaps, who brought you out of that dark stubborn world you were in, and into the light. We may have struggled with the issues of feeling unloved or even unwanted, but you ARE deeply loved, by a God who knows you by name.

The other reason why I’m sharing this is because I’m struck by the different ways in which we leave imprints on our children’s lives by the things we do or don’t do, say or don’t say. Whether we are conscious or not, we are influencing and guiding our children by the way we live our lives.

May is the month we celebrate our mums. This mother’s day, I want to honour my godmother, and my nanny. I also want to thank my mum, who’s become the most essential grandparent and care-giver to my kids. (She often jokes that she’s repaying her debt now by taking care of my dynamic duo.)

Without these three special women, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Thank you for living out what this quote can only describe:

“But your role in your family will never end. You will never be replaced. Your influence and the need for your influence never ends. Even after you are gone, your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren will still look to you as their parent or grandparent. Family is one of the few permanent roles in life, perhaps the only truly permanent role.”

- Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families

What were your growing up years like? Who had the biggest influence in your life?

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: godmother, growing up, mothers day, nanny, Singapore, stories

Chengzhu Mandarin enrichment for kids – review and giveaway

April 24, 2013 40 Comments

Have you heard of Chengzhu or “成竹”? The name comes from the Chinese idiom “胸有成竹” (to have an image of bamboo in one’s mind), which illustrates the confidence that good preparation can bring when taking on new challenges. It also means growing up tall and strong like bamboo.

Chengzhu Mandarin Centre, located in Rochester Mall, is a unique and holistic Chinese cultural environment established by Julia Gabriel Education, dedicated to helping children build their Mandarin language skills through stimulating, meaningful and joyful experiences.

Vera attended a trial class there recently and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here’s what she liked about it:

there was a lot of movement incorporated into the 1.5hr class (especially when they were asked to “hide” under a table and the teacher had to call them out, as part of a dramatisation of a storybook they were exploring that day)

that the story-teller teacher was loud and dramatic and funny

that she could earn chops for reading aloud the Chinese words they were learning

that she could play at the playground before and after her session.

What I liked about it:

the traditional Chinese art displays that deck the walls and halls

the play-before-you-work philosophy

the environment – including the simple, spacious classrooms that were conducive for learning

the teachers – most of them are native speakers from China and they spoke well, are easily understandable, and are good with children.

the well-stocked and conducive library

the pro-active attitude towards parental involvement – when the lesson ended, the lead teacher stepped out of the classroom (before the kids were dismissed) and briefed the parents on what the words and story that were taught, and also gave suggestions on how to reinforce the lesson at home, through play.

And here’s what Javier liked about it:

that he could play (while waiting for the other kids to arrive and the class to start)

and play!

Verdict:

Two thumbs up for the class. I really like the way they covered not just the listening and understanding aspect of the language, but also the experiential (through the drama), speech, and writing. It was a very holistic learning experience packed in 1.5 hours!

It was fun, there was lots of laughter, and it was obvious to me that the children enjoyed being there and enjoyed learning the language! I think that’s the best part.

~~Giveaway ~~

Chengzhu Mandarin Centre is offering 1 trial session for each of the following programmes during the month of May, which is limited to 8 readers:

Adult Accompanied Programmes
1. PlayNest (6 – 8 months)
2. PlayClub (18 months – 3 1/2 years)
3. Bilingual PlayClub (18 months – 3 1/2 years) (combines English and Mandarin)

Preschool Programmes
1. Little Pandas (N1 to N2)
2. Language Learners (N1 to K2)
3. Cultural Arts (N1 to K2)

School Year Programmes
1. Language Skills (P1 to P3)
2. Creative Writing (P1 to P3)

To enter, just like our Facebook page (if you haven’t done so), and leave a comment here stating which class you would like to win, and the name of your child.

Hurry! Contest closes 30 April, 12 noon. The 8 winners will be picked and notified via email on the same day.

PS. There are a few classes scheduled at different timings each day, so not to worry, we can sort out preferred timings after the winners are announced.

Good luck and have fun!

***And here are the winners!***

Congrats, Angie, Carol, Cheryl, Joyce, Ooyyoan, Qiu Xian, Kathryn, and Marilyn! We’ll be in touch by email to arrange for the class. Hope your little ones enjoy it! And thanks for participating, everyone!

Filed Under: Learning is fun, Reviews Tagged With: Chengzhu, children, giveaway, mandarin enrichment class, Singapore

On family bonding, free play and unconditional love

April 15, 2013 8 Comments

I took part in a panel discussion on family bonding last weekend organised by Oreo and the good folks at Text100.

Early childhood specialists Esther Ng, Jacqui Balloqui-Probert, and Yang Chien-Hui shared their views and experience from working with troubled or special needs children and their families.

Parents from all walks of life shared about the different ways we bond with our families, ranging from weekly lunch dates to one-on-one time with our children. Doing homework, by the way, doesn’t quite count as a bonding activity due to its task-oriented nature.

We also shared our universal struggles of having not enough time, and of the increasingly competitive and hectic lifestyles that hinder our efforts in building relationships within the home.

I struggle too, despite having flexible work arrangement. Despite having two extra weekdays at home with my children, I find that a portion of this time could easily be eaten up by urgent work-related requests or phone-calls. Either that or sometimes time just slips me by, and I find myself feeling guilty when I’m unable to spend as much time as I wanted playing with the kids.

And at this age, they need loads of play. Jacqui, an art psychotherapist and youth counselor, shared that play is an essential part of childhood (and even adults need to play more often). Through play, we learn to interact socially and form relationships, and develop emotionally.

Despite the time I carve out for family, I realise I still need to intentionally switch on to play mode, and sometimes my need for routine and to “get things done” stand in the way of me simply enjoying my children.

In this day and age where online modes of interaction are slowly replacing face-to-face time, it is all the more important that parents take charge and build in positive interactions into our everyday.

This is where we all need to get creative. One father shared about how he steals lunch-hour once a week to have a 20-minutes sports activity with his son. En route to the meeting at L’etoile cafe, I also caught a glimpse of bonding in action. One mum was teaching her daughter (around 5 or 6 years old) how to read. I thought to myself that this must be the way to go. I love cafes, me-time, relaxing with people I love, and here it is — the answer to all manner of education-related stress! Chilling out and teaching your own kids in a relaxing atmosphere, while enjoying your Saturday morning. That’s creative parenting at work!

You don’t need to stress yourself filling every minute of the day with high-level bonding activities, and 15-30 minutes of quality time and undivided attention goes a long way, says Esther.

These could be the everyday games or sports that we love playing, or even a walk in the park. We could ask our children what they would like to do for a change, and meet their desires, even if we don’t like their preferred activity all that much.

One takeaway for me is that we should seek to affirm their heart and efforts whenever possible and remember not to put them down. Especially for younger children who while helpful, are not fully able to be wash the dishes clean or to clear the remnants on a plate without bits falling on the floor. Their hearts may be 100% but the results would usually be around 50-60%.

The challenge then, is to put aside the domestic goddesses in each of us and to praise their heart and their efforts. And perhaps when appropriate, ask them how they think they can do better next time.

Another key to strong relationships is to give our children room to make mistakes. As parents, we can temper our own expectations so that our kids don’t get paralysed by the fear and unrealistic expectations that they should ever get less than 100% at every test.

One last takeaway for me is to place zero conditions on my love.

My kids may not be at the age where I return home from work and ask them, “Have you done your homework?” But I do still ask questions like “Have you had your milk yet?” and “Were you a good girl/boy today?” – questions heavily loaded with parental expectations. So often, we feel the pressure to raise “good kids” that we place overwhelming emphasis on either ace behaviour or ace results, and unconsciously send out a message that it’s only when they do good, then they will receive our love.

Chien-Hui wraps it up nicely when she said that from this strong foundation of family and relationships, trust and communication, children are prepared to face the world and the challenges that will most definitely come their way.

Indeed, family is the launchpad for success in all other areas of life.

What are your favourite ways to bond with your family?

Filed Under: Family, Family bonding Tagged With: family bonding, free play, Singapore, unconditional love

20 ways to be a frugal family in Singapore

January 31, 2013 15 Comments

Singapore is an expensive place to live in. Safe no doubt, efficient uh-huh, but expensive.

For those with kids, it’s somewhat a double whammy because of the necessary items that are now on our 2-metre long shopping list. Because of the kids, we choose to eat healthy and are usually more willing to spend on good quality meat, fish and vegetables, but these can all add up to a hefty monthly grocery bill. If your kids are lactose intolerant, or have special dietary needs, it just gets worse.

Since I’ve become a mum, my money mindset has changed quite dramatically. Well, okay, I still give myself (and others) treats once in a while. I am still addicted to great coffee and chocolate cake. But gosh, the guilt when I over-spend is humongous. It sits on me like a giant panda, and makes me promise never to do it again.

In my past four years as a mother, I have limited my trips to the malls, switched from Starbucks to coffeeshop alternatives, and in the past year especially, I’ve cut down on taxi-flagging. (This last one is quite a milestone for me.)

This year, the hubs and I have made a commitment to spending wisely and saving more. We are inspired by others who are able to live on little and yet are big on giving back to society, so it’s not just about cutting back, it’s also about cutting back so we have more to give. (I know it sounds a lil’ lofty, but it’s always good to have a goal, no?)

So I’ve done some research and come up with a list of ideas.

1. Switch your mindset to frugal. You automatically save about $100 a month just by doing this mental shift. Amazing, but true. The trick is you have to really really want it. (It helps to have a goal and purpose too. For instance, wanting to save more for your children’s education, or to start a business.)

2. Have fun exploring free places. Parks, Botanic Gardens, beaches, friend’s homes, you name it. *If you’re running out of ideas, check out my Out & About page, and Adora’s Fun for Free collection of posts.

3. Cook in batches and freeze. I used to do this when the kids were younger. It was more convenient, and gave me the assurance that the kids were having healthy home-cooked meals. I do this less now, but I hope to get back to cooking and baking in the next few months.

4. Pack a sandwich / dinner leftovers to work once a week. This is something that I picked up as a student living in Australia. The food there was pretty expensive, and it was quite the norm there because the locals packed their own too. I think it’s relatively less common in Singapore, but I know of people who do it regularly, and I think it’s quite healthy too.

5. Try not to use the air-con if the weather is cool enough. If you really need it, get the kids to bunk over for the night. It’s bonding, plus energy-saving all in one.

6. Borrow instead of buy. The library is a great place to find good books, plus it’s always a treat for the kids.

7. Say no to luxury items. If you can afford it, there’s nothing wrong with pampering yourself with a new handbag or another pair of dress shoes. But imagine what long-term goals you could possibly invest in if you bought one luxury item less. Just saying.

8. Monitor your expenses. I would say this is the best way to understanding your spending habits and knowing exactly where your money goes. We have a spreadsheet to help us monitor our income/spending, and a balance sheet as well. We keep receipts and record them down at the end of the month. It may seem a bit tedious but after a few months you get the hang of it and will appreciate its beauty. When we exceed the budget for personal expenses, we try to be disciplined and cut back on spending in the following month.

9. Set up a bad mood fund. Pamper yourself and/or your spouse when you’re in a bad mood, without the fear of busting your personal budget!

10. Breastfeed for as long as you can. Hey it’s free, and it’s healthy!

11. Avoid sales like the plague. It’s the most tempting to buy items you don’t need, or may not actually like, during a sale. Unless you really need the item, and it happens to be on sale. Now that’s a different story.

12. Sell pre-loved items online. You can do so at Buzzy Tots Exchange Corner or Craigslist.

13. Use baking soda and vinegar as part of your home-cleaning solutions instead of expensive supermarket cleaners. (I substitute half of my washing powder with baking soda, which also helps to make the cleaning more efficient.)

14. Buy less toys. There are some pretty good side effects of having less toys in the house. Less clutter, plus your kids get to utilise their creativity by thinking of ways to have fun with what they have.

15. Shop online. I’m a newbie at this, and but I recently bought two pairs of shoes from ASOS that were on sale. They cost half the price of ONE pair I would have bought at a store somewhere else. (A friend recommended Zalora and Miss Sparkle Shop. If you have a favourite shopping site to share, please do so in the comments below.)

16. Don’t put your computer to sleep. Shut it down every night.

17. Switch off the lights immediately upon leaving the room. This is something I was taught to do as a child, and continue to do till this day.

18. Exchange things among friends. For instance, books, clothing, or even accessories. It’s fun, and you get to enjoy having a new look (or book), even if it’s just for a time.

19. Shower the kids together. They get a bit of fun splashing and we usually get wet in the process, but heck it’s fun and I think it does save some water and money. Well, okay maybe not…but at least it saves time.

20. Cultivate a mindset of thriftiness and contentment in your kids. Teach them the value of money from a tender age and the concept of stewardship. This last tip will probably save you money through your entire lifetime. Not to mention your future generations too.

Has parenthood changed the way you handle money too? If you have a money-wise tip to share, please leave a comment!

Filed Under: Family, Finance Tagged With: Family, frugal, management, money, Singapore, tips

Want more babies in Singapore? Let’s build stronger families first.

September 26, 2012 22 Comments

One of the topics covered in the recent national conversation was the low fertility rate in Singapore. A few ideas were bandied about, such as having better work life balance, creating a stronger social support network, and bringing down the overall cost of living.

As I listened, I couldn’t help but feel that something was missing, something more fundamental than dollars and cents.

I chanced upon a reader’s letter in Today last week on building a generation with a stronger family life. Reading it lifted my heart and gave me renewed hope. She spoke about the need to redefine the Singapore equation of success as one that is based on economic and professional success. In particular, this quote jumped out at me: “Successful marriages bring the desire for and joy of having many children.”

I remember turning to my husband near the end of the programme and asking him, “Dearie, why is it that we don’t want more kids?” (We have two little ones by the way, aged one and three-point-five.)

To which he answered, “You, what. It’s all to do with you. If you’re okay and happy, then I don’t mind having more kids.”

What he basically was getting at is the fact that if having more children would stress me out and contribute to a higher likelihood of him coming home to an angry wife and a topsy-turvy house, then no, we will not be having more children, thank you.

I think I feel the same way too.

Back to what I was saying earlier, it’s less about dollars and cents and more to do with the state of our marriage and family. Money is important, no doubt, but we all know that money alone cannot make a family happy.

In an age where divorce is rampant and the chances of families breaking up higher than ever before, I have heard these questions asked by my single friends:

Why bother getting married when people can’t stay married?

Why bother having kids when you might break up and mess up your child’s life?

Granted, no sane, healthy person ventures into marriage thinking about divorce. Most of us enter in with a love-will-see-us-through attitude. Along the way, we will experience tough periods of testing and some unfortunately will choose to opt out.

Regardless of the season of marriage we’re in, I think it’s good to have a reality check from time to time, and to ask ourselves, what are we doing to keep our marriage healthy? If we aren’t proactively working to keep the love alive, then we may actually be leaving it to chance.

Love is complex, more so today than before. Families are finding it hard to keep it together. Throw in financial stress and increasing competition, resulting in both parents having to work extra hard outside of the home, with less time for communication, relaxation, and date-nights, things can potentially get messy.

Even kids, which are usually seen as a source of joy, can turn into a source of stress and unhappiness, when the conditions are adverse enough.

I’m an ’80s baby and I must say my generation lacks good role models to look up to. I’m not talking about Prince William and Princess Kate, I mean real day-to-day role models, like parents or aunties and uncles. Whenever I see an elderly couple holding hands and caring for each other, I always try to capture a photograph…simply because it’s a rare sight.

Youths today have even less to hold onto, and more to be cynical about.

If we want to build a happier, more successful Singapore, where success is not measured by mere economic indicators but also by social indicators such marital satisfaction and divorce rates, then I am afraid there is no easy, pain-free answer.

It will take a shift in priorities to create more conducive environments for families to thrive. It will take an intentional opening up of more possibilities for mothers (and fathers) to work flexible hours.

It also means that couples need to redefine the things that matter to them, and re-commit themselves to love and grow as a family. Whatever it takes…even if it means seeking external help to get through a rough patch, we have to believe that our marriage and families are worth fighting for.

For the past two decades, Singapore has focused on economic progress, and things on the family front have stalled or even regressed. But if home is indeed where the heart is, then strong families will inevitably lead to happier, healthier, more motivated workers.

I think it’s time to put the horse back in front of the cart. What do you think?

Filed Under: Family Tagged With: Low fertility rate, Singapore, Strong families, strong marriages, success

Let’s go out! 4 fun-tastic ideas for outdoor family play

July 3, 2012 Leave a Comment

This guest post is written by Sarah from The Playful Parents. She is a real play enthusiast, and has infected many around her with the play bug (including me). She has reminded me that life with children should be about play, so let’s not take things too seriously, starting from today.

Here are some fun and easy ideas for outdoor play. Take it away, Sarah!

~~~~~

Tired of your usual haunts and in need for some fresh ideas on where to go as a family? Well, here are some ideas to set you off on brand new adventures. Best of all, they’re easy on your pocket, but big on fun!

#1. Discover & Conquer

You don’t have to travel far to find fun and adventures, really. As a non-car owner, I assure you that public transport travel with young children isn’t that scary or impossible. It is actually a rather wonderful way for our children to learn more about daily life.

Be a tourist around your neighbourhood. Head out on the bus, bike or on foot. Hit a street you’ve never been to before. I would dare say all neighbourhoods have gems waiting for us to discover. We just need to make the effort to look for them.

Butterfly-spotting: Trying to stand still long enough to see the butterflies

Try these neighbourhood conquests:

Play Trail: Do a playground hop to check out all the playgrounds. Perhaps you’ll be lucky and see if you can find any of the classic heritage Singapore playgrounds too!
Food Trail: Pick a favourite food and try every stall you find that sells it. Ask for recommendations from random strangers who live in the area. Search out the must-try stalls from online food bloggers.
Flora and Fauna Trail: Parks are fantastic treasure troves of biodiversity and great for kids to just run about. Go bird-watching or butterfly-spotting. Singapore’s NParks has produced several fantastic guides and walking trails for you to download. I highly recommend exploring the park connector trails. Or how about going on a hunt for these10 Trees in Singapore?

# 2. Host An Outdoor Olympics

The Terrific Tot-lympian: Trying to cross a hurdle in his path

Bubbles. Play Blow and Pop: Someone blow up bubbles while another chases and pops them.
Catching in its many variants old and new: Police and Thief, Fire and Ice. I especially enjoy the co-operative catching games where a group has to work together against the ‘catcher’ like Eagle Catching the Chicks ( Lao Ying Zhua Xiao Ji) and What’s the time, Mr Wolf?( similar to Grandmother’s Footsteps).
Ball games: Basketball, football, volleyball, poison ball, monkey ball.
Sack races: An oldie-but-goodie that is good both indoor and outdoor.
Obstacle Races: Gather some neighbours and their children to have an obstacle race! Here’s a starter planning list.

# 3. Do Outdoor Art

How about letting the outdoors inspire you and your young ones? Pack up your art materials and sit at a nearby park to draw or paint. Crayons, watercolours-in-a-box and a sketch book are easily portable. Even better, use Nature itself to create art.

Stick + Sand + Kids = Artistic Fun!

Here is more mess-free stuff to try:

Chalk drawing: For a twist, bring along a water spray filled with water. Spray water on chalk drawings and see how your art changes.
Family Profile Silhouettes: Find a sunny spot. Stick up cardstock on the wall. Stand in front of the paper. Trace the silhouette cast. Cut along the outlines.
Water painting: All you need are brushes and some bottles of water to paint the floor.
Outdoor sculptures: Gather twigs, leaves, stones and whatever catches your fancy to construct your sculptures.
Make a kite and fly it!

#4. Go Geo-Caching: Contemporary Treasure Hunt

Have you heard of geocaching? It’s a ‘real world’, treasure hunt game you play using GPS devices. Many cities and countries around the world have geocaches so if you’re truly adventurous, you could even do this on your holiday. Here is a list of current geocaches in Singapore. Click here to find out more about how geocaching works!

For more playful ideas, do check out The Playful Parents.

About Sarah, Family Play Advocate

Sarah is an educator-storyteller-writer turned domestic circus ring mistress. She currently runs her circus show 24/7 starring 3 males, and counting. It can be a mad yet fulfilling life. A passionate advocate for more playfulness in life, Sarah enjoys sharing ideas and resources on practical ways to live more creatively, artfully and playfully on her blog. Swing on by and say ‘hello’ to other Playful Parents like you!

Filed Under: Guest posts, Out & About Tagged With: Family, fun, ideas, kids, outdoor, play, Singapore