Hey J my precious son, First and foremost, CONGRATULATIONS! After six long years of primary school education, you're finally done with that Holy Grail of a gruelling national examination (the PSLE or Primary School Leaving Examinations). That which forever decides which secondary school you'll go to next year. Of course it's only the first of … Continue reading Father-son bonding #1 — “Now that exams are done, …”
Tag: Teens
“Tomorrow I’ll miss you” — my son’s last Children’s Day
The shrill delight in my youngest son's loud declaration reverberated across our home yesterday morning. C was emphatically reminding us that it was Children's Day in my land. Yet for some nebulous cosmic reason, what actually came to my mind when I heard him was a voice from another land instead. Or should I say, … Continue reading “Tomorrow I’ll miss you” — my son’s last Children’s Day
Parenting Motivations #3 – Demolishing the “teen wall”!
This past week, I hit a wall. I'm calling it the "teen wall"! You see, I can no longer deny it. I do indeed have a teenager living under my roof now. And to top it all off, it's of the male persuasion too! A double whammy for me. I still remember a time when … Continue reading Parenting Motivations #3 – Demolishing the “teen wall”!
The teacher who showed me how failure felt
Nearly four decades now since that eventful week, but the feeling remains as palpable as ever. I was in my first year at an all-boys secondary school. Barely 13, and struggling with the usual teenage issues. Adjusting to a new school environment. Dealing with triple the number of academic subjects and extracurricular activities. Traveling daily … Continue reading The teacher who showed me how failure felt
Want inclusion for a more gracious society? Restore don’t punish
Last Saturday I wrote a post about my response (as a parent of an autistic son) to a recent bullying incident in my country that received a lot of media attention. The victim in that incident was an autistic teenager who had graduated from the same school my son's now in. An edited version of … Continue reading Want inclusion for a more gracious society? Restore don’t punish
“Happy Valentines Day son!” – Letter to him when the time comes
Happy Valentines Day, son!Yes, your dear old man can't help but notice that February 14 is here again.Since you're now of age to date, I thought it's high time I shared my Valentines Day experience with you, in hopes it'll help you navigate the sea of love.I remember well the stress I had as a … Continue reading “Happy Valentines Day son!” – Letter to him when the time comes
PSLE or “SOAP”: Five ways to beat it this year.
Hey J It's finally here. PSLE. Oops, I mean 2021! This is the year you enter an important phase in your education journey. This is the year every Singapore parent with a 12 year old sits up and pays the closest of attention to our country's most infamous national exam: the Primary School Leaving Examination, … Continue reading PSLE or “SOAP”: Five ways to beat it this year.
Life Hack Book Review #1 – On World Mental Health Day 2020
Today is World Mental Health Day and here's what I found out. According to WHO, one in four people in the world will at some point in their lives suffer from a mental or neurological disorder. Think about that for a sec. One. In. Four. So in places like the United Kingdom where gatherings involving … Continue reading Life Hack Book Review #1 – On World Mental Health Day 2020