Engaging Sports and the Family Unit

For Mr Steven Chua, 39, family is a first priority, and one he takes the time to nurture. This sense of familial diligence would eventually lead to him, a father of two sons aged 4 and 2, to found his very own company that specifically engages in sports and the family unit.

LifeDreams Training & Resource provides coaching resources for parents and their kids to engage in sports activities. It provides an avenue for families to nurture their relationships and spend productive time together.

Having a past career in youth social work also helped him to see where his entrepreneurial dreams could be best applied. Previously enlisted with Bethesda Care & Counselling Service Centre and Poverello Teen Centre, his experience with working with youths and providing social support gave him the idea that kids just need some nurturing and care to be motivated.

Parents as central figures in their lives are responsible for this, but all too often the daily strain of other responsibilities gets in the way.

Putting Together a Sporting Programme

Starting out the programme took a strong Do-It-Yourself ethic. The decision that soccer would be a universal crowd pleaser and would spark the most interest soon gave way to flyer distribution, some word-of-mouth publicity, and a select number of interested parents and children who were keen to join.

The programme was then able to start out, on a test drive method, on weekends – a much less hectic time for parents and kids alike.

All teething efforts soon proved favourable and a major success story was born. Today, LifeDreams has come a long way: the official Sporting Juniors Football Academy (SJFA) boasts up to 200 kids in the active programme.

Ranging from all walks and cultural backgrounds, it provides training for kids 4 to 16 years old, thus honing their interest and talent in the sport.

His Family, His Motivation

Steven said that what motivated this endeavour were his family and two sons. LifeDreams takes up his weekend completely, but gives him the opportunity to spend time on weekdays with his kids. This he said has proven to be invaluable to the development of his children and their happiness.

“Having the flexibility of my time has given me the chance to spend my time with my kids, during their formative years, and I can see that it has paid off. They are more secure, more cheerful, more positive, and even relatives and friends of mine notice that, ”said Steven.

The lack of parental support that some youth face also struck a chord with him during his career working with youths. As such Steven feels that a program such as LifeDreams’ will help build the bond between kids and their parents.

The programme itself has a number of Parent Volunteers, and more are welcome to join. “Soccer and this programme give kids more exposure to an active lifestyle, instead of couch-potato pursuits that keep them holed up at home,” said Steven.

This way parents can get kids to have more productive interests. Even Dads that volunteer for coaching can give their own kids a strong role model figure,” he added.

His Father, His Inspiration

Steven also cited his own father’s parenting as an inspiration, “He took us fishing, cycling, lots of outdoor activities, even going to the beach. And every Friday was family night.”

“He spent quality time with us. As a child when you see that your Dad takes the time to be with you, you develop a sense of appreciation and respect,” said Steven.

His advice to fathers who would like to assume a more central role in their kids’ lives is that every moment counts, “Set priorities, set aside time, maximise time. Spend time with them, even if it’s just watching some TV, or talking to with them while having dinner.”

“Dedicate a day in the week to have family outings. Kids want to share, they just need us to show an interest,” said Steven

He also advised parents to leave out negativity, especially when dealing with children, “At home, don’t use negative remarks. Admonish them but make it positive. Encourage them with words, it boosts their confidence, and they’ll benefit from a well adjusted upbringing.”

Good Work-Life Balance

With LifeDreams and Sporting Juniors going strong, he hopes to soon add another sports programme to the line-up. Soccer is still seen as being very gender-specific, although the programme is open to boys and girls alike.

Thus Steven hopes to launch a Floorball and Touch Rugby programme. “Floorball is more girls-centric, and I hope parents will encourage their kids regardless of gender to participate in sports activities. Girls can be avid sportswomen, and their interests and talents shouldn’t be overlooked,” he said.

Ultimately, it’s his family and kids that bear the most significance in his life. “As Dads, we see ourselves as being responsible for the financial aspects of raising a family, but we have to make the effort to raise our kids too – it’s not only for Mums,” said Steven.

The sports enthusiast and committed father spoke on the need for good work-life balance, “Leave work aside when you’re home, focus on your family, see and hear what your child expresses. As a parent we need to develop a way to listen and pay attention to them. Make the most of your time with them, as there’s no doing it again later on.”

 

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Note: Steven Chua, is the founder LifeDreams Training & Resource. For more information, see http://www.sportingjuniors.com/index.htm

About the Author: The DadsforLife Resource Team comprises local content writers and experts, including psychologists, counsellors, educators and social service professionals, dedicated to developing useful resources for dads.

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