New Year, Exciting Beginnings

The start of a new year signifies new beginnings, and for Mr Patrick Wong and his family, this marks a new journey, one where his youngest son makes the transition from kindergarten to primary school.

The morning of 4 Jan 2011 saw Mr Wong's sons Ian and Nethaneal getting off the school bus at Montfort Junior School, all ready to embrace a new school term.

Younger son Ian's face was flushed with the prospect of a new beginning, his excitement evident.

Said Ian on his feelings towards school, "I've been looking forward to it. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. Excited because I will be at the same school as my brother and nervous because it is a new place to me."

While Ian feels a mixture of nerves and excitement,  Mr Wong has close to no worries at all.

"Its easier for me to let go as I am more familiar with the school environment now after my eldest son went through primary school. As a parent, I feel proud that my son is growing up but I don't have any worries because I know that he will be in good hands and he is a bright kid," said Patrick.

Nethaneal who is now in Primary Five, also dished out some advice to his younger brother. "I told him to be punctual and be at assembly earlier. At recess, he should eat fast within 10 minutes so that he has time to line-up after recess."

Although Ian isn't afraid of going to primary school, he is still glad that his father is around with him. He said, "I feel happy that my dad is coming to school with me for my first day."

Judging from the smiles on their faces, other children shared sentiments similar to that of Ian as their dads accompanied them to the school gate - one of the activities in the Back to School with Dad programme.

Back to School with Dad

Back to School with Dad has been an ongoing initiative by the Centre of Fathering to encourage fathers to be more engaged in their children's school life. Since its inauguration in 2007, the program has proven to be simple but effective; getting fathers to send their child to school at least once during the first week. In the process, dads are given an opportunity to interact more with their children.

This year at Montfort Junior School, volunteers from the Fathers' Wing and Montfort Junior Parents' Connection, woke up bright and early to station themselves at the school gates greeting dads and their sons as they came back to school. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming as photos of father and child were snapped and goodie bags distributed to the dads of Primary One students.

Orientation Programme and Talks for Parents

While the kids were off familiarising themselves with their classes and teachers, their parents were having their very own orientation programme as well.

Teachers and parents shared their experiences and tips on parenting. Topics included the role of working mothers and the importance of cultivating good reading habits.

In his talk, Mr Wong, head of the Father's Wing, shared more about the Dads for Life movement and the benefits of  father involvement in a child's life. He urged fathers to come forward to volunteer with the Fathers' Wing and take part in programmes organised, such as the movie night and the family badminton challenge.

There was also a talk by Mr Adrian Lim, a counseling psychologist who gave tips and on to how parents can help kids enjoy a smooth transition into Primary School.

When it came to recess time, hordes of anxious parents crowded around the barricades set up by the school, trying to spot their son among the other students. A buddy system was employed, with a Primary Two student  attached to a Primary One, to teach him how to buy food and show him around the school grounds.

Fathers like Mr Lim See Khai, took leave from his sales job to accompany his son, Bryan,on the first day of school. Although Mr Lim is confident that, Bryan, will adapt well to the new environment eventually, he still worries that the boy will not enjoy Primary School.

"I actually gave him a trial run by making him wake up at 6am the day before school started and he was very willing to do so. On the actual day of school however, he didn't want to wake up. I'm worried that he won't be able to adapt to the more systematic approach."

Programmes such as Back to School with Dad are a platform for concerned fathers like Mr Lim to meet so that they can share ideas and solutions. After learning more about the Fathers' Wing, Mr Lim has plans to join the team if time permits.

Said Mr Lim, "Joining the Fathers' Wing will help me to be more involved with the school and I want to know the school and other parents better. If I have the time, I wouldn't mind helping out with workshops or excursions."

An Overview to Put Parents' Minds at Rest

With the end of recess came time for parents to meet their son's form teacher and visit the classrooms. Form teachers gave a general overview to parents about what to expect for the new few days and also the way they were going to teach the class. The dads among them asked many questions; the concern for their child was evident.

Finally, the day concluded with a guided tour of some of the school's  facilities, which included a room in the library for students to play Lego (coloured building bricks);an innovation and enterprise room for learning purposes; and a dental clinic.

The television show, The Wonder Years once said, "Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose." Just like a memory, a father's love for a child works the same way. Being there for a child every step of the way is another way of showing him that his father loves him so much, he never wants to lose him.

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