School Bag? Check.

Lunch Box? Check.

Allowance? Check.

Uniforms, socks, shoes? Check.

Going back to school is not just a rite for kids. It is a family ritual. Come the second (or third) day of the New Year, lights come on before dawn and cars start streaming down the streets making a beeline for schools all over Singapore.

And so it is for the kids, dads and families heading for the first day of school this year.

Carrying His Load

Edmund Tay, also known in the blogging circles as Ed Unloaded, experienced a special start to the New Year. Though he and his wife, Jiahui, were on leave for the whole of the first week, it was (almost) all to ensure that their family would transition into the new school year smoothly.

For their children Nicole, 6, Nathan, 4, and Nadine, 3, having both parents on hand was especially vital as the family’s domestic helper had gone home for a vacation in the Philippines. More significantly, 2012 would mark Nicole’s entry into Primary One.

“Preparations began to pick up in the second half of 2011,” Edmund said. Besides preparing the logistics; ordering books, uniforms and other supplies, it was important to Edmund and Jiahui that Nicole, their eldest child, would be psychologically prepared for her first day in Primary One.

During the first week of school, Edmund and Jiahui split the duties with getting the kids ready. While Jiahui would get Nicole ready, Edmund would take charge of the younger kids. He would also take all of them to school, though on separate trips.

Edmund has one simple wish for Nicole this year: that she settles down well and makes lots of good friends. “Everyday, we ask her what her friends’ names are. She still refers to them as ‘the one who gave me potato chips’, or ‘the boy who talks a lot’,” he said. “She struggles to ask their names for now.”

Welcoming Dads to School

Over at the front gates of Tampines Primary School, the first day of the school year, 3 January, started out with a special surprise for dads.

Billy Ng, an active Parent Support Group (PSG) volunteer, brought a few other volunteer dads with him to welcome fathers who were dropping their children off at the school gates. The first 20 dads were given a special appreciation package, and all father-child pairs were photographed for posterity.

Catching the Worm - the first father-child pair we spotted.	A family photo with the Back to School banner.

Volunteer dad Billy Ng (in dark blue) hard at work welcoming dads with the new students.	"My dad's the best!"

It was a wonderful gesture, and you could see it in the smiles all around even for the posed photographs. Similar scenes took place in various primary schools islandwide as part of the Back to School with Dad 2012 programme organised by Center for Fathering.

Speaking to Billy about the first day of school, he said that the school had engaged eight parent volunteers to help students to “get used to the environment” and assist the teachers not just for the first day, but for the first week of school.

As a dad who typically works 18-hour days, even frequently working on weekends, Billy is an inspiration to other dads who want to be involved in their children’s lives. He has been making time to volunteer for key events at the school, including PSG recruitment drives. He ensures that such events are scheduled ahead of time on his calendar so that he can personally show his support to the school and parents.

Billy is one of the dads who in May 2010, helped to bring the Fathers@Schools programme to Tampines Primary.  Billy said the two main benefits of the programme are, “father-child bonding and shared responsibility.” He hopes that more fathers will play the role of co-leaders in taking care of children.

His aspirations echo the call for active fathering worldwide, as decades of research have shown that students with involved dads, fare better academically as well as in other areas of life.

‘Dads’ a great way to start to the school year.

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.