Introduction Social consciousness, or the awareness of society, is central to the experience of being human. In order to participate as contributing members of the community and broader society, children need to learn to not only be responsible for themselves, but also for other living things. This social responsibility involves a deep awareness of our … Read more
Dads for Life met with 2 trailblazing dads, Khor Tuck Kuan and Roland Tay, who have been lighting the path in the Special Needs community, to build acceptance, respect and a voice for people with disabilities. Here is Roland Tay’s story. Roland Tay, father of 2, is an IT and Telecoms systems businessman turned social entrepreneur. Professor … Read more
Are you a Singapore dad? Not just a road warrior but a home soldier too? Carrying the physical and mental full battle order of spare milk, sterilised containers, diapers, assessment books, educational DVDs, parent-teacher meeting notes, paediatric specialist notes, weekend Legoland trip preps, mosquito patch bulk purchase lobangs and even more? Welcome to the club … Read more
Eight Great Nuggets of Wisdom on Giving Show your children how to choose suitable presents to express what they think or feel about a person or occasion. Here are eight great nuggets of wisdom on giving. May no gift be too small to give, nor too simple to receive, which is wrapped in thoughtfulness, and … Read more
Look for the Things that Count “Give them our presence, encourage them and show them that they are worth building a strong relationship with.” We all want to give the best to our children, and with the New Year under way, what can dads do this year to make a lasting difference in helping our children … Read more
Living in the Big Bad World At the time of this writing, this author is watching the news coverage on the Sandy Hope Elementary School shootings in the United States and thinking about the sense of hopelessness that must be prevailing in the hearts and minds of children and families affected by the incident, as … Read more
Separation- individuation is the process by which an infant acquires an identity that is distinct from the mother. Most child development theorists believe that children learn about themselves and construct their own identities within the context of their families. When children have positive experiences, they develop an understanding of themselves as significant and respected, and … Read more
Do your teens ever ask you for more trust, more freedom? In the letters that follow, a teenage girl and her dad negotiate these issues. They highlight the importance of a father’s affirmation for his daughter whilst advocating boundaries as ways to safely meet the teenager’s need for love, belonging, validation, and room to mature. … Read more
While our society esteems academic achievement, most of us would tacitly acknowledge that measuring a person’s intelligence and diligence is hardly a good predictor of “likeability” or “successful leadership”. In the article What Makes a Leader in the Harvard Business Review, Daniel Goleman refered to a quality that both children and adults can intuitively sense … Read more
Active Fatherhood Benefits Fathers Themselves Research shows that fathers gain richly from being more involved in their children’s lives. Involved fathers are more likely to: Enjoy closer, richer and more satisfying father-child relationships Feel more self-confident and effective as parents ; Feel more important to their child and feel encouraged to be even more involved; Feel connected … Read more