Dads for Life spoke to local blogger dads, Isaiah Kuan, Edmund Tay and Patrick Pang for their thoughts on what family means to them. Here‘s what they had to say:
Isaiah Kuan : Isaiah’s blog is quite a visual feast at
What does family mean to you?
Family is a place where I know I can be accepted for whoever I am and not be judged. Family is where I know someone will always be thinking of me and waiting for me to go back. Family is my fortress in bad times and my glory in good times.
What are some of the things that you value most about your family?
Unity – no matter what happens, we can still stand together as one.
Appreciation – we do not take each other for granted, love is an investment of time.
Honesty – everything can be discussed, no one is always right.
How do you as a dad, express your leadership role in the context of family?
I lead by example. Whatever I preach I need to first do. I do my best to make time for my children, investing time not just with their studies but also for fun. I do not neglect my foremost priority as a husband to my wife and shower extra attention to her whenever I can.
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Edmund Tay writes the Ed Unloaded blog on his parenting journey here:
What does family mean to you?
A family is where each member receives unconditional love, and is able to make mistakes and laugh at one self. It is where the kids can feel secure and loved at the same time.
What are some of the things that you value most about your family?
The time we spend together. The quality time I have with my wife and kids is irreplaceable and I can never “recreate” a moment.
How do you as a dad, express your leadership role in the context of family?
With my wife, we are both leaders in the family. The role of the parent is dual, a joint effort for both mum and dad. I tend to be the more outgoing type. Because of that, I initiate activities for the whole family, and we get to spend time together doing various activities, like cycling or going swimming as a family. However, my wife gives me the authority to make the final decision when tough decisions need to be made.
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Patrick Pang is a dad of three, and his blog is here:
What does family mean to you?
Family is an integral part of my life. It is not just about keeping the sparks alive between my wife and myself, but how both of us build the family and bond closer together with our children.
What are some of the things that you value most about your family?
Respect. As adults we always want respect but at home, we need to respect our children too. It’s not about scolding them for whatever things that they do but trying to understand and rationalise with them why they do it. If we respect our children, they will respect us.
How do you as a dad, express your leadership role in the context of family?
Leadership at home takes a different direction as compared to a working environment. It is about being authoritative yet showing care and concern for the children. We are authoritative to enforce house rules and teach where necessary. But we continue to show care and concern by talking to them at a quiet corner after that, to explain to them why we did (what we did) and to help them to become better people.
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.