I was burning off the week’s calories at the fitness corner at Mapletree Park the other day when I saw an adorable boy decked in his Ben-10 singlet, kiddy bermudas and runners. Only about my waist level, he waddled down the bend of the concrete track with flailing arms. How strange, I thought! At 7.45 … Read more
Tell us about your family. Taxi dad: I have a wife and two children, an older daughter and a younger son. My wife, Linda, 53, used to work in a factory, and has recently retired. She is now doing part-time caregiving work for senior citizens. My daughter, Candida, 30, used to teach and has just … Read more
A life of toil and sweat Mr Lee Weng Kee, 73, may walk a little hunched and aided by a walking stick, but his “trademark” voice thunders – so his family claims – all the way to the void deck 13 floors below their flat. He shares his life story with Dads for Life robustly, … Read more
Dads For Life set out on a community assignment to invite contributions from the ordinary Man, Woman and Child on the streets of Singapore, to this question: “What is one thing you have always wanted to say to your Dad but never did?” The responses we received from a girl as young as 5, to … Read more
Since the time our nation was formed, successive generations of Singaporeans like you and me have had elements of a national narrative drilled into our collective consciousness. The first element is the ‘miracle of our nationhood’ – the story of a nation that was born out of impossible circumstances, yet has risen to where we … Read more
What Is Sense of Self Sense of self can be described as how a child sees himself or herself, and is often classified into two main components. Self-concept – a child’s idea of him or herself constructed from the beliefs one holds about oneself and the responses of others. Self-esteem – How much value a … Read more
Most dads have had one thing they always wanted to tell their children but never did, for a variety of reasons. Some dads never got the opportunity to do so because they lost contact with their children. Other dads may have felt unable to express themselves openly due to a family and/or societal culture of … Read more
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 others and the environment. This social responsibility involves a deep awareness of … 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
Introduction Both social service research and practice have historically minimised the importance of fathers. In 1990, researchers reviewing issues of five social science journals published over 27 years found fathers were often portrayed as missing, troubled, and/or perpetrators of maltreatment. Father involvement has certainly lagged behind mother involvement within families and in social programmes. But … Read more