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Poem For The Moms:
Our Mother Is the Sweetest
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Our mother is the sweetest and
Most delicate of all.
She knows more of paradise
Than angels can recall.
She's not only beautiful
But passionately young,
Playful as a kid, yet wise
As one who has lived long.
Her love is like the rush of life,
A bubbling, laughing spring
That runs through all like liquid light
And makes the mountains sing.
And makes the meadows turn to flower
And trees to choicest fruit.
She is at once the field and bower
In which our hearts take root.
She is at once the sea and shore,
Our freedom and our past.
With her we launch our daring ships
Yet keep the things that last.
Bring Your Family Along On Your Journey To Success
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Bring Your Family Along On Your Journey To Success - by Alvin Poh
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All of us want to achieve success in life, including myself. And
I believe that few people have ever been truly successful
with a positive, supportive family. Regardless of how great
people's accomplishment are, I feel they are still missing
something when they are working without the benefit of
those close relationships with their families.
For most people, a good family helps you know your purpose
and develop your potential. It helps you enjoy the journey
along the way with an intensity that isn't possible otherwise.
Through life, you sow the seeds that benefit others.
However who could possibly enjoy greater benefit from you
than you own family members?
Sometime in life we need a little wake up call to remind
ourselves on what are the right things to do so as to enjoy a
truly fulfilling life.
Not too long ago, I heard this story from a friend - his very
own story. It happened just a year ago when his daughter
was studying in Primary 2. That day, his child and a few of
her classmates were asked to draw a picture of their families.
Bring Your Family Along On Your Journey To Success - by Alvin Poh
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All of us want to achieve success in life, including myself. And
I believe that few people have ever been truly successful
with a positive, supportive family. Regardless of how great
people's accomplishment are, I feel they are still missing
something when they are working without the benefit of
those close relationships with their families.
For most people, a good family helps you know your purpose
and develop your potential. It helps you enjoy the journey
along the way with an intensity that isn't possible otherwise.
Through life, you sow the seeds that benefit others.
However who could possibly enjoy greater benefit from you
than you own family members?
Sometime in life we need a little wake up call to remind
ourselves on what are the right things to do so as to enjoy a
truly fulfilling life.
Not too long ago, I heard this story from a friend - his very
own story. It happened just a year ago when his daughter
was studying in Primary 2. That day, his child and a few of
her classmates were asked to draw a picture of their families.
That evening, she happily and proudly brought her art piece
home and showed it to her parents. When my friend looked
at the picture, he said, "Darling, what is this picture about?"
His daughter answered: "That's us and our home. Our
teacher asked us to draw a picture of our family."
My friend looked at the picture more carefully and notice that
everyone is the family was there - except him.
"Darling," he asked, "Is Daddy in the picture?"
"No." she said
"Why not?" my friend asked.
"This is a picture of us at home, and you're never here." she
explained.
When my friend heard that, it was as if a big rock has
dropped on him. His daughter has innocently stated a fact,
without malice or any desire to inflict guild.
Indeed, her dad has always been busy at work and seldom
has time for her and the family. His focus was to achieve
great success in his career without realizing that he was
make big sacrifice in his family life.
In fact, his average working hour in the office was about 12
to 14 hours! He left home at around 6am and usually reached
home at around 11pm. By then, his 3 children were
already in bed.
That was the day that this friend of mine decided that he was
going to turn the bus around and come back to his family.
So, if you have been traveling down the road on the
success journey but your have neglected to bring your family
along, it is time for you to make a U-turn. Go back and pick
up the people who matter most in your life. Commit yourself
to a success roadmap that includes your family (i.e. your
spouse and your children) and all your loved ones. What
greater joy could there be than a family trip of success and
you live your life with great fulfillment and no regret.
MOTHER....O MOTHER....
How do we appreciate our mother? Are we doing our best to please our mother? Do we really understand a mother's everlasting love and nature?
These questions are most probably the least things that occupy our minds. We tend to forget our mother's sacrifice, love and dedication until we're really losing her. Only if we raise a child of our own, then only we'll understand the mother's love. Only if we're stranded alone at the crossroads in our lives, we suddenly realize how our mom's voice and sayings have always been guiding us throughout our endeavors. Having saying that, we still try to underestimate our mother's influence on us and try to deny their love. We still devalue their care and concern.
We are yet a good child if we still shouting to our mothers, pulling our faces whenever she starts to nag on our misbehaves. We are yet a good child of her if we keep on breaking her hearts with our stubborn attitudes and temperaments.
Even though it's not a Mother's Day, we should start contemplating on all the things that our mothers have done to us and sincerely appreciating them.
THANKS MOM!
The 5 Best Four Letter Words In Parenting
The 5 Best Four Letter Words In Parenting by Alvin Poh
Parenting is one of the most challenging tasks in the world. (i know everyone will agree!!) Unfortunately, more and more parents are opting for the easy way out and not promoting healthy development in their children. More and more parents are focusing on the intellectual development of the children, ignoring the psychological and sociological development. What should parent do in developing their children? Are there enough words to help develop a truly well rounded adult? Below you will find the best four letter words every parent should use to rear loving, competent, healthy, and happy children.
LOVE
You may not always like your children (especially when they misbehave), but you must always love them. It is important that parents tell their children often that they love them. All children go through periods of doubt, especially when they have committed some offense. Children do not always "know" that parents love them. If a parent cannot say the words, "I love you, to a child, something is wrong and the child will interpret it as rejection. Personally, every night before our two little ones (Ethel and Ethan) go to bed, I always make a point to whisper to their ears, tell them that 'Daddy loves them'. And it is a ritual that I do every day, unless I have to work late outside the home that night. And because of the little things that I do, I form an amazing relationship my two young children. For example, each time when I step into the house after a hard day work, the two of them will definitely rush to the door with their big happy smile - Ethan who is only 15 months will call out 'Papa, Papa!' and Ethel who is now 5- year-old will give me a fuzzy hug and me . They really melt my heart each time when they do that. Children who receive love at home will reciprocate to the world with love. And they will be welcomed and loved by many others.
TALK / DINE
Children want parents to talk with them, even when they say, "Nothing" or "I don't want to talk about it." How will a child know what is important in life if the parent does not talk to the child? One of the best times to talk with your child is during meal time. When you talk to your child, practice rephrasing questions so that they are open-ended, cannot be answered with "yes" or "no." Parents need to listen to their children and talking with them about their day even if the events may not seem important or educationally sound to you. I know many home experiencing the following: PARENT: "What did you do in school today?" CHILD: "Nothing" It is surprising how many parents believe that answer carte blanche. Many adults answer that question the same way when "work" is substituted for "school.", isn't it? The reason is simple, school is repetitive, the same subjects everyday. The child is just regurgitating an auto response. The teacher or teachers are teaching and the child is learning. Try reframing: "Did anything new, exciting, interesting or silly happen today?" The humor of the question will flip the auto switch off, and the choices will hit upon a memory. Unfortunately, many parents want to hear about the joys of arithmetic, writing, reading a classic. If parents will honestly recall their own childhood, they will remember that PE, art, recess were their favorite times, too. So let your child tell you about the interesting things that happened during their play or recess time. You will be amazed of how much he can share with you.
PLAY
Playing is a child's work. It is through play that a child discovers and develops certain skills. Playing is a child's version of stress release. And it is also one of the best ways that children learn. Unfortunately today, many parents think play is a waste of time. Play is fun for your children. It teaches them life lessons and skills such as decision making, decision making, self-worth, dignity, problem solving, sharing, patience, rhythm, reading, arithmetic, strategy, cause and effect, honor, self-esteem, etc. Anytime a child plays any game, even if alone, a valuable lesson is learned. Just because a self-absorbed workaholic parent cannot see that does not make it less true. It is even more important for children to have parents play with them.
WORK / EARN
Children need to learn that money, items, privileges, grades, etc. must be earned and not owed. Children get a true feeling of accomplishment when they work and earn something. A parent does not help a child by giving the child anything the child wants without earning it. A baby chick that is helped out of the shell instead of pecking its way out is not strong enough to survive. Similarly, it is true with children who never learn the value and accomplishment of earning something through work. During a recent friendly children coloring competition that Ethel (our daughter) participated, I saw a number of parents actually did the coloring for their kids. Yes these kids won the top few prizes, but what valuable lesson have these kids learned? Nothing! Their parents had in fact taken away the fun from them for participating in the event. What a shame. Also, some parent complete their children's homework because their children say it is too difficult. This is certainly not a right practice to help a child to grow and develop. Instead, work with the child, reframe his mind, teach him to ask the teacher for help, but do not complete the assignment for the child. The only lesson a child learns from the above example is the parent can be tricked into doing the his homework.
HOPE
Children need to know that "the sun will come out tomorrow. Children need to know that no matter how hard a situation becomes it will get better, it might take some time, but it will get better. Children need to know that they are a parent's hope for the future. The parent knows the world will be better because they are in it. The truth is because of hope the world will get better.
Nurturing Reading Habits in Young Children
by Julia Gabriel
Does your child look forward to a special time when you read to him? Does he enjoy books and stories that you share, and talk about, together?
Nurturing positive reading habits in young children helps make them readers for life. When we start reading to children in the first six months of life, they begin to recognize everyday objects in books and anticipate sounds in rhymes. Snuggled up with Mum or Dad they enjoy listening to the rhythm of words and familiar phrases. By the time they are two, toddlers realize that books contain ideas and stories that are read to them by caring adults. Soon they'll start to ‘read' them to their toys. Even though they can't, yet, decipher the letters, children mimic adult behaviour, believing they are reading. Motivated three and four year-olds ask questions about words and letters because they love books. They're getting ready to take off into independent reading.
Children who are brought up on a healthy diet of books, shared with a caring adult, want to master the skills they need to decode letters into sounds and words. Research shows that when we read, and talk, to children they learn to read naturally, because they want to. And it all starts with sharing books with babies!
So, how do we help our children develop the reading habit?
* Sharing Books with Toddlers
Reading to children as early as possible enhances all the skills and perceptions they need for independent reading, so make time daily to enjoy a book together. Don't worry if your toddler's attention is short. Let him lift the flaps in pop up books, enjoy feeling the shape of cut-outs, and responding to colours in books. Let your child be your guide to what holds his attention, for as long as it lasts!
* Talking about Picture Books
Choose books with illustrations that add an extra dimension to the story for your three, four or five year-old. Stop and talk about what's happening in the pictures, predict what might happen next and discuss the characters in the story, making connections to your own life. Engaging with the story helps children develop the basic building blocks for comprehension and reading motivation: imagination, understanding and language appreciation.
* Talking…just talking
Speech is the strongest bridge to reading for children of all ages. Conversation immerses children in meaningful language. Before children read independently they must know the sounds, words, meanings and syntax of language. The more they know, the easier it is to connect knowledge in oral language to the decoding process required for written language. Talking needs no special time or equipment. Anytime, any place is good.
* Responding to Books
Books for pre-schoolers must be linked to fun and play rather than work and difficulty. They shouldn't only make appearances at reading time, but be generally available at home, within easy reach. Its fun to follow children's leads in exploring books imaginatively: Play games based on books, dressing- up as favourite characters from a book, creating meals that book characters might enjoy, drawing places and situations from favourite stories.
* Rhythms and Rhymes in Poetry Books
Every home needs a good poetry book; a collection of rhymes, songs, poems and finger play games for children to enjoy with Mum or Dad. From just one year old, children respond vocally and physically to the sounds of language in poetry.
Does your child look forward to a special time when you read to him? Does he enjoy books and stories that you share, and talk about, together?
Nurturing positive reading habits in young children helps make them readers for life. When we start reading to children in the first six months of life, they begin to recognize everyday objects in books and anticipate sounds in rhymes. Snuggled up with Mum or Dad they enjoy listening to the rhythm of words and familiar phrases. By the time they are two, toddlers realize that books contain ideas and stories that are read to them by caring adults. Soon they'll start to ‘read' them to their toys. Even though they can't, yet, decipher the letters, children mimic adult behaviour, believing they are reading. Motivated three and four year-olds ask questions about words and letters because they love books. They're getting ready to take off into independent reading.
Children who are brought up on a healthy diet of books, shared with a caring adult, want to master the skills they need to decode letters into sounds and words. Research shows that when we read, and talk, to children they learn to read naturally, because they want to. And it all starts with sharing books with babies!
So, how do we help our children develop the reading habit?
* Sharing Books with Toddlers
Reading to children as early as possible enhances all the skills and perceptions they need for independent reading, so make time daily to enjoy a book together. Don't worry if your toddler's attention is short. Let him lift the flaps in pop up books, enjoy feeling the shape of cut-outs, and responding to colours in books. Let your child be your guide to what holds his attention, for as long as it lasts!
* Talking about Picture Books
Choose books with illustrations that add an extra dimension to the story for your three, four or five year-old. Stop and talk about what's happening in the pictures, predict what might happen next and discuss the characters in the story, making connections to your own life. Engaging with the story helps children develop the basic building blocks for comprehension and reading motivation: imagination, understanding and language appreciation.
* Talking…just talking
Speech is the strongest bridge to reading for children of all ages. Conversation immerses children in meaningful language. Before children read independently they must know the sounds, words, meanings and syntax of language. The more they know, the easier it is to connect knowledge in oral language to the decoding process required for written language. Talking needs no special time or equipment. Anytime, any place is good.
* Responding to Books
Books for pre-schoolers must be linked to fun and play rather than work and difficulty. They shouldn't only make appearances at reading time, but be generally available at home, within easy reach. Its fun to follow children's leads in exploring books imaginatively: Play games based on books, dressing- up as favourite characters from a book, creating meals that book characters might enjoy, drawing places and situations from favourite stories.
* Rhythms and Rhymes in Poetry Books
Every home needs a good poetry book; a collection of rhymes, songs, poems and finger play games for children to enjoy with Mum or Dad. From just one year old, children respond vocally and physically to the sounds of language in poetry.
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