How Time Flies

I was thinking about an old friend recently.  I was trying to recall how long it has been since we last met. It has been more than 7 years I think. Time flies. Time really flies when you get older.

I think it is because most of the more vivid memories are in our prime - when we are in our twenties and thirties. So when we are in our late twenties or thirties, it doesn't seen to be so long ago. But when we hit forties and still think back of the good ole days of the twenties, it seems so long ago. That's when time seems to fly.

We are in our twenties, 5 years is an awfully long time. It is a quarter if our lives. But when we are in our forties, 5 years is but an eighth of a life spent thus far. By comparison, it seems so short.

Being more conscious of how precious time is, made me treasure the time spent with loved ones. Even when Gracie asked me to play Barbie dolls or cooking, I would oblige. In no time, she would grow up and would want more time for herself. So every minute, every hour is to be treasured.

The Wisdom Of A Child

Recently, my wife asked my 5-years old daughter, Gracie, who she likes. Is it my brother-in-law or my sister-in-law? Now, Gracie don't see them often as they live in China. So she takes a while to warm up to them whenever she visits them in China. During one of the visits, my wife asked this question. Initially, Gracie declined to answer. Quite a diplomat, she is. When pressed for an answer, Gracie, replied that she likes her cousin.

This reminded me of an old Jewish proverb - when given a choice between two paths, choose the third.

The amazing wisdom of a child

Take a day off?

My 5-years old daughter, Gracie suggested that I take a day off to keep her company recently. I pointed out that she need to go to school. Her innocent reply? If I take the day off, she could be sick and be excused from class.
Hmmm...

I do treasure the time spent with my daughter. My employer is enlightened enough to grant 6 extra days of leave each year for parents with child who is less than 6 years old. All in, I get 34 days of leave each year. not counting the weekends and holidays. Somehow, that is never enough. Now that Gracie has started schooling, my leave plan revolve around the school holidays. And that is only 4 times a year. Now I start to appreciate the behaviour of colleagues who are parents when I was single.

That's Life

My wife pestered me to sign up for Parent Volunteer Program for priority registration to River Valley Primary School for Gracie. And she used her strategic weapons upfront in the opening blow including "why do you not care about your daughter!". I just didn't see it coming and was caught with pant down (Remember. Next time. To avoid being caught with pant down, lock the door when changing out of work clothes.)

Having lost the skirmish, I tried to sign up as volunteer with the school.

"Sorry, if you are registering for primary school in 2012, we stopped accepting parent volunteers on 18 Jan as we had too many! Try registering in June for 2013."

Oops! Well, that's life...

My wife's mood darkened. "See! I told you! I TOLD YOU! Our neighbours had already fulfilled the 40hours of work required.....I don't care......try the next better school...."

Sigh!~Time to don battle armour....

Wait! By stroke of luck, River Valley Primary School was formed by combining 4 old primary schools, one of which was Kim Seng West Primary School which I attended. I checked back with the school. And YES! I am considered an ex-student! And yes, I still have my old school report card. So I have priority over all the parent volunteers! HA!
Yippee! Hoo Whoo! Just like striking the lottery! I am now off the hook, no need to be a parent school volunteer!

Happily, I told my wife and peace prevail in the household for a day......

"Hey, mum, remember my school report card and some junk which I kept in an old metal box in your house?"
"Huh? Where got? All thrown away long ago!". Mother turned her attention back to the Taiwanese TV serial that she was watching. The refrain from the theme song resounded in the room.."wah men tee, wah men teeee (I asked the sky, why , why ,why..."

That's life.

Luckily, there was a happy ending. My Primary School Leaving Examination certificate was still around. PHEWS!

Preparing for Primary School

Getting into a good primary school in Singapore requires some preparation. Recently, I was coerced into volunteering for the school of choice by my wife. Unfortunately, River Valley Primary School stopped accepting parent volunteers 6 months ago. And that was for children going to primary in 2012! Many parents have already completed the required 40 hrs of volunteer work 2 years ahead. That would give them priority for registration under Phase 2B.  I was about to sign up with Radin Mas Primary School when I found out that I qualified as an old boy for River Valley Primary School. My old primary school, Kim Seng West Primary School was combined with Kim Seng East Primary School to form Kim Seng Primary School a few years after I left. Subsequently, Kim Seng Primary was combined with River Valley English School and River Valley Chinese School, to form River Valley Primary School. So luckily, my stint in Kim Seng West Primary School was considered to be having studied at River Valley Primary School. That gave me priority under Phase 2A(2). Just ahead of the parent volunteers! Phews! Based on the vacancies, Gracie is more or less assured of a place in River Valley Primary School. I will be tracking the vacancies by phases during this year's registration exercise. It will give interested parents an idea of their chances at each phase of Singapore's complicated primary school registration process.

Preparing for Fatherhood

Gracie is now 5 years old. Looking back, I guess I do not prepare myself at all for fatherhood. Fortunately, things worked out well although there were trying times. I want to document some of my thoughts on how to prepare for fatherhood. I hope you will benefit from my experience.

It take time and effort. So obviously, there will be compromises. I gave up golf for more than 5 years now although I am still paying for my country club membership all this while. I think I seriously need to think about giving the membership all together. I spend almost all my time with Gracie when I am not at work. I had thought that I would have more free time when she is older. Wrong there. As she grew, she sleep less. When she could communicate, she want to be engaged in activities all the time. So I spend hours reading to her, playing with a toy kitchen and play dough. They said that fatherhood is tough, well, I have no idea that it is testing me in different dimensions.

I guess I did not have a good role model for starter. Looking back, I guess there are ways to compensate. By observing others for example. Anyway, I was very worried about whether I would do well as  father. So I tried very hard. I think I may have borrowed close to a thousand books to read to Gracie. I can borrow up to 24 books at a time and I visit the library twice or trice a week.

I am tough. I can take the sleepless nights and the physical demands. Whew! It is the emotional demands that knocked me down many times. I quickly learnt to keep a level head. My wife has a quick temper. So I had to compensate and provide the stability for a healthy environment. I think a good temperment is especially important now that Gracie is old enough to observe our behaviour as parents. When she was younger, there was one occasion when I smashed my fist on the coffee and stormed out of the house with Gracie in arms. That stopped the quarrel between my wife and her mother. But that didn't stopped my wife from blowing up every now and then. I kept my temper even as I squeamed inside as I tried to remind my wife not to quarrel in front of Gracie. I guess a good strong bond between spouses is a necessity for parenthood. It is a great support for the trials of parenthood. So even as you get busy in parenting, do not forget to nourish your relationship with your wife. Take time out alone. My wife really appreciate that I tried. We could not go out alone ourselves until recently. If neither of us was with Gracie, she would cry. Boy, can she cry. The first time my wife and I tried going to a pub, Gracie cried for 2 hours until my wife reached home. My wife only stayed in the pub for 15min before my mother gave up and recalled us. My wife graciously allowed me to stay with my friends for a drink. It would be years later before we could go out together. Nowadays, my wife would go out for partying with her friends while I stay home. I guess I can do without the partying although I still meet up with friends occasionally.

Before I was married, I did not interact much with my nieces and nephews. Such prior experience of looking after children would have helped. The first time that I had such an experience was bringing my wife's nephew to a shopping mall by myself. It was uncomfortable at first, being solely responsible for a young child. Well, I guess a new father would very quickly settle down in this area. Still, it would help to be prepared.

At this stage of my life, I am most concerned about work life balance. I am fortunately that my employer is a strong advocate of work life balance. At the national level, Singapore encourages happy family life and wellness. I get 6 days of child care leave each year. That is most welcomed. But then I realised that I could hardly consumed my annual leave in the first place. That make me sit and think about my working life. In the past 2 years, I have twice rejected an overseas posting to France and Australia. It would have been good for Gracie to expose her to a different environment. But I have other considerations. My mother has a growing attachment to Gracie. She would not leave with us if I were posted overseas. I do want my mother to be happy in her old age. I cannot be a good parent without being good to my parent. How we do one thing, is how we do everything.

The New Gracie

Gracie was being difficult. She was having 'milk withdrawal' symptoms. She often get cranky in the afternoon when she need to get her 'milk fix'. On Tuesday, she cried and was rude to my mother, chasing her away from the room. My mother knew just what she needed and make her some milk. After Gracie finished drinking her milk, she went looking for my mother. She coyly asked my mother, "Who was that naughty girl who cried just now?" My mother was preparing dinner in the kitchen then. As my mother amusedly turned another, Gracie struggled to find her words. Then Gracie said,"I am the new Gracie." That brought a big smile to my mother.