Parenting on Purpose

Ship Ahoy! As the timing was tight, we packed lunch to go and gobbled it down while on the road to our next destination - a spot of deserted beach in the middle of nowhere; well, to be precise it was a pre-arranged spot in Dunsborough, just east of the Yallingup Maze. Our boys were thrilled to see a ship offshore; and we told them that we were off on an adventure - this time on a whale watching expedition hosted by Naturaliste Charters! Our home for the next four hours.  Sending a motor boat to fetch us from the shore.  Almost like a scene from 'Survivor"! All ready to board. There are a number of whale watching boat operators; however we chose the Naturaliste Charters due to their track record as well as  a result of a local recommendation. The 4yo getting ready for his adventure. All set! Climbing to the second storey for a better view. A slightly apprehensive 2yo resting snugly with his Mummy. A lovely photo with the grandp...

Learning about the water cycle. I hardly have the time to blog our homeschooling journey. This week, we are at Unit 10 of our My Father's World K curriculum, W is for Water. Perhaps there's no better time than to be doing it this week, especially with the weather being unbearably hot recently.  It's also been a time of great mourning for our country with the passing of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, a founding father of our country Singapore. The concept has not been an easy one for our boys to grasp - they already understand his death to some extent, but understanding the immenseness of the loss for our country and the greatness of Mr Lee's rule and governance to make Singapore what it is today are not things that preschoolers can easily comprehend. We have started telling them stories of how he helped to make Singapore the place that they enjoy today, and one of the things the boys can relate to is the fact that through Mr Lee's leadership, we can enjoy cl...

It is terribly hurtful when your 2/1/2-year-old proclaims "I don't want Daddy, I only want Mummy!" This may happen when you dispense a dose of discipline after a particularly bad tantrum, or when you insist on holding his hand to walk him through the car park, or even when you simply want to change him and he wriggles out of your hands. In public or in private, moments such as these could have a significant impact on your sense of self-worth; or you could even start questioning why you even wanted to be a father in the first place.  "Fine. Have it your way. If you only want Mummy, then stop asking me for things. Go and ask her to help you. Don't ask me to play with you. If you don't want Daddy, then I don't want you." That could be a possible response. But you know that deep inside you, it is something you will never say. How could you bring yourself to say something like that? It might be something you may  feel , but as a father who loves ...

Not Just a Maze It was with much anticipation that we arrived at the Yallingup Maze. It was a lovely morning; there were lots of clouds in the sky, but it was clear that our fluffy white friends would not empty their loads on us anytime soon. Sue had set her sights on visiting the maze after she had found out about its exciting puzzle cafe while searching online for things to do while visiting the Margaret River region. We were thrilled to receive an email from the owner of the maze, Amanda Teasdale, who offered us complimentary tickets for the maze. But it was more than tickets that Amanda offered us - she also shared with us her warmth and generosity; and us weary travellers from Singapore learnt much about Perth hospitality during our few hours there! The welcoming entrance to the Yallingup Maze and Puzzle Cafe. There is a lovely bouncy castle just outside the maze, perfect for little ones to work off their excess energy. You are also provided with an opportunity to dona...