Parenting on Purpose

There was a burning question that was at the back of our mind; it had been there for awhile, since the beginning of the year, but it grew more and more pronounced as the dates grew nearer. Then about a few weeks ago, the question came to the forefront of our consciousness, as the dates of the Primary One Registration drew nearer: Should we enrol our older son Z into Primary One?  Yes we had made the decision to homeschool our kids even before either of them arrived; and yes we have been preparing ourselves mentally and emotionally to start the application process that could get Z exempted from compulsory education. But the question was especially difficult since I had come from a wonderful school with a rich history and a strong Christian tradition. What if my sons "lose out" from experiencing the education that I had gone through? After all, it could do no harm if we just showed up at my Alma Mater during the Phase 2A stage of the Primary One Registration Process, and s...

It was an overseas school trip with a difference. The children, all 21 of them, awoke eagerly as they made their way to the campsite, some 80 kilometres away. There were no complaints despite the long road trip; nor were there any hesitations as the young ones  trudged up the final 300 steps to their destination. And the teachers maintained half a smile on their faces, even as they carried their heavy backpacks, and negotiated all 300 of the winding, undulating steps. This was the beginning of an exciting 3-day, 2-night Treehouse Adventure in the rainforests of Gunung Pulai in Johor, Malaysia. And the group was no ordinary school; it comprised 10 families from the Homeschool Singapore Facebook Group, with teacher-parents guiding their children, of ages 3 all the way to 16. Our lovely treehouse abode for the 3-Day, 2 Night Adventure. Ascending the 300 Steps. Photo Credit: Eve Sam The premise of the adventure was simple; for families to get back to the basics and enjoy ...

Singapore has been in a state of celebration. And there is reason for it: the little red dot of an island-state has just turned 50 years after a moment of anguish in 1965. Historically, it is a milestone, and any social scientist will tell you that the first 50 years of a country's existence is the most important - it could lead to the development of an economically-viable entity, or one that others deem as a "failed state". I am thankful that Singapore has managed to tread the former path, and this has mostly certainly been the result of good governance as embodied by the leadership of our founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and the team that he had put in place .  Mr Lee passed away earlier this year, and while the death was largely symbolic in relation to the governing direction of Singapore (the leadership seat has already changed hands twice), it was also a tangible indication that the first 50 years of Singapore's political life had come and gone, and that...

Recently, I have been thinking a lot about the hearts of our children.  Our children are growing up faster than we realise! It started when our then 2-and-a-half year old had trouble sleeping at night. This was sometime after Easter, and also after we had attended the funeral procession of Singapore's First Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew the week before. The boys had been exposed to the concept of death, and had had some ideas about the finality it involved, although I am sure their understanding was still at an early stage. One night after a long week of bedtime struggles, I went into his room for what was probably the fourth time to pray for him. We asked God to send His angels to fill the room and to "tell any bad men to go away". In the darkness, I heard his little voice say, "Mummy, I am scared that the bad soldiers will come and put a crown of thorns on my head." I assured him that it would not be the case, that Jesus died once for us and we d...

Education is the "science of relations", says Charlotte Mason, a revolutionary British educator at the turn of the twentieth century, whose methods are perhaps more relevant than ever today. In her book Towards a Philosophy of Education, she says, "Education is the Science of Relations'; that is, a child has natural relations with a vast number of things and thoughts: so we train him upon physical exercises, nature lore, handicrafts, science and art, and upon many living books, for we know that our business is not to teach him all about anything, but to help him to make valid as many as may be of––" I have been dwelling on this idea for some time, even as I try to introduce Z to as many new ideas as possible in our homeschooling through books and new experiences. Our little boy is someone who appreciates a consistency in routine and finds comfort in the familiar. (Don't we all?) But when we have heard about the Singapore Flyer for the thirtieth tim...

It often starts with a courteous smile followed by  raised eyebrows and a slight alteration in the tone of the voice. This follows by a surprised "Wow!" or a curious "Really?" or even the unintended but clearly indicative "Oh." The conversation then launches into queries on why we have decided to homeschool our children and how different this is from mainstream education. And then comes the question that almost always escapes the lips of the other party: "Aren't you concerned that your child will lack social skills if you homeschool him?" The general public has a rather hazy picture of homeschooling. They imagine a tired mother conducting lesson after lesson for her child. This could either take the form of rigid classes and the regurgitation of facts. But more often than not, there is a general perception that homeschooling is unstructured and that the lessons are mostly unplanned and whimsical. There is also the perception that homesch...