Parenting on Purpose

It's not often that the Father of the Bride gets to speak at a wedding. Oftentimes, the only words are in response to the question, "Who presents this woman to be married to this man?" In that instance, it is normally a mild-mannered man, one who shuns the attention of the moment, who barely manages to whisper out the refrain, "I do."  A precious photo of a very special couple.  This was completely not what happened at a wedding I was at almost three weeks ago. In response to that question, the Father of the Bride seemed to have an entire speech prepared for the Groom, "I present to you the key to my daughter's heart, " he declared. "I have protected her heart all her life until this point, and now I am handing over this responsibility to you." And with a firm voice, he presented this solemn reminder: "Remember that you will not be able to do this on your own, but only with God's help, and by spending time with Him daily....

There was once a Boy. And he had one job - to tend to the sheep owned by a cluster of five villages. There was, however, one problem. The Boy was prone to falling asleep - especially when counting the sheep. So, it was time to make things more exciting. And what could be more exciting than pretending that there was a Wolf around! That very idea would send all the villagers into a frenzy and bring life to the entire place. And it would be terribly fun for a bored little Boy. But what if the Boy chose to cry "Wolf!" on more than one occasion? Would the villagers still believe him? What if there really was a wolf? Meet the cast. Boy and his Wooly Friends. Our little one was overwhelmed by the huge attention he was getting from the Sheep. Baa! I Theatre's interpretation of the popular Aesop Fable "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" brings to life a world where life is simple; where the grass is green, the skies blue, and the mountains a sight to behold. The musical b...

As parents, we sometimes wish that things at home would change in a therapeutic twinkling of an eye. That the spirited tantrums in our toddlers would somehow mellow, and what seems like perpetual shyness in our school-aged children would be overcome by a sudden burst of enthusiastic bravado. Unfortunately, that rarely ever happens. The intentions and interventions we try to put into play in our parenting often result in small, barely discernible steps in their intended direction.  However, sometimes we come across glimmers of hope, and help from the most unexpected places.  A serendipitous link-up with one of our favourite mummy-author friends Melanie Lee (watch this space for our upcoming review of her latest  Squirky  books!) allowed us the chance to meet up with the lovely Leila Boukarim, a down-to-earth and unassuming mother of two boys.  As she shared with us the story of how her first title All Too Much for Oliver came into publication ...

"My mother is the wind; my father is the frost," says the Snow Child, as she dances into the lives of a childless couple living at the edge of a deep dark forest. Hungry with the longing and desire for a child, and in pain from years of continuous criticism from the other villagers, the couple desperately welcomes the Snow Child into their lives, and they yearn for her to find a home in their family. But the Snow Child insists she is different from the Other Children, and persists in behaviours peculiar to the village as a whole. What happens when she wanders off back into the wild? Will there ever be love and warmth in the home once again? UK-based tutti frutti productions presents an enchanting tale of love and hope. Written by Emma Reeves, the 2016 KidsFest play was a delight for the children, who warmed up to the Snow Child the moment she appeared on stage. "Is she real?" they chorused, as the girl seemed to come alive and wear the winter clothing of her ne...

The dazzling beauty of autumn gives way to the harsh white of winter. As leaves fall and the foxes and wolves hide among the trees, a magical tale is told about  family, love and the power of dreams. Author Eowyn Ivey based her story around a series of Russian folk tales, and her story revolves around a lonely couple yearning for a child to call their own. The wintry Christmas season is one of children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile. But for the couple life is not so.  They build a small figure from the ice and snow, and wish very, very hard… until a little child emerges from the snow, right before their eyes! But she’s a girl like no other. As she dances in the wild landscape and talks with the animals, she brings joy, fun and laughter to the whole village. But it’s not easy, bringing up a wild daughter of the blizzards and the wind. As the seasons turn, and winter gives way to spring, will the Snow Child and her parents find their “happily...

What if..... unicorns really existed? What if.... you actually got the chance to save a unicorn! Michael Morpurgo’s powerful story I Believe in Unicorns  comes alive this February in an exciting tale of imagination and adventure! An enchanting and interactive production, the show won an Argus Angel Award for Artistic Excellence at the Brighton Festival in the UK. And the show is coming to Singapore as part of KidsFest 2016, the international world-class theatre festival for kids and families. This intimate show is set in a library full of books that hold more than stories within their pages. It is a tale of the power of books, and the bravery of a young boy called Tomas. Tomas hates reading and school, but his world is turned upside down the day he meets the Unicorn Lady in his local library... Parenting on Purpose is pleased to partner with KidsFest to giveaway a set of 4 tickets for I Believe in Unicorns. Tickets will be for the 5pm show on Thursday ...

Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree It's been three long years Do ya still want me If I don't see a ribbon 'round the ole oak tree I'll stay on the bus Forget about us Put the blame on me If I don't see a yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree The old folk song Tie A Yellow Ribbon is based on a delightful American story that tells of an ex-convict who returns home to his loved one after serving time in prison. Prior to his release, he had requested for her to tie a yellow ribbon around a tree outside of the town where she lived. And if there was no ribbon there, he would simply go on his way, understanding that she might never forgive him. However, when he passed by the tree, there were 100 yellow ribbons, symbolising that his sweetheart had forgiven him, and that he would be welcomed home. Learning to love and accept one another. The popular Yellow Ribbon Project is based on this premise. Founded in 2004 by Senior Prisons Of...