SimonSimple

Hi People

At some point I know I have to introduce our 3 children so I decided to paste a photograph of them here.

It is late and I need to sleep because I have to wake up at 2 am to watch Liverpool in a Champions League match! Yesterday morning it was Arsenal. I know I was quoted in Wednesday’s Mind Your Body that you need an emotional sandwich of about 15 minutes with your spouse before you turn in for the night.

But you see, my third born, the third one on the right had asked me earlier at 8 pm whether I wanted to go watch the movie “Singapore Dreaming” with him for the 9.20 pm show. I will tell you why I said Yes to him, tired as I was after a hard day’s work at the office. You see, he is of the male species and 18 years old and if you have one of these at home, you’ll learn soon enough that they hardly ever talk to dad, let alone invite dad out for a show! During their teen years they communicate in monosyllabic animal-like grunts, if you know what I mean. Anyway this one is the “Enjoy now, enjoy later” type. This type gives you nervous breakdowns if you are too child-centred in your parenting style. As for our other 2 children, young ladies in their own right, one is the “Sweat now, enjoy later” version and another the “Enjoy now, sweat later” variety. It just proves that we will churn out different personalities despite all three coming from the same stock.

Anyway the movie is a “must see” and I would rate it an 8 out of 10. Support your local sheriff mah, but seriously it is a great show. It portrays the Singaporean’s relentless pursuit of the 5Cs only to find out that there is a sixth C - the Coffin. It is such a great “leveller”. Watch it and reflect on your own journey in life thus far. It will help you define what is important to you. As for me, I have always valued relationships, especially within the family. I also know that I must now concentrate my attention back to my wife because in 3 months time I would have to release my son to serve his national service. My responsibilities for my children’s welfare is almost over and now I can look forward to doing other things. Like they say, your spouse is freehold property and your children only leasehold - 18 years or so. My monkeys have grown up and will soon look for their own mates and produce little monkeys of their own.

If you liken children to properties in Singapore, it is easy to decide which property you need to invest your time with in order to maximise your returns. You decide.

Hi People

Since this is near the PSLE exam time I thought it best to share a testimony I received a few months back to encourage you all. Names are disguised to protect the privacy of this wonderful family whom I got to know. They have given me permission to share their story.

Subject: RE: power of showing love & encouragement

Hi Simon,

It was a great pleasure to see you at the marriage encounter(ME). I recalled the first time we met although we didn’t speak to each other as you were giving a short 30 mintues talk on how to handle our P6 kids going to secondary school.

Honestly, although being a young couple, both my wife and me
were quite stressed about our baby turning into a teen. But your short but
effective talk on PSLE truly made wonders. How? Well, my daughter
didn’t fare very well in her studies during her primary school days so
imagine if she couldn’t handle 4 subject what more in secondary 7
subjects!

My goodness! Imagine the STRESS we felt. But applying your PSLE method worked wonders as just recently shebrought back her report card and guess what? 2As,3Bs,1C and sadly a failure for her chinese. However, no morre scolding nor yelling but rather I told her that she should believe in her self and her abilities and she even said that she’ll definietly pass in the next semester. Whoa!!! Never ever did my wife or me dare dream that she would bring such good results but really PSLE works and I want to thank you for that day on 6 Jan’06 when we were attending FMSS’s parents’ orientation night.

Keep up the great job! There are more parents out there that need
education from you. God bless.

Best regards

Transformed Parents

Food Note:

Check out this quaint place at 28 B Harding Road called PS Cafe Singapore 249549. Tel 6479 3343 for opening hours.

Set in a quiet environment in the midst of nature (you can hear the birds chirping and the mosquitoes biting, if you are outdoors - or enjoy aircondition comfort in a glass case!) you are sure to forget that you are in urban Singapore whilst you enjoy the food and a cup of coffee. It is off Holland Road via Minden Road or Dempsey Road.

Hi People

Wonder why people wear masks? It gives them tremendous courage, that’s why! A bank robber would wear a mask to rob a bank right? Sometimes we are someone at home and then someone else at work. It takes a lot of acting to be 2 different persons at 2 different places. It takes too much effort & energy to take on too many personalities. Imagine the amount of stress we can reduce if we were one and the same at work and at play.

Well, 2 weeks ago I was at my company’s Staff Advance. It’s not a retreat, that would sound too negative, so we went on an advance, moving on, moving forward, you see. I was invited to don this spidey suit, so I I reasoned, why not? No one will know who I am in a monkey suit, I mean a spider suit. Too bad the master-of-ceremony demanded that I unmasked myself. Click the first button to find the child in me. Click the second button to find out the unmasking of Spiderman……

Life is already too serious so I think we should be able to make fun of ourselves now and then and make people laugh too. If you are happy inside, you should be able to show it outside. Afterall, happy people live longer. And I aim to live longer.

Spiderman beats his man

Nearly unmasked…

Hi People

Last night I watched The Family Man with my wife of almost 30 years on Channel 5. Er, 30 years of marriage, not her age. It was a heart-warming show. What was heartening was that the children were also watching it. The story is about choice - to put career first or family first?

Given a choice I have always put family before career. There was one time I switched from a promising career in an American bank to teach at the polytechnic. Another time I moved from one of the Big Four local banks to do full time church work and the latest switch was from a big British bank to do work in a non profit organisation. My mother used to say of my career switches “One step forward, two steps back!”

Mid week I obtained the appropriate blessings from the appropriate people as to how I would make another change in my life in the new year. People have said I am an affable chap, easy to get along with. Indeed in 2007, I would be totally CPFable. Not only that - our youngest would be due to serve his 2 years of national service (he is actually looking forward to it), the middle child is set to go overseas to pursue her university education after working a year and a half (she has raised enough money for one year’s university education in Australia) and the eldest would be busy pursuing her beau.

That leaves me to pursue my dear wife. You see, we will be at the life stage where we will be facing the ENS (’empty nest’ syndrome). I am determined that my dear wife will not face ENS alone. I want for her to enjoy the best QOL (quality of life) that I can possibily give her. I have not much riches in terms of money - it’s all tied up in the house but I will give her more of me.

Recently some colleagues commented that I looked so happy and fulfilled. One even remarked that there is a certain glow about & around me. Why not? Choices create consequences. In my life, I have made many choices, some alone but many with my wife since I value her wisdom and also because many decisions we make, we make as husband and wife and as parents to our 3 beautiful children. We have seen the fruits of our love (not labour!) and are very proud of what we see. We are quite sure the nation will be proud that we have helped to nurture 3 fine young adults as worthy citizens of Singapore.

People who know me know that I wear many hats - a boss, a husband, a father, a friend, a teacher, a mentor, a speaker & baker, even. Actually I am a model. The runway I walk is not 10 metres long. My runway is as long as a marathon run and longer - it is my life’s journey. This is near year end. In the work place it is known as Performance Appraisal time. At home it would be too. Ask the people that really matter in your life to appraise your performance. Are you a Family Man?

Hi People

Last Sunday I brought my second daughter out to a surprise lunch all by ourselves and no one else, not even her mother. This dear daughter gets the credit for putting up the carrot cake visual on the right - cool cool, or should I say drool drool!

The whole week was a special one for her. She celebrated her 21st birthday. She was feted to many meals from her friends & colleagues and received many presents. Mid-week the family had enjoyed a cosy family dinner at Hot Stones at Clarke Quay. It is tradition that we observe this family ritual. The birthday boy or girl gets to choose the place to have the meal and the man of the house, good old me, gets to foot the bill. It came to under $200. The day started with mum & dad blessing her with God’s plans for her. Like her elder sister before her I transferred 21 big ones into this daughter’s bank account. I think the practice is rubbing off my children because I found out that her elder sister also gave her some notes - 21 red ones!

Oh, back to the Sunday lunch. It is a cute place at 26 Seah Street - Mint Cafe. The food was great and the ambience was wonderful. It is a smallish place that sits around 20 people. Top marks for service and the affordable prices. Look out for Randolph and say Simon sent you.

After that we adjourned to the Mint Museum of Toys upstairs on a journey of rediscovery. It showcases a world class collection of toys that spans more than 25 countries and over 100 years, all in mint condition. We enjoyed ourselves, father & daughter making our way through 5 floors of displays.

This outing brings back fond memories of my own father. He loved to do things with his children - especially playing card games and badminton. He passed on in 1987 at 77 years of age. His mother was a Seah, daughter of the late Mr Seah Liang Seah. The streets around Raffles Hotel are named after my great grand father viz. Seah Street and Liang Seah Street. It was a walk down memory lane for me.

Are things in your home in mint condition? I don’t just mean your physical things, but your relationships. In order to keep them that way, you must spend time taking care of them. You cannot just leave relationships to rot away. It is well worth it. Spend time with your loved ones, not your things.