Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

Recently I was invited to a press conference and panel discussion for Jacob’s Walk of Life.

I went with Wilson as the topic of discussion was ‘Healthy Fathers, Healthy Families’.

It was at this event that I managed to personally interview Gurmit Singh.

To those who may not know him, he’s a local celebrity, the man you see on many Singapore trains and buses (part of the campaign to encourage commuters to give way and give up their seats to others who need them more). And he’s known to most people as the loud, funny and chatty contractor in yellow boots called Phua Chu Kang.

[Even Anya and Vai know who ‘Phua Chu Kang’ is from frequently seeing his photos on public buses!]

That day, Gurmit shared with us how he’s a family man, … a side of him that many perhaps are not too aware of.

He has two children, aged 13 and 9 and he shared how (despite his busy working schedules) he chooses to reserve Sundays for his family. They’d go to church and spend the day together.

Anyway, I was keen to find out what he thinks of some family-related topics and how he does it with his own family.

Here’s a glimpse of his replies:

– On family time and meal times
In our family, we have a rule: eating time is family time, because it’s when we can catch up with each other. My wife and I encourage our kids to talk while we’re eating together. We have this game that we play together called ‘Guess the Character’, and my son would say something like, ‘I’m a thing’. Everyone then takes turn in asking questions to guess what he is. And we play this as we eat.

– On school, stress and happiness in what the children do
My wife and I are constantly fighting a battle against stress when the children are back from school. They have pressures, from their peers, teachers and homework. And we find ourselves doing the opposite. My wife and I tell them, ‘Don’t worry, just try your best. What’ more important is that you’re happy and you’re healthy’. I tell my kids, ‘When you grow up, you don’t have to be a lawyer, or a doctor. You can be anything … a char kway teow seller, I don’t care. If you’re happy, then you do it!’

– On children’s academic achievements
Family is not about achieving. Parents have expectations, and children are expected to measure up. It’s stressful. You only have your childhood once, and if you spend it doing just test papers, then … *pause*

Some parents said, ‘Oh my son only got 80% today!’, and I thought, it’s 80 out of 100, right? Isn’t that good? Shouldn’t you be giving the child a treat or something? But no, the parents send them to more tuitions, to get even higher mark.

I like Finland’s education system. You know, even if you can write at 3yo or 4yo, by the age of 7yo, they’re all the same. So really, what’s the rush? I don’t understand.

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We actually chatted for much longer, but since it was more like a casual chat than a formal ‘I-ask-and-you-answer’ kind, I find it a little hard to cover ‘everything’ in one post.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with his down to earth attitude, and especially with his views towards children education. And it was nice to hear how he tries to be his children’s friend, rather than someone who simply gives ‘directives’, and how he’s more of a relaxed Dad who prefers to have a holistic approach to life.

I guess I simply didn’t expect to hear such perspectives from a celebrity dad like him.

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Btw, you can join Jacob’s Walk of Life event on Saturday, 5 September at Pasir Ris Park!

Click HERE to find out more and to register!