Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

If you’re to rate the current ‘helpfulness & thankfulness level’ of those who live in Singapore, what will the rate be, out of 10?

Personally, I’d give … um, 6.5 out of 10?

We take public transports all the time. Buses, trains and taxis. And when hubby is away for work, I still often go out and about with just the kids. And usually THAT is when good and bad experiences are somewhat more obviously felt.

I’ve met and seen ignorant, ungrateful and I-couldn’t-care-less attitudes.

People who look up from their seats on the MRT, spot an old woman standing and trying to balance herself on a moving train, and do nothing except getting themselves busy with their iphones again.

Taxi drivers who choose to stay inside his car while I head towards the back of the taxi, carrying baby Brie with my left hand, closing the pram with my right hand, and lifting the pram into the trunk with my right hand and my right leg (Yes, it’s quite an acrobatic act)

BUT, having said that, I’ve also met kind, really kind, friendly and helpful people!

Passengers or bus drivers who smile and proactively offer help as I board the bus with 3 kids in tow.

Neighbours who offer cookies and other goodies to our kids.

Supermarket staff who greets us and happily plays with baby Brie whenever she sees her.

…

Really, helpful and friendly people like these make such a big difference to everyone’s day.

I mean, I might be feeling grumpy and tired one day after handling the kids’ earlier tantrums, but when a friendly taxi driver gets out of the car, smiles and says, ‘Oh, let me lift the pram for you!’, the positivity is just contagious!

How can one not respond in thankfulness towards such kindness and help?

And, how wonderful it’d be if such a positive attitude is adapted by more and more people, on a daily basis?

…

Now, I don’t know if you know, but last November 13th was World Kindness Day.

A day when the Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) encourages the whole of Singapore to show kindness to others, AND to also appreciate kindness shown to them.

Our little family (yes, including Brie =) was there to be part of this event!

We joined some 500 other volunteers on Orchard Road and gave out yellow gerbera daisies to whoever we saw to raise awareness of the importance of being kind, gracious and thankful towards others. We hope that those who’ve received the daisies will also pass them along as a way to say thanks to others!

Some may wonder why people need to even be reminded to be kind and thankful. I wondered about that too!

Ideally, being kind and thankful should be a natural part of one’s life. BUT nowadays people are generally getting more and more preoccupied with their own busy lives that many may have forgotten about the importance of simple actions like saying thanks, smiling and helping others who are in need. And this, I guess, is one good reason why such a reminder can actually be a good thing!

…

Here are some more photos of what it was like that day :

[Some 30,000 stalks were given out that day, as well as magnetic daisy pins]

[Associate Professor Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts & Adviser to SKM, was the Guest-of-Honour]

[Anya and Vai gave out yellow daisies and magnetic pins to passers-by as well as to cleaners, to show some appreciation of their work in keeping the city nice and clean! It was a memorable hands-on experience for them, I’m sure!]

[With Nuffnang bloggers : Sofia, Becky and Velda!]

…

Btw, I saw some good points on Kindness.sg site that I’d like to share with you:

Being gracious and kind should be something we strive to work towards on a daily basis. It brightens up our day when we experience a kind act.

We can be kind at home. We should treat our family – our grandparents, parents, siblings – and even our neighbours with consideration and respect.

We can also be kind at school, by showing courtesy and expressing gratitude to our teachers, classmates and friends, … the food vendors in the canteen and security guards and cleaners.

This year’s World Kindness Day reminds us that kindness is not just about the big, grand gestures. The best kinds of kindness are small, simple things. For example, saying “thank you” when someone had helped you in some way. That is why this year’s slogan is “Say Thanks, Make Someone’s Day”.

There are so many ways we can be considerate of others. Hold the door open for someone, or give up your seat to someone who needs it more, or offer to help your teachers or classmates carry some laptops.

…

Now. You know what?

You can also submit videos of “Kindness Ambushes”, as part of the “Say Thanks, Make Someone’s Day” campaign throughout the month of November!

It’s basically when you and your friends / colleagues get together, and every one of you presents yellow gerbera daisies to the agreed kind person! =)

[With Singa the Lion, the Singapore Kindness Movement mascot]

Here’s how you can join this ‘Kindness Ambush’ video contest:

1. Identify someone who is always kind.

2. Get a group of friends who all agree and want to thank this special person.

3. Purchase the yellow gerbera daisies.

4. Surprise the kind person with each of you presenting a stalk of flower to him / her.

5. Remember to say ‘Thank you!’!

6. Get someone to record the ‘ambush’ while it happens.

7. Upload your ambush video on www.makesomeonesday.sg

8. Best videos win one year of unlimited Singapore Cable Car rides from The Jewel Box at Mount Faber!

Read more about the video contest HERE, and watch ‘Kindness Ambush’ videos on Youtube HERE!

…

Let’s start the waves of kindness and thankfulness, starting from today.

And not just in the month of November, but every single day.