Exploring Our Children’s Potentials

 
A rare shot with the man whom I must say has inspired me the most, Rev. Dr. Stephen Tong.

I truly thank God for him and the works he has done throughout his 78 years on earth 🙏🏻

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Photo taken before the concert at Aula Simfonia Jakarta last night where Dr. Tong was the conductor 🎶

We watched players sweat, push own wheelchair, speed across the court, swing their racket with all their might, even fall off their wheelchair or hurt their hands.

Their fighting spirit is what I hope our kids keep in their hearts and follow.

Inspiring indeed.

Here’s the final few seconds of the Men’s Single, with Shingo Kunieda winning the gold medal!
 

 
Ever seen kids whose school bags are carried by someone else (parent / grandparent / helper / nanny / driver)?

I have.

Quite frequently actually.

I’ve seen an able-bodied teenage boy who walked ahead of an old woman who carried his big backpack for himErrrr … I have even seen TEENS whose school bags / sports bags are carried by a helper / driver / an old man (who looked like the grandpa! 😬)

(If they’re sick, or have just broken their arms, shoulders or legs, of course it’s fine to get some help. But I’ve seen an able-bodied teenage boy who walked ahead of an old woman who carried his big backpack for him!)

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Food for thoughts:

Children really do need to learn from the start what ‘responsibility’ means.

It starts from simple daily acts like, putting own shoes, carrying own bag, packing own school books, preparing own sports bag, etc.

(NO excuses like, ‘Oh I didn’t bring my homework because my mom/helper didn’t pack it for me last night!’)

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All these daily habits – whether they realise it or not – consequently teach them values like, admitting own mistakes and accepting consequences, as well as confidence to try something new eventhough they get no help from anyone.

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Many parents offer ‘regular help’ to their kids a LOT. Often because they ‘pity’ their children, or they simply just … ‘do it’.

‘Oh, let me tie your shoes.’

‘Come, let me carry your bag for you.’

‘Let the driver get your tennis bag from the trunk.’

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Many often don’t realise that by doing so, opportunities for their children to learn the value of ‘effort, hardwork, accountability and responsibility’ are taken away from them.

If I don’t bring what I should have brought, it’s someone else’s fault, NOT mineInstead, children learn that:

– I don’t have to work/plan/make any effort, because others will serve, help and provide for me

– If I don’t bring what I should have brought, it’s someone else’s fault, NOT mine

– I don’t need to be considerate / think of others just as long as I myself am convenient

(All the above teaches the child to put himself/herself as the focus)

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Habits we build since young will strongly influence the characters of our children as they grow up.

Habits we build since young will strongly influence the characters of our children as they grow up

And nurtured habits do stay … till our children become adults, … until they become someone else’s husband, wife, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, colleague, etc.

The question is:
Do we nurture habits today that will shape and help them become responsible, independent adults tomorrow?

Food for thought.

Beberapa tips dari adik-adik kecil … untuk kita semua.
  

Hello,
VLOG is in Indonesian, btw =)

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Too often parents buy smartphones for their children, though they may not necessarily need one just yet.

Here are some points which parents can and should consider BEFORE getting a smartphone for their kiddos.

Hope it can be a blessing!

Here’s one place you should check out if you in South Sulawesi: Rammang-rammang village, where you get to see karst mountains, the so -called second largest in the world after the ones in South China.

And, it’s only around 1 hour drive from Makassar city.

Enjoy the clip!

Here are some common complaints shared by parents when it comes to gadgets and their children:

‘My child is glued on his gadget day in day out!’
‘She spends hours on her phone everyday!’
‘His grades are going down. He’s more into playing computer games than studying!’

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Some questions to ponder:

🔹 Who regularly introduced the gadget in the first place into the child’s life?

🔹 Who allowed the child, from the beginning, to play/fiddle with gadget often and for ‘a long time’? (Often since they’re still babies)

🔹 Who bought/gave the gadget to them?

🔹 Who are the parents and who are the children in the house?

🔹 Who makes and implements the rules at home?

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Habits start from homeOften, many ‘totally’ blame the children for having ‘gadget’ habits / addictions, and forget …that these are also children whose possessions and day-to-day activities are still (should still be) under the parents’ control?

‘Regular gadget exposures’, when allowed by parents, become habits.

And, habits become addictions over time especially if there are minimal or no guidance, control and positive parent-child relationships.

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Habits start from home.

What kind of habits do we allow / encourage at home?

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Self-reflection and food for thought.

My days have been busy, but I’ve been truly blessed, and learned a lot along the way.

Some of the things that I’m thankful for are the sessions I had with these professors, doctors and pastors, whom I interviewed for Reformed 21 TV 🎥

So grateful that amidst their busy schedules, there’s time to share their thoughts with us.

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There are too many to share, but here are some thoughts I’ve jotted down for you =)

❤️ Too often, we see higher education (eg. University) as simply preparing our children / ourselves for the working world.

We forget how it is equally important (if not more) to prepare students for the world, to shape the hearts and minds, to face changes and challenges, to bring good and peace.

It’s not only about acquiring skills, it is also about building the ‘person’, as we are all created in the image of God.

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❤️ Parents, are you unconsciously pushing own personal agenda?

‘Go and get a business degree so you can continue my business later’, ‘Go and be a doctor. It is something that I’ve always wanted to be but never got to do.’

Is what your child wants to do/to be in sync with what God plans for him?

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❤️ Christian education must FIRST take place at HOME, before it takes place at church and at school.

Fathers and mothers MUST make time for their children.

Too many say they’re busy working in order to provide a ‘better’ life for the children.

Lower your expectations. Lower your ‘standard’ of living so that you can be with your children.

It is the parents’ responsibility to teach God’s Law to children at home. Open the Bible together, sing, read, discuss, grow together, and share with them the values.

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❤️ We need to look within ourselves and see if we have been committing the sin of ‘envy’.

Those who are envious find it hard to also be happy when others are happy.

They usually do not envy celebrities (eg. You know you can’t be the Queen of England, so you don’t envy her), but they usually envy their neighbours, their colleagues, or their siblings, ie. People who are ‘closer’ to them.

They can belittle other people’s achievements (because in their heart, they feel they CAN do better).

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For more programmes and interviews on various topics, they are accessible from this link: http://www.reformed21.tv

May it be a blessing!