WWW.FAMILYANDLIFE.SG
Your FREE guide
SINGAPORE ISSUE 9 JUNE 2014
WE’RE ONLINE! Don’t want to miss an issue? Download a free copy at www.familyandlife.sg!
PUBLISHED BY COGENT MEDIA
MCI (P) 114/08/2013
Left brain, right brain and...MIDDLE BRAIN? Should you go for AESTHETIC TREATMENTS? Education in Singapore is an ARMS RACE LEGALLY VIOLENT Family laws that leave you wondering
The Wee Pleasures Of Life
St Gregory CEO Wee Wei Ling wants to bring you on a tour around Singapore’s less-privileged areas Jun 2014 • Family & Life
1
Contents SNIPPETS 4
Choice Products, Interesting News and More!
4
Year Of The Family
the International Year of 014 has been finally designated as e, we’ve lined up a series them the the Family. In keeping with raising a family in Singapore. of articles related to the issues with issue of education. We speak to Closest to our hearts is the emotive t’s gotten him worried about the an NIE don who shares with us wha m. Discover what he has to say state of the country’s education syste a child, we break down the ng on page 16. And on the cost of raisi on page 20. ible poss as numbers for you as simply
2
SPECIALFEATURE 7
Home Ideas
Looking to spruce up your nest? We got just the thing for you!
SLICE 8
Aesthetics For The Family
holds dear. Read more Cover Personality, Wee Wei Ling, Family is also something that our On page 18, we her friends and family on page 14. about her and her relationships with and bewildering. g e and find some which are interestin will explore family law in Singapor Rate and the ility Fert l Singapore’s battle with the Tota On a broader note, we also trace 12). e (pag ent to right the course unrelenting efforts by the governm
Everything you wanted to know about family aesthetic treatments
10 Left Brain, Middle Brain,
16
Right Brain
In your head, in your head, what’s in your head?
as they try their ious anecdotes from three parents We’re also happy to share three hilar d their young al media in an attempt to understan hand at social media and other digit children (page 26).
12 The Singapore Fertility Story
making an impact. ifying to know that our stories are Thank you for your emails. It is grat that you would like est inter of s topic any ghts with us or Please continue sharing your thou dlife.sg or leave your us an e-mail at editorial@familyan us to consider covering by dropping m/familyandlifemag. comments on our Facebook at fb.co s gift to you, as you are choose your family, they are God’ Although you might not be able to
A quick glance at the history of Singapore’s battle with the TFR
COVERSTORY
14 The Wee Pleasures Of Life
Wee Wei Ling takes us on a journey back in time
to them. y this issue Happy reading and we hope you enjo
NURTURE
16 Education Is An Arms Race
Managing Editor Gerald Woon
More tuition, more classes, more stress for parents and children
as much as we enjoyed creating it.
18 Legally Violent
The family laws of Singapore that might leave you wondering
HEALTH
familyandlife.sg
20 The $ And ¢ Of Raising
A Child
How much does it cost to raise a child in Singapore
28
21 The Hair-story of Trichology
Restoring your crowning glory to its, well, former glory
24 Flashback: Secret
RELAX
Societies!
A look back in time at the glue that bound the different Chinese clans
22 The Grandstand
OP-ED
Explore the largest family-friendly lifestyle destination in Bukit Timah
24
26 Connecting With The Youth
Of Tomorrow
Three hilarious anecdotes from parents about their attempts at social media
BITES
28 Juicing With Executive Chef
29
Christopher James Millar Of Stellar, 1-Altitude
The HUROM Juicer is put through its paces by an award-winning chef
29 It’s Durian Season!
A look at the king of fruits, the family fruit of choice
30 Quinoa Salad A healthy quinoa salad recipe by
fine dining chef Tim Meijers
EVENTS
24 2
Family & Life • Jun 2014
31 What’s Happening?
Upcoming family-friendly events we approve of!
MANAGING EDITOR EDITORIAL CREATIVE SALES & MARKETING
Gerald Woon gerald@cogentmedia.sg Writer | Farhan Shah farhan@cogentmedia.sg Designer | Zach zach@cogentmedia.sg Senior Marketing Executive| Emily Choo emily@cogentmedia.sg Sales Administrator| Michelle Lee sales@cogentmedia.sg
CONTRIBUTORS
Claire Nazar Jacelyn Lim Judy Wong Scott Steinberg
PHOTOGRAPHY
Daniel Chan Koh Sze Kiat
ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE CONTACT US
Manager | Jessica Ong jessica@cogentmedia.sg Editorial Enquiries editorial@familyandlife.sg Advertising Enquiries +65 6704 9271 sales@cogentmedia.sg
MCI (P) 114/08/2013 Colour Separation & Printed by Times Printers Private Limited 16 Tuas Avenue 5, Singapore 639340 Tel: +65 6311 2888 Fax: +65 6311 2801 Licence No. L021/09/2012 Distributed by Region Periodicals Distributor Pte Ltd 20 Bedok South Road Singapore 469277 Tel: +65 6846 0797 Fax: +65 6846 0798 All materials printed within Family & Life are Copyright 2014 © and protected under the Copyright Act. All rights reserved 2014.
Family & Life is published monthly by Cogent Media Pte. Ltd. 100 Beach Road #32-01 Shaw Tower, Singapore 189702 Tel: +65 6704 9266 Fax: +65 6396 3045 Registration No: 201231255H No material of this publication can be reproduced in any form or means – graphic, electronic, mechanic, photocopying, recording, videotaping, etc. – whether in part or in whole, without the written consent of the Publisher. Family & Life will not be held responsible for any infringements of Copyright material in articles submitted by contributors. While every reasonable care has been taken in the compilation of information contained in this publication, the Publisher, editors or their employees and agents shall not be liable for any errors, inaccuracies, and/or omissions howsoever caused. All views expressed in all articles are solely those of the authors, and are not necessarily those of the Publisher and editor. Family & Life reserves the right to refuse any advertisement or advertorial for any reason and are not liable for claims made by advertisers. The information provided in this publication is solely for reference only. Readers are advised to seek the professional advice from the appropriate advisors, professional or institution for advice and instruction with regard to their personal health issues.
InnovatIon You Can
TasTe Meet your new favour ite appliance, the HuRoM Slow Juicer, which gives your body the nutr ition from fruits and vegetables that nature intended you to have.
The freshest flavour and the highest nutrition. All yours with the cutting-edge Slow Squeezing Technology.
e h t e t Tas nce today. e r e f f di Exclusive Distributor Modern Link Pte Ltd 6 Harper Road #04-03 Leong Huat Building Singapore 369674 T: 6 2 8 9 6 5 1 5 • E : i n f o @ m o d e r n - l i n k . c o m • W : w w w. m o d e r n - l i n k . c o m Jun 2014 • Family & Life
3
SNIPPETS A list of choice products, THESE BOOT(IES) ARE MADE FOR WALKING interesting news and cool Nancy Sinatra, daughter of Ol’ Blue Eyes, once sang about walking around in boots. Whether those boots were or not is another matter altogether. For Eve Khoe though, comfort is something she takes very seriously, developments, handpicked comfortable which is why she came up with Momkbaby, a hand-stitched baby shoe brand based in Australia and stocked by by the Family & Life team Singapore’s leading online design marketplace Naiise.com. that will interest parents and families! Momkbaby shoes are comfortable, breathable and lined with organic bamboo fleece, so that toddlers can learn to walk safely and easily while still being protected from any dangerous elements on the ground. The soft soles also help the babies to feel the floor on which they learn to walk, perfect for their physical development.
There are a variety of designs to suit any baby too. Whether your child is a nautical seafaring adventurer or an aspiring hipster, there is a pair made just for him or her. They are pretty affordable too! So, walk those fingers on your keyboard now.
Momkbaby shoes are designed for babies aged between one and 24 months. To start walking, head on over to www.naiise.com or www.fb.com/momkbaby.
WITH YOUR BABY, EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
DISCOVER SANCTUARY WITHIN CHAOS What if we told you that you and your family can discover peace, tranquillity and nature just five minutes away from Singapore’s premier shopping belt, Orchard Road? That’s the promise of new kid on the boutique hotel block, Lloyd’s Inn. Located at Lloyd Road, the newly revamped Lloyd’s Inn features all the modern creature comforts one would expect from a fresh boutique hotel (free Wi-Fi, minimalistic designs, etc.) while still retaining the allure of raw escapism. Disconnect from society, reconnect with nature or just bond with your loved ones; you have the ability to choose all three here! Our favourite is the Big Sky Room with its outdoor bathtub in the open-air area, which makes for really awesome bath-time experiences. They also have seven other room types, appealing to every type of traveller and family there is.
So, the problem with chairs made for toddlers is that they don’t grow in tandem with your fast-growing child and soon become irrelevant and either take up space in the storeroom waiting to be passed down or get dumped in the trash. This is not the case with the recently launched Stokke Steps, an ingenious all-in-one seating system that grows together with your baby. Consisting of just two types of seats – a cradle bouncer and a functional, versatile high chair, Stokke Steps will be with you and your child from zero to three years and is truly one of the most innovative and convenient baby chairs there is today. The high chair even comes with a removable baby set tray for your little one to eat and play on during the day and night, as well as an adjustable footrest for when they grow older and can start climbing on their own chairs. Wonderful, we say!
Lloyd’s Inn is running an opening promotion for all its rooms for a limited period of time. Discover sanctuary at www.lloydinn.com (yes, without the “s”) and www.fb.com/lloydsinn.
Stokke Steps is available for purchase at Mothercare and Motherswork outlets as well as at the Crosscom, Not Too Big and Bebehaus stores. For more information about Stokke and the store locations, visit www.stokke.com.
THE NEXT EVOLUTION OF HUMAN+KIND
The skincare brand with a conscience, Human+Kind, has expanded their popular line with two new products that stay true to their philosophy of creating multi-tasking products that are brewed from natural healing and restorative ingredients. We especially love the two new items in the hair care range – the shampoo slash body wash, and the conditioner. In today’s busy world, a grooming routine that is comprehensive, quick and condensed is highly coveted by mothers and fathers. Human+Kind understands this, which explains why their researchers have come up with two simple formulations that can accomplish everything you require to face the day smelling fresh and looking good! The best part: you’re doing good for the flora and fauna at the same time. Human+Kind has a strict anti-animal testing policy for all its products and ingredients, thus making the brand ethical and compatible across all skin types.
Human+Kind is available at all leading Watsons stores, Superberry. me outlets and the Superberry online shop at www.superberry.me. Prices begin from S$25. 4
Family & Life • Jun 2014
NEED TO CUT COSTS? We have less drastic solutions
Singapore-based accounting firm Origins, provides customised financial solutions to businesses and high net worth individuals. Save up to 90% of your costs in accounting and regulatory compliance. Give us a call today! Our Professional Services include: • Accounting and bookkeeping • Nominee shareholder and director service • Individual and corporate taxation • Audit and business assurance
• Consolidation of group accounts • Local and offshore incorporation • Company secretarial services • Application for employment and work pass
51 Goldhill Plaza #19-06, Singapore 308900 O: (65) 6353 5608 | E: info@originscorpsvcs.com | W: www.originscorpsvcs.com
Jun 2014 • Family & Life
1 5
SNIPPETS MIDDLE BRAIN ACTIVATION COURSES FOR KIDS 儿童间脑启动班
HELLO THERE, KITTY SEWING MACHINES! No, we don’t have a talented cat running around in the office that is able to operate a sewing machine. But, we’ve found a talented sewing machine with a very famous kitty that will definitely put a smile on your and your children.
Improving and Developing Children's Study Skills: Memory Retention Self - Confidence Concentration Reading Ability Intuition Focus Unique Blindfold Technique: Colour, Number and Word Recognition
Contact Head Teacher:
Ms Li Xiao Ru
H/P: 90279902 E: xiaoru.li@mltsg.com Skype: li.xiao.ru W: www.mltsg.com
Course Duration: Two x 5 hour days plus five x 2 hour refreshers Course times and dates by arrangement - for your convenience
MLT Workshop Centres at Balmoral Plaza and Kovan City
Brother International Singapore has launched two special anniversary editions of the Hello Kitty home sewing machine for the embroidery and sewing enthusiast. “Our customers are always seeking unique patterns that will easily bring their creations to life. With the Hello Kitty sewing machines, it adds the fun in functionality while providing a sophisticated and professional finish,” says Shigeki Yamashita, the regional product manager. Each machine also comes with a whole set of extras - the NV980K comes with 54 exclusive Hello Kitty embroidery patterns, a bonus CD and more, while its cheaper counterpart, the GS2786K, provides buyers with an instructional DVD and a craft work recipe bonus video.
The two Hello Kitty sewing machines are available at Brother International Singapore’s authorised resellers and superstores. Prices start from S$348.
A NEW ROYAL TREAT
The legend of JWEL is a tale as old as time, with plots and twists as thick and delicious as each creamy bite. Meet the aristocratic Ice Cream Empire family, the Decadent Duke of Vanilla, the Curvaceous Countess of Tiramisu, the Delectable Duchess of Double Chocolate, the Extravagant Earl of Caramel and the Brazen Baron of the Black Forest. We’ve met all of them and unfortunately, we ate all of them up because they were so delicious. Before you start picketing our office with cannibal signs, the JWEL family is really a new range of decadent flavours from F&N Creameries Singapore! Our team unanimously voted for Double Chocolate as the best of the lot but don’t let it deter you from trying the other flavours; they are as delicious as they sound.
The JWEL royal range is available at a suggested retail price of S$2.95 for one stick at selected 7-Eleven stores but if you’re looking to consume the whole family, you can pick up a pack of four at supermarkets for S$9.80.
THE SCIENCE OF THE MIND The Singaporean curriculum has garnered many accolades and much adulation around the world for producing some of the smartest and most hardworking students in the world. Unfortunately though, many of our children use a lot of the left side of the brain, the part responsible for logic, analysis and mathematical computations among other things, in the classroom. Mental Literacy Training Pte Ltd, a middle brain activation education institution in Singapore, focuses on helping children to fully realise their potential by simultaneously activating both sides of the brain! How do they do this? By strengthening the middle brain, which connects both the left and right hemispheres. Your child will be able to better retain knowledge, gain more confidence, have better memory and perception, and more importantly, perform better not only in school but in life!
Mental Literacy Training Pte Ltd conducts programmes at four locations in Singapore – Balmoral Plaza, Kovan, Bukit Batok and Bukit Timah – and Malaysia. Activate your middle brain at www.mltsg.com.
6
Family & Life • Jun 2014
S
P
E
Home ideas
C
To help you create your perfect family home, Family & Life presents various exciting options for interior design, decorations, furnishings, and appliances for you to consider.
I
A
L
F
E
A
T
U
R
E
MEGAMAN® Just like the eponymous technologically-advanced video game character out to save the world, lighting giant MEGAMAN® strives to make a difference not just for today’s homes but for the future generations down the road. How so? By designing and engineering eco-friendly and energy efficient lamps for you and your family. The MEGAMAN® folks don’t wear capes but they sure are passionate about saving our planet. Its award-winning lamps consume up to 80 percent less power than its conventional halogen and incandescent counterparts, are recyclable, and can last up to 40,000 hours. For average usage, that’s more than 10 years! MEGAMAN® lamps perform exceptionally well too, thanks to a variety of patented lighting technologies that keep your homes comfortably lit and cool at the same time. With new legislation coming up at the end of this year (November 2014) requiring lighting to meet specified energy efficiency levels, there’s never been a better time to invest in superhero lighting lamps from MEGAMAN®.
OM Driven by the ethos of functional yet fashionable living, the furniture experts at OM have curated a wide selection of furnishing brands all over the world that look good and are top-drawer quality. If functional and fashionable furniture at affordable prices is something your home requires (and you’re starting to get tired of putting your own furniture together), visit the two OM showrooms located at 16 Tai Seng Street Level 8 and Liang Court. Just make sure to come with a truck; you’ll need the space for all the furniture you’ll fall in love with. MEGAMAN® (Singapore) Electrical & Lighting Pte Ltd Tel : +65 6396 5576 www.sg.megaman.cc www.fb.com/sg.megaman sales@sg.megaman.cc
OM Tel: +65 6237 0777/+65 6837 0060 www.om-home.com
LEIFHEIT As anyone who has mopped floors before can attest to, mopping can be a painful activity for your back. Creak your back no more with the new award-winning Profi Mop Press Set from Germany. The microfiber solid cloth enhances cleaning and saves on detergent while its bucket compatriot has an easy foot release mechanism and integrated rollers that easily lets you wring the mop. It’s the perfect cleaning companion for any smart household, that’s for sure!
SIR GROUT OF SINGAPORE Lo, praise the coming of the new king,
in days long sped, we suffer in unbeknownst silence, blackness, dirt, and bacteria, they danced on tiles,
thy king has arrived though, Sir Grout of Singapore,
forth he went, light he brought, bacteria banished, dirt he fought, your tiles, good as new they got, all praise the new Lord!
One of the leading innovators in the surface care industry, Sir Grout of Singapore specialises in cleaning and sealing your tiled floors and walls, natural stone, and hardwood flooring, making them look as new as the day you first stepped into your home. Whether you walk on ceramic tiles, wood flooring or expensive marble, Sir Grout has the delicate expertise to restore them with the loving care they require.
Leifheit Tel : +65 6289 6515 www.modern-link.com
BANG & OLUFSEN Synonymous with crafting extraordinary, out-of-this-world soundscapes, the Bang & Olufsen is constantly pushing design and engineering boundaries to create game-changing products. The latest BeoVision Avant television is no different.
Before
Unpack it from the box, place it in your favourite spot and you’re good to go. There are no wires to fiddle with and the new Avant comes with smart technology that detects the lighting and space of the particular area before delivering the optimum screen brightness. Bang & Olufsen Tel : +65 6737 7500 beostores.bang-olufsen.com.sg
So, ride into the lifelong battle against dirt, bacteria, grout and other dastardly dirty villains with Sir Grout of Singapore, and emerge triumphant, time and time again!
Sir Grout of Singapore Tel : +65 6759 7296 www.sirgroutsingapore.com
After
Jun 2014 • Family & Life
7
SLICE
Aesthetics
for the family
Rapidly gaining popularity within the family unit and even among children, aesthetic treatment also has its fair share of detractors. We speak to Dr Shiau, a professional with more than 15 years of experience, about this trend. Everyone understandably wants to look their best. And there is a practical reason behind this pursuit of beauty – getting that extra edge in life. Economics professor Daniel Hamermesh from the University of Texas studied the financial effects of being blessed with symmetrical proportions and discovered that goodlooking people are likely to earn three to four percent more as compared to those with below-average looks. Though it might not seem much, the amount adds up significantly over the course of a lifetime, up to a whopping S$230,000, according to the professor. In Singapore, there is a growing trend for aesthetic procedures. We speak to Dr Shiau Ee Leng, Medical Director of CSK® Aesthetics regarding this. What are the differences between medical aesthetics and plastic surgery procedures? Medical aesthetic treatments are non-surgical procedures performed by trained aesthetic doctors. It is minimally-invasive, safe and effective with minimal to zero downtime, unlike plastic surgery procedures. Some examples of medical aesthetic treatments that we do at CSK® Aesthetics are Botox and fillers injection, cosmetic laser, Ulthera facelift, and Coolsculpt Zeltiq for body shaping. With the advancement in medical technologies, medical aesthetic treatments are safe and provide
MEET THE PROFESSIONAL Dr Shiau Ee Leng has been a certified aesthetic laser physician since 2000 and has performed more than 11,000 laser treatments. She is also trained in advanced anti-wrinkle treatments requiring injections such as Botox and advanced fillers. She is often invited to speak at seminars and conferences to help create more awareness in the aesthetics field. She was awarded the Ambassador-Doctor Award by the Singapore Tourism Board in 2007 for her efforts in improving regional tourism, bringing in foreign doctors for medical conferences in Singapore. As Medical Director for CSK®, Dr Shiau believes that true beauty is about feeling good and living well. It has always been her passion to make everyone feel and look their best at any age. Her well-rounded training and years of experience in the medical aesthetic industry has positioned her as the professional you should be looking for to perfect your skin and body. 8
Family & Life • Jun 2014
effective results comparable to normal surgery. What are some of the most common myths that you’ve heard about medical aesthetic treatments? Many are told that aesthetic treatments are dangerous, expensive, painful and ineffective once you stop the treatment. These are untrue as the treatments are performed by certified aesthetic doctors and clinically-tested for safety and efficacy. Treatments are also nonsurgical with minimal to no downtime. At CSK®, the doctors will personalise a treatment programme according to your aspirations and budget and one that best fits your unique skin and body profile. Aesthetic treatments are not miracle cures but they help to restore skin health and effectively delay ageing. Results are more predictable, longer and are quite prolonged if complemented with posttreatment care. What are some of the most common cosmetic problems that the average Singaporean faces? For children or teenagers, they may have acne issues, benign growths of warts/oil seed/small moles, birth marks, scars caused by accidents or even tattoos that are required to be removed by their schools. Due to ageing and lifestyle habits, parents usually face dryness of skin, pigmentation, fine lines, abdomen fats and cellulite at the thighs and buttocks, especially for women after pregnancy. Parents may also have acne scars accumulated from teenage years, or even have acne outbreaks due to hormonal changes. What are some of the most popular and common aesthetic treatments that mothers, fathers and children go for? The chosen type of treatments are highly dependable on their lifestyles. Parents who are working tend to prefer one-time (yearly or every six months) treatments like BOTOX,
Fillers, Ultherapy facelift and Coolsculpt Zeltiq or treatments with minimal to zero downtime like pigment lasers. Stay-at-home mothers prefer clinical facials which are comfortable, provide gradual improvements, and require more frequent visits. Children are brought by their parents, and most of them require regular acne control treatments and some for birth marks/skin growths/scars treatments. Is it safe for children to go for aesthetic procedures? When is a good age for children to go for aesthetic treatments? Generally, it is safe for children who are eight and older to go for medical aesthetic treatments. Medical aesthetic treatments are also controlled by the Ministry of Health and is as safe as any other medical treatment. However, the parents must ensure good post-treatment care for their children. Who are some of the most interesting clients you’ve met in your career? Being a medical director of CSK® Laser Aesthetic Clinic, I have more than 15 years of experience of Medical Aesthetics and have seen thousands of patients with many different stories. Two of my most memorable cases involved two teenagers who were brought to the clinic by their parents. One of them, aged 17, had a very flat stubby nose that was made fun of by her friends until the point that she began having suicidal tendencies. She did a nose filler which accentuated her nose shape. Another 18-year-old boy who came in had a very square and large face and also got teased all the time. He became rather depressed. After just one session of Botox jaw slimming treatment, his face shape slimmed down within two weeks. For these two young people, their faces looked more symmetrical and they regained their self-confidence. The gratitude they expressed, including their parents, were palpable. Would you ever consider sending your children for aesthetic procedures if it would improve their self-confidence, quality of life, etc.? Yes, definitely. At CSK®, we use clinically-proven treatments and devices to ensure safe and effective results. Most importantly, we always ensure our doctors are skilful and experienced so that customers can feel assured.
ADVERTORIAL
ClearSK™ SKIN PROGRAM Pigmentation•Pimples•Pores•Lines
W
hen it comes to our skin, we face four main problems – Pigmentation, Pimples, Pores and Lines (PPPL) – which are caused by ageing, sun damage, hormones, puberty, and the environment. These problems, if not taken care of when they appear, can become a permanent facial landmark.
ClearSK™ SKIN PROGRAM Designed by Dr Shiau Ee Leng, Medical Director of CSK® Aesthetics, ClearSK™ Skin Program aims to restore skin health and radiancy by targeting the 3 skin layers (skin surface, epidermis and dermis) using
combination of clinically-proven treatments. Pigmentation, pimples, pores and lines are common skin concerns that most suffer from. Our combination of Cosmetic Laser and Redlight Skin Soother treat all these 4 concerns at 1 go. Cosmetic Laser is known for its gentleness on skin for lightening pigmentation, treats pimples, refines pores and lines. It is a noninvasive treatment with minimal downtime - a boon for the busy family man or woman. RedLight Skin Soother Facial calms and repairs skin cells on the protective upper layer (epidermis) that might be temporarily affected. Treatment procedure include pre-treatment cleansing, numbing and post-treatment calming mask. While slight discomfort may be experienced during laser treatment, most customers feedback that they enjoy the treatment process. Till date, CSK® has done more than 14000 of skin laser treatments, and most customers saw improvements after their treatment programme.
POST-TREATMENT CARE After the treatment, CSK® highly recommends ClearSK™ Lazer White Repair and Super Sun-Shield SPF90 to protect the skin from the damaging effects of ultraviolet sun rays as well as to help maintain skin’s radiance. The treated area should also be kept as clean as possible and customers are advised to avoid scrubbing it to prevent any aggravation.
SAMPLER PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT Experience the Doctor-designed ClearSK™ Skin ProgramLite (1 session each of Cosmetic Laser and Redlight Skin Soother Facial) at S$48!* *To book appointment, SMS to 9710 8808 “FL06-Name, NRIC, Appt Date/Time/Location”. Other terms and conditions apply.
CSK AESTHETICS
Founded in 2008, CSK®’s mission is to be your trusted partner in your pursuit of beauty and wellness, using medical technology to make you look as good as you feel at any age. CSK® is a one-stop provider of doctor-guided aesthetics solutions for the face and body, using medical technologies designed and tested by doctors. CSK® has a wide selection of medically-proven skincare and body shaping treatments that are personalised to your face and body needs. CSK® offers you a holistic non-invasive treatment program at reasonable prices, combining high-tech clinical facials and medi-slimming treatments based on innovations in cosmetic lasers, focused energy, and medical grade skincare ingredients. Let the doctors help you achieve your aspirations in skin and body wellness.
Novena Medical Center | Orchard Central | Toa Payoh | Tampines | Westgate Jurong | 6100 6886 | www.cskclinics.com Jun 2014 • Family & Life
9
SLICE
n i a r B e l Midd Left Brain Right Brain By Farhan Shah
You’ve probably heard of the left and right brain characteristics but have you heard of the middle brain? We break down these three parts of the brain in your children and explain what they actually do in the grand scheme of thoughts.
• Controls the muscles on the left side of the body • Analyses the space in front, to the side and behind you, which helps with parking! • Helps you to recognise faces • Responsible for processing music • Also does mathematical calculations, but only for rough estimations and comparisons • Comprehends visual imagery and makes sense of what you see • Plays a role in analysing the deeper meaning, tone and nuances behind words and even body!
• Controls the muscles on the right side of the body • Processes what you hear and handles speaking duties • Responsible for grammar, vocabulary and literal meanings • The part responsible for making logical connections • Does heavy-duty mathematical computations • Trying to recall a memory? The left is your man! • Perceives order and pattern
In scientific circles, the middle brain is a part of the organ that plays a part in vision, hearing, motor control, alertness and temperature regulation. Its name – mesencephalon, which literally translates from Greek to middle brain. According to the folks at Mental Literacy Training Pte Ltd, an academy that focuses on activating the middle brain, children are able to fully realise their potential by simultaneously activating both sides of the brain.
How does this work? Well, Li Xiaoru, one-half of the team at MLT, gently explains that the left side of our brain is the one most commonly tapped on in school. Activating and training the middle brain helps the child to fully utilise both brain hemispheres by strengthening the “bridge”, or the middle brain, that connects the two. Thus, the child will be able to better retain knowledge, gain selfconfidence, become more expressive, demonstrate a wider sense of creativity, and more!
THE MYTH OF DOMINANT BRAIN PERSONALITIES At some point in the past, we’ve been told by magazine articles, researchers and well-meaning friends about the role of your right and left brains in your personality – “I’m just a more creative, right-brained person” versus “I’m analytical. That means I’m more left-brained, right?” According to new, comprehensive research from the neuroscientists at University of Utah though, the theory of your brain being more dominant on one side is, well, hare-brained. In the two-year study, the brain specialists scanned the brains of more than 1,000 people between the ages of seven and 29 while they were doing different tasks, be it reading or solving math problems. While 10
Family & Life • Jun 2014
they discovered that certain functions did utilise more of one side of the brain than the other, they found no evidence indicating that the participants had a stronger left- or right-sided brain network. “It’s absolutely true that some brain functions occur in one or the other side of the brain – language tends to be on the left, attention more on the right,” says neuroradiology professor Jeff Anderson. “[However], the…community has never accepted the idea of ‘left-dominant’ or ‘right-dominant’ personality types. The truth is that it would be highly inefficient for one half of the brain to be consistently more active than the other.”
ADVERTORIAL
The Character The Child
Maketh
More Than a Decade in Character Building
Have you ever looked at a child who minds his Ps and Qs and who says please and thank you at every turn, and you wonder how that was achieved? It’s all about moulding the character of the kid, and it isn’t as complicated as you think it is.
What is the difference between the traditional Montessori approach and Character Montessori? Grace: At Character Montessori, the children will go through the complete rigours of the traditional Montessori curriculum; children work with the materials, learn independently, and practice character traits like attentiveness and self-control. However, research informs us that moral values need to be taught, caught and practiced to take root in the hearts of children. Thus, in Character Montessori, we lay a moral foundation in our children through the direct teaching of values and interactions with teachers and friends in group activities; children develop moral reasoning when they learn why having a particular character trait like patience is good and to apply it when they engage in co-operative work or group learning activities which are not in the Montessori curriculum. Children also engage in discussions where they grasp the importance of a character trait and apply it in life - “Benny did not keep his toys after playing. Do you think it is a good or bad thing to do? Why?” “How would you help Benny?” Tell us a typical day in a Character Montessori classroom. Grace: In a Character Montessori classroom, there are three key components, all of which are interlinked with one another. These components are the environment, the programme, and the community. When we talk about the environment, we are referring to both the physical and cultural environment in the classroom. The physical space is set up in such a way so that children can easily access the materials on the shelves independently. Essentially, everything is placed at the typical child’s height, who is trained to not only retrieve the items but also to return them after use. These materials are designed as part of the teaching curriculum for revision and reinforcement of concepts taught in the lesson.
Grace Yong is the founder and current principal of Character Montessori, and is the first certified Singaporean Character Education Practitioner, accredited by The Abraham Lincoln Centre for Character Development (USA). Grace also holds a Master in Education from James Cook University.
And what about the cultural space? In a Character Montessori classroom, we accord children the respect they deserve and give them the space to be capable, outstanding individuals. We affirm children (“Thank you for being so helpful”) rather than praise them (“Good boy!”) when they display the appropriate and right behaviour. This helps to build confidence in children and creates the proper motivations. We build a community in the classroom, rather than assigning roles. The teacher and the children make up the community and work together to set the moral tone in the classroom. What does this mean? It means that the children, those four years and older, work together with the teacher to establish the rules as well as the consequences for breaking the rules. Thus, the children will feel responsible for making sure their classmates follow the rules. If a problem emerges, then the teacher will engage the children in a class meeting and work together to form a solution. While the teacher still holds the authority in the classroom, the responsibility of maintaining moral standards is shared.
Call
65070 444
enquiries@cm-preschool.com
www.cm-preschool.com Join our facebook group parents4character
A Beautiful Transformation Counts
Ang Mo Kio
Punggol
161 Ang Mo Kio Ave 4
420 Punggol Rd
New
New
Yishun
2 Yishun Ind St 1 Northpoint BizHub
Bishan
1 Pemimpin Dr One Pemimpin
(Franchise-Biz Available)
Jun 2014 • Family & Life
11
SLICE
The Singapore Fertility Story It’s our Year of the Family FERTILITY CONCERNS issue and in line with the theme, we track Singapore’s “[Reaching a TFR of 1.4 or 1.5] would mean that we have done long-running often-covered quite well. And we hope that battle with fertility issues in the longer term, of course in this month’s Slice! that we can get up to 2.1. But Currently, Singapore has looking at the environment and what other countries and one of the lowest fertility cities are facing, that really rates in the world, which is a work-in-progress which does not bode well for the require a long time.” survival of our nation and “The core and most our competitive edge.
“Unfortunately, despite our efforts to promote marriage and parenthood, our birth rates are still too low…we must create a pro-family environment which gives families the confidence and support to raise their children.” 30 January 2014 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Singapore’s total fertility rate (TFR) slip in 2014 to 1.19 from 1.29 in 2012
fundamental thing…that the government wants to do in population policy is to encourage Singaporeans to marry and have children. Singaporeans are the core of society and the best and the most fundamental way to build a stronger Singaporean core is to encourage marriage and parenthood.”
21 January 2013 Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean introduces the enhanced S$2 billion Marriage and Parenthood package
FEWER WORKING-AGE ADULTS TO EACH CITIZEN ABOVE AGE 65 Citizen old-age support ratio, 1970-2013 Citizen aged 65 years & above Citizens in working-age band of 20-64 years
1970
=
1980
=
1990
=
2000
=
2012
=
5.9
2013
=
5.5
2030
=
13.5
11.4
10.4
8.4
2.1 (projected)
Source: Department of Statistics Singapore
SINGAPORE’S FERTILITY TIMELINE Singapore’s Fertility Timeline
1960s The Family Planning and Population Board (FPPB) was
established in an effort to slow down the post-war population boom and due to overcrowding concerns. In 1965, on average, a baby was born every 11 minutes and the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) was about 4.6. In 1966, Kandang Kerbau Hospital even earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records for “largest number of births in a single maternity facility” – the staff there had delivered 39,835 babies. One of the successful programmes the FPPB implemented was the Stop at Two programme, which encouraged parents to just have two children and then get sterilised. In 1969, the ruling government targeted the programme at low-educated and –income women in an effort to solve social concerns and to encourage the poor to concentrate their limited resources on just a few children who could potentially break out of the poverty cycle and become productive citizens.
12
Family & Life • Jun 2014
1970s The TFR was
falling but was still a cause of concern, so a slew of disincentives were introduced – maternity hospitals charged higher fees for each additional birth; civil servants did not enjoy paid maternity leave from the third children onward; income tax deductions only applied for the first two children; etc. Finally, in 1975, the TFR reached the ideal replacement rate of 2. However, instead of hovering at this level, the TFR continued its downward descent in the years and decades to come – in 1977, the rate dropped to 1.82. 1976 was the last year that Singapore ever attained a TFR that was at or above the replacement level.
1980s The government enacted a slew of
The Social Development Unit was also established in the same year to act as matchmaker and foster romance between the unmarried university graduates of Singapore.
social policies in an attempt to reverse the falling birth rate. One of the reasons singled out by thenPrime Minister Lee Kuan Yew was that the female university graduates were not marrying and bearing children, “attributed in part to the apparent preference of male university graduates for less highly educated wives”.
Hey by! Ba
In 1987, the government launched the Have Three or More (if you can afford it) initiative, introducing another slew of incentives such as tax rebates for the third children, day care subsidies, school enrolment priority for large children, etc.
So, in 1984, the government announced the Graduate Mother Scheme, which provided “direct financial benefits and special school enrolment privileges for graduate mothers having more than two children. It also offered financial and other benefits for the voluntary sterilisation of women with little education who had at least one child and whose total household income fell below a certain specified level”. However, it was scrapped as soon as it started in the same year due to a public outcry.
“The major policy shift left parents baffled, mothers indignant, sociologists sceptical and private employers nervous about potential costs,” an article in the Los Angeles Times wrote on 21 June 1987. “Are we being told to have more children for the sake of the country or for ourselves?” a father was quoted as saying in the same article.
1990s – 2000s
In 1990, mothers who had their second child before the age of 28 would enjoy a tax rebate of S$20,000. In 2009, the SDU was renamed the Social Development Network and encouraged all Singaporean couples, instead of just unmarried university graduates, to marry and procreate. In 2013, Singapore’s TFR was 1.19.
NOW Available on:
Advertise with us TODAY! Call
6704 9271
iOS
Android
Web
Amazon
Window 8
Samsung
In 2013, the Marriage and Parenthood Package was significantly enhanced, with the government setting aside an increased S$2 billion a year to encourage Singaporeans to not just get married but have children. Here are a couple of interesting highlights from the package: • Parents with three or more children are given priority allocation for new HDB flats. • First-timer married couples with children can rent a flat from HDB at an affordable rental rate while awaiting the completion of their flats. • Working mothers will be entitled to maternity leave benefits if they are dismissed without sufficient cause or retrenched within the full duration of their pregnancy. • Adoptive mothers with an adopted infant aged below 12 months will be entitled to four weeks of paid adoption leave. • Newborns will be covered under MediShield from birth with no underwriting, including for congenital and neonatal conditions, so long as their parents do not opt them out.
www.familyandlife.sg
The essential free monthly companion for every Singaporean family, Family & Life aims to inform, educate and inspire the contemporary urbanite parent. With hard-hitting personality profiles and a creative editorial team that is unafraid of pushing the envelope and tackling controversial topics related to family living, Family & Life hopes to get families talking and bonding at the same time.
Jun 2014 • Family & Life
13
COVERSTORY
The Wee Pleasures of Life By Farhan Shah
Unabashed, genuine and passionate, Wee Wei Ling, the Chief Operating Officer of St. Gregory and the Executive Director of Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurants and Pan Pacific Hotels Group, is a vivacious personality. Take a peek into her life and her simple passions.
She found it in a nondescript store offering various knick-knacks, one of the many that lined the streets of Taiwan – a small replica flamingo, hewn by a craftsman out of a block of resin, in the hopes that it would bring joy to the new owner. And indeed, it did bring about such emotion for Wee Wei Ling, the current keeper of the flamingo, who checked in all her luggage at the airport, save for the pink decorative item lest it unfortunately be damaged during the baggage handling. Unremarkable as it may be, the flamingo now takes pride of place in Wei Ling’s home, amongst other replica birds she has collected from all over the world. Simple pleasures like these make her day. Wei Ling is sharing with me the journey of the flamingo from the balmy climes of Taiwan to the heat of Singapore to illustrate two of the principles she fiercely adheres to in life – that of being contented with our choices and subsequently, of living as genuine a life as possible. “Everyone has a choice to decide what is important in their lives,” she says, “and what makes them happy. I do what I do in my life because I like it and not because I want to impress the people around me.”
For Wei Ling, the simple life is the one she covets. Happiness, to the grandmother of four, is filling her existence with spiritual fullness. A SILVER-SPOONED CHILDHOOD Wee Wei Ling is the eldest child of Wee Cho Yaw, the man that grew UOB from its humble beginnings in the banking industry back in the 60s into its current position as a financial juggernaut in the region and arguably around the world. With success comes the trappings of 14
Family & Life • Jun 2014
wealth and, if one is not careful, the pitfalls of excess. The Wee household understood the hidden risks and taught the children to respect not just the money but the status that came with it.
Wei Ling remembers a happy and economical childhood filled with homemade sandwiches that she brought to school daily. As for Wei Ling’s children, they too were brought up to be mindful of money. She would give her brood weekly and monthly allowances so that “they would learn how to manage their money”. And what happened when they ran out of money before the next allowance day? “We’ve never actually had that problem,” she ponders, “maybe they don’t really eat a lot.” The offspring of the rich tend to lead lifestyles that oscillate between two extremes – excess and austerity. Wei Ling subscribes to neither. “I’m an easy-going mother; I’m not a militant or, what do they call it, Tiger mom. I do not believe in throwing my children into the deep end to fend for themselves. What’s the point? What am I trying to prove with this parenting style?” Instead, Wei Ling became their friend. She became their shoulder, their cheerleader and their confidante. In retrospect, she acknowledges that perhaps the parenting route she chose might not have been the most ideal style, especially after observing others blurring the boundaries of authority and friendship with their children. She would look on, flabbergasted, as the younger generation spoke crassly, bordering on disrespect, to their parents. THE FUNDAMENTALS TO A GOOD LIFE Wei Ling regards the fundamentals as the most important building block of anything you set out to do in your life, whether it is singing, cooking, dancing and other activity you partake in. She compares it to the construction of a house. For any building to withstand the battering of the elements,
there needs to be a solid and stable foundation or it will “just end up like the houses blown down in the Three Little Pigs”. She says, “Everyone likes to bathe themselves in glory but no one wants to put in the hard work, the fundamentals. For example, every lady puts on make-up to look pretty but they forget the two most important components of beauty – a healthy body and a healthy mind.” She loves analogies, harnessing on the power of stories that you can relate to and be entertained with so that she can instantiate her point. The environment – boardroom meetings, casual dinners, a magazine interview, etc. – does not matter; only the execution does. And even so, Wei Ling doesn’t sweat the small details. She motions to the table in front of her and tells me that the first thing she noticed about it were the stack of beverage accompaniments and bottles of mineral water. She disapproves of the arrangement but reveals that she would soon forget about it. “It’s not a deal-breaker,” she comments. “I would rather focus on more important parts of the business.” And despite her age (62 going on 30, we say), Wei Ling has never shied away from trying her hand out at new initiatives. Three years ago, her restaurant, Si Chuan Dou Hua, organised a charity event with the People’s Association (PA). Instead of yet another gala dinner, Wei Ling opted to make mooncakes. The CEOs of the 17 organisations rolled up their long sleeves, kneaded the dough, stuffed in the filling and formed the Chinese pastries before they were distributed to the needy. The mooncake bash was such a hit with both the CEOs and the beneficiaries that the PA and Wei Ling discussed the possibility of more charitable initiatives in the future. A few weeks later, the PA approached Wei Ling with the idea for Project We Care. It was an ambitious, ground up effort that aimed to bring together two different social strata – the haves and the have-nots – onto a common platform.
court more companies to volunteer not just their money but their time and efforts. She wants to increase the public’s awareness regarding the issue of the invisible poor, of the people who have neither the means nor the capabilities to break out of the vicious cycle of the less privileged. “When we do charity work simply by giving money, you don’t get to see where your money is going to. More importantly, you don’t get to see the problem!” says Wei Ling.
THE HEIGHTS AND THE HEARTLANDS Singapore’s glitzy façade is intoxicating, her alluring bright and beautiful skyline enticing the wealthy and the glamorous. Venture deeper and you’ll start to see the city-state’s underbelly – older folks clearing tables, a single mother working two jobs before rushing home after work to cook dinner, and a family of six sharing a meal of boiled rice and cabbage and sleeping in one room. They are the invisible poor, left behind while the economic juggernaut that is Singapore forges ahead.
at least until I brought the topic up. “It’s a waste for me to retire right?” questions Wei Ling before going on to say that she would probably focus more on her charitable efforts and spend more time with her grandchildren. The four of them are an entertaining lot and bring a lot of joy to dear Wei Ling. She’s already cultivated a love for singing and dancing in them (“My grandchildren find me a fun-
loving grandmother!”) and tries as much as possible to teach them the principles in life – that of choice and genuineness – that she holds dear. But, most importantly, she wants them to be happy, to seek the simple pleasures, spread the joy and not worry about what others think. And occasionally, all you need to be contented in life is a wee flamingo.
Her idea: specially arranged visits to homes and families of the sick, elderly or less privileged so people have the opportunity to see a world different from their own with their own eyes. SLOWING DOWN? NOT A CHANCE Wei Ling is a feisty grand dame. While her peers are kicking back their legs and enjoying their golden years, thoughts of retirement have never entered Wei Ling’s mind, well,
It is a world that Wei Ling readily admits she has not personally experienced until the inception of Project We Care. “Becoming the chairperson of Project We Care has led me to garner numerous experiences, many of which I’ve never had the fortune of experiencing in the past six decades of my life,” she says. “I’ve read many articles in the papers and magazines about the less fortunate in Singapore but I have never managed to see it with my own eyes until now.” Last year, Wei Ling donned protective gear and stepped into a oneroom rental flat in Bukit Merah. Cockroaches scuttled around on the dirty floor, avoiding the piles of rubbish haphazardly stacked within the small confines of the apartment. Wei Ling was there for an initiative called Project We Care Stop Bed Bugs @ Central Singapore. To say the episode was an eye-opener would be an understatement. But while a more jumpy person would have retreated into her sanctum, Wei Ling relished the challenge. This year, she hopes to become more aggressive with the project. She wants to fumigate even more apartments and
Everyone likes to bathe themselves in glory but no one wants to put in the hard work, the fundamentals. For example, every lady puts on make-up to look pretty but they forget the two most important components of beauty – a healthy body and a healthy mind. Jun 2014 • Family & Life
15
NURTURE
Education By Farhan Shah
is an Arms Race
Singapore’s education system is under threat and that threat could possibly be you. We chat with a National Institute of Education don who explains why he is worried about the direction that our system is heading towards.
The different narratives of Singapore’s success stories has always had one consistent theme – meritocracy, the foundation on which everything is built on. You should be familiar with it. A small child, born to a cleaner mother and a taxi driver father, grows up in a one-room apartment with five other siblings. The family survives on the goodwill of relatives and subsidies to put their children through school while worrying about whether they can have enough money to put the next meal on the table. The child, thanks to sheer determination, hard work and a flickering candle he uses when studying (because the electricity has been cut off), manages to perform exceptionally well in school and
1 2 3 4 5 7
S T A R T 16
Family & Life • Jun 2014
secures multiple scholarships that help to pave his way to university where he graduates with a medical degree before going on to become a well-paid surgeon. Finally, the child has broken himself and his family out of the vicious cycle of poverty and his parents can live the rest of their golden years in relative comfort. It is the type of story that dominates the news and influences dinnertime conversations between parent and child – “See boy, if you work and study hard, you can just be like him!” However, increasingly, the reality is becoming murky and complicated, with the ideals of meritocracy in our country’s education system coming under threat.
FROM EXCLUSIVITY TO THE MASSES We tend to see education as an inalienable right and the great social leveller. However, not too long ago in the early 1900s, elementary schooling was merely just a means of “instruction to meet the minimum requirements perceived to be necessary in order for the labouring poor to fulfil their future roles in a changing society”. Outrageous? Yes. Practical? Not at all. But, this was how the world functioned; education was a domain exclusively for the upper class as a way for them to maintain their stranglehold on society. The “second wave”, a term coined and extensively used by Professor Phillip Brown, of education was the shift from exclusivity to the masses, or what we now call meritocracy, about 50 years ago. The concept was first ideated by British sociologist Michael Young in an essay he wrote in 1958, where he envisioned a country ruled by a government that favoured intelligence and aptitude rather than social connections and the luck of the genetic draw. The move was not because of an appeal to social justice or a sudden
explosion of moral conscience. Rather, educational expansion was necessary to tap on the latent talents of the lower class and ensure a country’s economic prosperity – meritocracy gave everyone an equal opportunity to jobs that were concomitant with their abilities. One of the most important points about meritocracy, according to Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education, is that it never promised equality of outcomes. “Many people are confused about the concept of meritocracy and, to be fair, it is hard to wrap your head around it. Meritocracy essentially guarantees unequal outcomes! However, it also promises that inequalities will be distributed more fairly,” says Tan. Meritocracy was attractive, however, because it was both fair and efficient and ideally, ensured that everyone had a chance to showcase their talents. More and more though, the principle of meritocracy, and the core concept and attraction of secular Singapore, is being supplanted by elements of parentocracy, which is the third wave of education. WELCOME TO AN UNEQUAL WORLD In a nutshell, parentocracy is when a child’s education is increasingly dependent on the wealth and the wishes of a parent rather than the ability and efforts of the child. Parentocracy is not a phenomenon exclusive to Singapore. In any competitive first-world country that uses examinations and grading as the main mode of assessment, parents have been pouring their resources and leveraging their social capital to ensure that their child gets a competitive advantage against his or her fellow peers.
The problem is especially pronounced in our country though due to two factors: our high Gini coefficient, which exacerbates the haves and the have-nots, and our dogged, almost unhealthy, focus on streaming and classification. The large income chasm between the top and bottom ends of our society magnifies the problems simply because those with the wealth, the resources and the time will pour as much as they can into their child’s education. From then on, it is simple economics – demand grows causing a sharp increase in prices for supplementary educational expenditure such as tuition and assessment books, thus pricing the lower class out. According to a 2012 Asian Development Bank report, parents spent US$680 million on tuition for their children each year. Even where you stay matters. One of the deciding factors in primary school placement exercises is how close you live to the school – it could even come down to literally which side of the road your house is on. Families who live within a two kilometre radius of the school have a higher chance than those who live outside the aforementioned radius. In a 2014 study done by PropertyGuru, they discovered that condominiums within the radius of top brand-name schools such as Singapore Chinese Girls’ School, Raffles Girls Primary School and Anglo-Chinese Primary School cost as much as 25 percent more than the non-landed private properties that were outside the two kilometre radius. And what about the hotly-debated streaming systems our educators have put in place at different checkpoints of a child’s educational journey? Tan feels that streaming has its merits and faults. “Streaming is attractive because of its supposed efficiency,” says Tan, explaining that educators can then ascertain the capabilities of a child and subsequently, provide him or her with the appropriate amount of work and stress. Opponents of streaming though argue that it unfairly pigeonholes children into possibly unsuitable groups and can cause long-lasting psychological damage down the road.
Parents understand that streaming could potentially make or break their child’s future and thus, work doubly hard to ensure that their offspring gets into the best stream. That means even more money into the coffers of the education system to make sure that their child gets into the best schools. BUT, EVERY SCHOOL IS A GOOD SCHOOL, RIGHT? Current education minister Heng Swee Keat has a grand ambition of making “Every School a Good School” and while his vision is admirable, the people on the ground do not necessarily share the same sentiments. Jurong West Secondary School’s vice-principal Pushparani Nadarajah encapsulated the thoughts and concerns of many people when she said: “How many of our leaders and top officers who say that every school is a good school put their children in ordinary schools near their home? Only until they actually do so are parents going to buy it.” And many parents are definitely not buying the rhetoric. Tan breaks down the argument. “There are different types of parents but you can break them down into three categories – parents who don’t even know that there is this race, parents who know that there is such a race happening but have neither the resources nor the social capital to do anything, and parents who have a large advantage over the rest,” says Tan. “For the latter two groups, they know that the choice of school, especially at the secondary level, matters a lot in shaping the future path of their child. If their girl gets into RGS, she will be surrounded by top performing girls, have a higher chance of getting internships at large international organisations, be exposed to overseas exchange programmes, etc. that all play a part in their girl’s future.”
6
What complicates matters is the existence of the Direct School Admission system, which grants places to students who show a talent for non-academic subjects such as arts and sports. Although it theoretically gives more options for
students who are less academically inclined, according to Tan, it just piles on heaps more pressure to parents, who now have to work even harder and spend more money on dance lessons, art classes and the like. “Unfortunately, the spirit of the DSA system has been tainted and warped by the model of parentocracy, as, now, parents think they have to work even harder to make sure that their child is capable of opening all the different doors! Besides being good in his or her studies, the child has to play a violin, excel in a sport and cover all the bases to cement his or her spot in a ‘branded’ school,” says Tan. Ultimately, parents with more financial means and the better social capital will have a huge advantage. “IT’S NOT MY PROBLEM!” A few parents have criticised Tan and his views on parentocracy, saying that it is within their rights to do as much as they can to secure their child’s future, even if that means spending an exorbitant amount of money on tuition. Tan addresses the attacks: “I’m not saying that it is wrong for parents to want the best for their child. I’m not criticising them for spending money. After all, any parent would naturally want the best for their child. What is ironic, though, is that by saying what they’re saying, they are actually supporting the existence of parentocracy, where you have this immediate concern of securing your own child’s path!” Instead, Tan is worried about the consequences of parentocracy on Singapore’s much-vaunted model of meritocracy. “It’s becoming clear that the playing field is not level for all children, that the start line is not straight and this is worrying on the grounds of fairness and efficiency.” The social and economic implications are also worrying. If left unchecked, the cornerstone of Singapore’s growth and prosperity – education – will slowly become the great social divider instead of the leveller it is supposed to be. And that is very worrying indeed.
Jun 2014 • Family & Life
17
NURTURE In general, the laws applicable to Singaporean families are morally fair, even-handed and all-encompassing. However, there are a few inconsistencies that might make you go “What? How can this exist?”.
A sociology professor of mine once shared about his encounter with a woman who had been a subject of domestic abuse to explain why it’s important for us to keep our eyes open for subtle issues in society. One day, he was walking at the void deck below his apartment and saw a woman weeping on one of those marble tables meant for Chinese chess. There was something about her heavyset crying, uncharacteristic of such a small frame, which made him turn back. “I kid you not, but to convince her I wasn’t some crazy Caucasian pervert, I had to arm myself with my university name card!’ he shared with me. It turned out that the woman had an abusive husband that was regularly violent towards her during his drunken stupors. He had beaten her up again after she tried to keep his credit cards to prevent him from visiting prostitutes (yes, they take cards these days). Two things puzzled him. The woman, bruised as her face was, did not want 999 to be dialled. And if that reluctance was puzzling, the police officers’ indifference in taking action made him thoroughly perplexed. Frustrated at their questioning as if the woman were the perpetuator, he asked them simply if they intend to bring the husband in for questioning. After all, he was just upstairs. “Woah, it’s not that easy sir”, was the policeman’s reply. “We need evidence before arresting!” Evidence? Was the woman’s bruised face and swollen eyes from the crying not enough evidence?
THE LAWS GOVERNING DOMESTIC DISPUTES
Legally By Jacelyn Lim
Violent 18
Family & Life • Jun 2014
It is somewhat depressing that the reluctance the policemen displayed is not an isolated occurrence. The policemen had not failed their duty; they were simply taught to avoid interfering in domestic disputes. The laws governing domestic violence are rather loose and vague. There are laws prohibiting oral sex, against committing suicide, etc. but none for domestic violence. Instead, it is parked under the general umbrella of “hurt” under the Singapore Penal Code – a set of laws criminalising certain acts in the country. This means that the law does not make a distinction between hurting someone who is a family member and someone who is not. “Hurt” can be classified under two branches: voluntarily causing hurt (VCH) under Section 321 and voluntarily causing grievous hurt
(VCGH) under Section 322. With regard to legal procedures, the police can only arrest someone without a warrant for the latter. They are unable to arrest someone in the first instance. So, for the above woman’s husband to be arrested on the spot, grievous hurt had to be inflicted. That means the woman had to suffer permanent injuries, or as a result of the violence, be hospitalised for a minimum of 20 days. Since she only received a few bruises and required no serious medical attention, it was a case of VCH. The policemen had their hands tied and could only refer her to the civil defence force, where she can get a medical assessment to apply for a Personal Protection Order (PPO). Restricted by law not to interfere in domestic disputes, many police officers have found loopholes within the legal system to serve justice in areas the law overlooked. While they are not allowed to forcefully enter houses to stop disputes, many have adopted the tactic of luring the perpetuator to a common place, such as the corridor or street, based on anecdotal evidence and first-hand accounts from police officers. They can then arrest them on the basis of “Breach of Peace” – where one is causing disturbance to the public in general. Although the underlying message (being a public nuisance is of greater weightage than someone’s personal safety in the eyes of the law) is almost ludicrous, it remains the most effective way to arrest the perpetuator. Even then, it remains fully at the police’s initiative.
Courts of Singapore, out of the 81% of female complainants, 71% earn less than S$1,500 a month. Dependent on their spouses for financial support in raising children, many choose to keep mum about the situation after considering the dependants they have. Children are not the only consideration victims have in putting an end to domestic violence. The government, too, objected to bills that focus on family violence; in 1995, the Singapore Parliament regrettably quashed a Family Violence Bill. Tellingly, former Member of Parliament Bernard Chen had said that “the very act of going to court will break up the family”. Having said that, portions of the proposed Bill were incorporated into the Women’s Charter in 1996.
1
Society tends to view the man as the more masculine figure of the family and is able to protect himself against assault. However, there are many areas of violence that men can be exposed to that have no legal implications, such as verbal/emotional violence, psychological violence and sexual violence. Sexual violence makes quite the interesting case study.
Physical Violence The use of force on another person to instil fear in them and to control them.
Examples of physical violence include pushing, pulling, slapping, pinching, punching, strangulation, throwing things at someone or hitting another person with an object (e.g. a book), kicking and stepping on a person.
2
Verbal/Emotional Violence The use of vulgar or insulting words, put downs or curses on another person to hurt them and cause them to feel low and unworthy.
Let us now hypothetically assume that the woman mentioned above had been grievously injured and remained in the hospital for the minimal 20 days. Will she be able to formally charge her husband in court?
3
Examples of verbal/emotional violence include rejecting or withdrawing affection or love from someone, using words or phrases like ‘stupid’, ‘prostitute’, ‘idiot’, ‘you should just die’ and so on In the context of child abuse, it could also include “persistent hostility, ignoring, blaming, discriminating or blatant rejection of the child.” Psychological Violence The use of threats to instil fear in another person and to control them.
Examples of psychological violence are the use of knife or weapons, the threat of suicide or the threat to kill or harm another person.
It doesn’t help that the incidence of family violence occurs most commonly amongst low-income females either. According to the 2005 Faces of Family Violence: A Profile Study on Family Violence published by the Subordinate
While there is a lot of focus on women and children at the receiving end of family violence, this doesn’t mean that men are not subject to it either: approximately one in five applicants for a PPO are male, based on the statistics in Faces of Family Violence: A Profile Study on Family Violence.
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF VIOLENCE
TRAVERSING THE LEGAL SYSTEM
The answer is no, because the laws and societal expectations are not in her favour. While we generally encourage victims of rape or robbery to speak up against their perpetuators, family violence is something normally swept under the carpet. This stems from the stance many conservative Asians take towards washing their dirty linen in public to save face. Thus, victims are morally obliged to suffer injustice to keep their family from public censure.
MEN TOO ARE AFFECTED
4
Sexual Violence The forcing of sexual behaviour by one person to another.
5
Examples of sexual violence includes forcing sex on another person, unwanted (“bad”) touching or fondling of private areas of the body, exposure of a child to pornography or forcing someone to perform a lewd or sexual act.
Neglect The deliberate denial of basic needs, mainly in the context of children, the elderly and vulnerable persons like persons who are disabled or incapacitated.
Examples of neglect include failing to provide adequate food, shelter or clothing or denying an individual necessary medical care.
If you’re married, forcing your spouse to undergo sexual intercourse cannot be considered rape unless the both of you are under an interim judgment of divorce or written separation agreement, already living apart and proceedings have been commenced for divorce, or the wife has already obtained a protection order (PPO). An even more disturbing fact is that a victim of rape can never be male because the definition of rape is exclusive for female usage. Under Section 376(1) of the Singapore Penal Code, rape is defined as the penetration of a woman’s vagina with a man’s penis without her consent. With that being said though, women, followed by children, still remain the largest group of victims. 69 percent of victims are women, followed by 17 percent for children, five percent for parents and three percent for siblings. Children in particular, are prone to being “silent victims” of domestic abuse. Witnessing either parent being assaulted, children try to intervene physically or by calling the police, which causes them to be indirectly hurt in the process. In fact, 68 percent of children who tried to intervene would get hurt. Indeed, the laws governing child abuse is more stringent than violence against someone of age. While the law can seem to be slightly lackadaisical when it comes to domestic violence against adults, child abuse is an act punishable by law, as outlined and substantiated by the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA). The CYPA defines a child as anyone below the age of 14, and a young person as one who is between 14 to 16 years old. The penalty for any form of child abuse legally recognised under CYPA (verbal/ emotional, psychological, sexual, physical violence or neglect) includes a prison term of four years and fines not exceeding S$4,000, or both. In the event where the young person or child dies, the penalties include up to seven years of imprisonment, fines not exceeding S$20,000 or both. Initially, that sounds reasonable until you look at the difference in penalties for death resulting from child abuse, and murder. In comparison, an act of murder in Singapore warrants a straight one-way ticket to the gallows. It is a startling reminder of how the law dismisses the seriousness of child abuse. Both acts resulted in death, but one is viewed in a less serious light. Violence is something that cannot be condoned, no matter what the circumstances are. Jun 2014 • Family & Life
19
HEALTH
The $ and ¢ of
Raising a Child By Farhan Shah
Having a child is one of the HOW MUCH IS THAT CHILD IN THE WINDOW? most spiritually fulfilling S$500,000 in personal funds milestones in a parent’s S$400,000 in state funds life. And quite probably one of the most expensive too. We take a look at how much it costs to raise a child in Singapore, with 000 , 0 0 some help from Desmond S$9 Kwa, Executive Financial Services Director representing AXA Life Insurance Singapore. THE COST OF FALLING SICK (AND STAYING HEALTHY)
S$1,500 per year for the first three years of a child’s life for the recommended and optional immunisations
YOUR INSURANCE POLICY, DEMYSTIFIED Peruse one of your insurance policy documents. It is long and rather boring, and filled with financial information and legalese that would probably put any lawyer to sleep if he was not being paid to look through it. We had a heart-toheart chat with Desmond Kwa and asked him what should every parent look out for in their insurance contracts. What are the essential keywords that parents should look out for in their children’s insurance plan and what are the questions they should ask? One of the most important terms that a health insurance policy should have is a “Guaranteed Renewal” clause. This means that in the event of a claim, the insurance company is still contractually obligated to renew the policy, without any increase in premiums and imposing a medical exclusion related to the claim. Also, most health plans exclude pre-existing conditions and congenital abnormalities and parents should explicitly ask what the policy exclusions are. Parents also need to know the number of hours of hospitalisation required before a hospitalisation claim is payable. This can range from six to 24 hours. For life and critical illness insurance, parents should ask about the waiting period before a claim is payable. For example, critical illnesses like heart attack, cancer and open heart surgery usually have a waiting period of 90 days.
Four- to six-years-old S$1,000 per year
Seven- to 12-years-old S$500 per year
13- to 18-years-old S$300 per year
Total: S$12,300 for 18 years (without inflation)
COMMON CHILDHOOD AILMENTS • Neonatal jaundice • Urinary tract infections • Bronchitis • Pneumonia • Hand, foot and mouth disease
MEDISAVE NO ENOUGH
It is not sufficient to rely on Medisave for a family’s healthcare needs. Assuming a parent has an average income of S$4,000 a month and has been in the workforce for five years, his or her Medisave account would have about S$16,000, easily wiped out if a child requires hospitalisation or surgery. Desmond Kwa,
Executive Financial Services Director representing AXA Life Insurance Singapore 20
Family & Life • Jun 2014
What are the essential insurance plans that parents should get for their children? The advancement in diagnostic technology allows early diagnosis of congenital illnesses, and parents should recognize that protection for their children therefore also needs to begin early. Pre-natal plans such as AXA’s Mum’s Advantage allow parents to cover their unborn child for congenital conditions. Equally importantly, Mum’s Advantage allows parents to guarantee some form of insurance coverage for their child upon birth, regardless of the child’s health condition of the child. Every parent should get their child covered with medical insurance, including hospitalisation and critical illness coverage, as soon as possible. Should their budget allow it, parents can also start on an endowment plan to get an early head-start for education savings. In addition to providing an endowment fund for the child’s educational needs, it also helps parents cope with the cost of treatment and living expenses in the event of unfortunate circumstances befalling either parent or child.
The Hair-story of
Trichology By Farhan Shah
Believe it or not, trichology is a scientific and medical practice that has more than a century of history and research. We delve into the art and science of trichology, dispel many of the myths associated with it, and check out one of Singapore’s leading trichological centres – TK TrichoKare.
THE HISTORY OF TRICHOLOGY The roots of trichology, derived for the Greek word for hair, were first planted around 1860 in a London barbershop by an academic named Professor Wheeler. It was not officially known as trichology until much later though in 1902, the same year that the first official professional association for trichologists – the Institute of Trichologists – was formed. About 60 years later, the first trichology course was developed in 1974 at the University of Southern California under the guidance and mentorship of David Salinger, former vice-president of the Institute of Trichologists and executive director of the then-newlyformed International Association of Trichologists (IAT). Before a trichologist is certified and can practice, he has to ace the theoretical aspects and is required to go through one hundred hours of clinical training under the supervision of an IATapproved trichologist. In Singapore, TrichoKare requires its trichologists to be certified by the IAT. HAIR LOSS MISCONCEPTIONS • Frequent shampooing causes hair to fall out A few well-meaning but illinformed people might warn you that frequently shampooing your hair will accelerate hair loss. The reason why not shampooing one day and then, shampooing on the next, seemingly causes more hair to fall out is because when you don’t wash your scalp, the hair that would normally come out gathers at your head, only falling when you shampoo your hair. • Frequent wearing of hats or helmets can cause hair loss The oft-perpetuated misconception is that the scalp isn’t able to breath
under the headwear and thus, hair falls out. Fortunately, that is not true. You can wear hats or helmets every day and it will not affect your hair. However, hats or helmets that fit very tightly around the head might possibly cause thinning on the sides due to the blood circulation being cut off and the headwear repeatedly rubbing itself against the side of your head. • Plucking one grey hair means three new strands of hair will grow back Oh, if only this is true! Unfortunately, plucking one grey hair means that particular hair is gone forever. Each strand of hair lasts for about two to five years for men and four to six years for women, so when you pluck the grey hair, you’ve essentially killed it before its time to drop out. New hair will only grow in its place later on. THE TRICHOKARE EXPERIENCE With four locations strategically located around Singapore (Novena Square, The Clementi Mall, nex and orchardgateway) and one of the most stellar customer service I’ve experienced, TrichoKare is all ready to capitalise on the burgeoning Singapore market. TrichoKare uses premium European herbs, and is the first ISO 9001 certified trichological centre that provides European herbal hair remedy customised to suit respective scalp and hair conditions. I was invited by the folks at TrichoKare to give their signature services a try – a blend of premium European botanical hair remedies and rigorously researched treatments – and I immediately agreed. My shower drain was starting to breed giant hairballs and as much as I tried to console myself, the mirror always gave me a stark reflection of the truth.
My friendly trichologist, Jane Ang, patiently explained to me the process of hair loss and scanned my hair. The results were somewhat encouraging: I had really thick hair and a generally healthy scalp which, while not devoid of sebum or dandruff, was normal in Singapore’s hot weather. However, the hair at my temples were beginning to recede due to the undefeatable villain of aging and some of my hair was weak at the roots. I also gained a wealth of knowledge about hair during my visit: • High testosterone levels do not automatically mean rapid loss. Conversely, low testosterone levels also do not mean you’re immune to hair loss. Rather, it’s how the testosterone in your body reacts with an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. Some scalps are very sensitive to dihydrotestosterone – the chemical that is produced when testosterone and 5-alpha reductase combine. • While highly stressful episodes in your life do lead to sudden hair loss, it’s not immediate. It can actually take up to three months before the stressful period in your life starts affecting your hair growth. Every treatment is customised to the needs and problems of each customer, so Jane prescribed a few procedures to strengthen my hair follicles and roots. The best part of the one-and-a-halfhour process though was the relaxing scalp massage that every customer can enjoy, a treat for anyone who works in a stressful office environment. INTERVIEW WITH PRINCIPAL HAIR SPECIALIST, AUDREY SIM Audrey Sim has been with TrichoKare for more than a decade and has successfully made 1,500 people very happy with their hair. Over the years, Audrey has become friends with many of her customers, talking about their personal problems and even sharing baking recipes! “It is a privilege to be a hair specialist and understanding the scalp as well as helping people,” says Audrey.
Jun 2014 • Family & Life
21
RELAX KURO KIN JAPANESE DINING
DIO BURGER
KURO KIN JAPANESE DINING
DIO BURGER Customise your own big juicy burgers with free flow of fresh produce, sauces and quench your thirst with free soda drinks at the DIO Burger Shop now!
Fall in love with the reinvented sashimi at Kuro Kin Japanese Dining. The classy black and gold environment is perfect for family outings and business meetings.
30
#01-09 6468 9308 www.dioburger.com.sg
#01-27 6462 1213 www.kurokin.com.sg 31 PASARBELLA
32 SAN MERINOS
PASARBELLA
SAN MERINOS
Fresh produce, great coffee, delicious food, vibrant atmosphere, free performances, star chefs, etc. Have we convinced you yet? Enjoy all this and more at PasarBella!
Fire up your creativity with the crafting experts San Merinos. Whether you’re looking for needlecraft supplies or just inspiration, the folks here will provide plenty of both.
#02-K1 6887 0077 www.pasarbella.com 29
28 BODYTEC STUDIOS
BODYTEC STUDIOS
#04-12 6464 6332 www.sanmerinos.com 27
THE LPN ART SCHOOL
14
VITALIA GELATO
Who says learning cannot be fun? The LPN Art School uses the medium of art to increase your children’s IQ, EQ and CQ while ensuring they’re having fun at the same time!
15 VITALIA GELATO
Treat your taste buds to the finest Italian dessert handcrafted from a 120-year-old secret family recipe, made fresh daily from the best fruits and ingredients. You’ll be spouting Italian in no time at Vitalia Gelato! #01-15A 6465 1532 www.fb.com/gelato.vitalia
26 5
THE LPN ART SCHOOL
Pump it up at Bodytec Studios , the first in Singapore to bring the German EMS training method! Come work out alone or with your family in a modern and minimalistic studio.
#01-34C 6423 1306 www.bodytec.com.sg
33
13
#04-09 6464 7121 www.artlpn.com
16
SUNFLOWER BABY HOUSE & PRESCHOOL
17
SUNFLOWER BABY HOUSE & PRESCHOOL
Every child is precious at Sunflower Baby House & Preschool! Let your kid grow, explore and discover at the conducive environment of Bukit Timah’s premium infant care and preschool.
12
#04-01 6463 1303 www.sunflowerbabyhouse.com 10
Explore The Grandstand, the largest family-friendly lifestyle destination in Bukit Timah, with our nifty snakes and ladders board! All you need is a dice and a few family members. The winner is the first to reach the top.
START
Daily FREE parking
FREE
shuttle bus services from Toa Payoh, Botanic Gardens, Clementi and Bukit Timah.
200 Turf Club Road Singap ore 28799 4 Gener al Enqui ries: 6463 4610 • www.t hegra ndstan d.com .sg • www.f acebo ok.com / thegra ndstan d.coge nt 22
Family & Life • Jun 2014
For ages 6 and up, and requires Mummy, Daddy and the kids to play! This gameboard is brought to you by Bukit Timah’s largest family lifestyle destination
DIO BURGERS
HSBC Credit Cards Exclusive
Build your big, meaty homage in DIO Burgers (#01-09), top it off with the free flow of drinks and enjoy the wholesome family shows. www.dioburger.com.sg 6468 9308
It’s the season of rewards, from now till 6 July 2014. • Get $5 The Grandstand voucher with every S$50 spend at F&B outlets in single charge slip • Get S$15 The Grandstand voucher with a minimum of S$200 spend mall-wide (except F&B outlets)
Terms & Conditions Apply, visit www.hsbc.com.sg/gss for full details 34 J H KIM TAEKWONDO INSTITUTE
35
J H KIM TAEKWONDO INSTITUTE
4 FLAIR NAILS & BEAUTY SERVICES
FLAIR NAILS & BEAUTY SERVICES
Learn from a stable of champions and discover why taekwondo is still going strong after centuries with Master Lai Han Seng at J H Kim Taekwondo Institute .
25
24
23
CASALLENA TAPAS & BISTRO
KIDDY FUN Kiddy Fun is an air-conditioned exercise and play facility for children 8-years-old and below with four customised zones that will put smiles on you and your child!
18
19
CASALLENA TAPAS & BISTRO
#01-14 6465 4353 www.casallena.com.sg
20
21
PICCOLO HOUSE
Ommmmmm your way to health and flexibility at Updog Studio, the hot yoga studio. Come with an open heart and expand your mind while toning your physique!
Your one-stop solution to your kids dream bedroom. Popular furniture set, fun accessories and more
#04-13 6763 3612 www.piccolo-house.com
#05-03 6468 0836 www.updog studio.com 8 DANCING CRAB
7
MAPLE BEAR CANADIAN PRESCHOOL
DANCING CRAB You’ll be dancing with joy when you’re eating at Dancing Crab, thanks to the delicious Cajun seafood and Creole cuisine.
6 MAPLE BEAR CANADIAN PRESCHOOL
It’s not just about acquiring knowledge at Maple Bear Canadian Preschool. It’s also about developing personal and social awareness in your children too!
#01-20 6466 3303 www.dancingcrab.com.sg 2
22
PICOCOLO HOUSE
UPDOG STUDIO
9
#01-35B 6468 3989 www.nailsflair.com
There’s more to Casallena Tapas & Bistro besides its famed wagyu tomahawk. Think classical creations with a contemporary twist, paired with Old and New World wines.
#04-04 6463 7028 www.kiddyfun.com.sg
UPDOG STUDIO
Nail the immaculate flair at Flair Nails & Beauty Services. Mummy, go ahead and be pampered and groomed at this bright and tranquil nail boutique!
#02-02 6463 0323 www.tkd-singapore.com
KIDDY FUN
FINISH
#06-07 6463 5733 www.maplebearkinderschool.sg 3
4
5 Jun 2014 • Family & Life
23
RELAX
Flashback:
Secret Societies!
In a new series, we take a look at the interesting parts of Singapore’s history. In the spirit of family, this month, we cover the secret societies of the past, all of whom were the only families that many of the Chinese in Singapore had when they first came here.
The term “secret society” in today’s context has many negative connotations attached to it but in the early 19th century, the secret society played an integral role in not only providing a legitimate, safe haven for the Chinese immigrants in Singapore but also helping to keep the peace!
A HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The notion of brotherhood has long been employed by numerous Chinese organisations since the Warring States period (475 – 221 BC) as a way to unify the members. More importantly, the bonds of brotherhood were usually enforced through a simple oath or a blood oath, depending on the organisation, which explains the concept of initiation ceremonies. These brotherhoods served to provide mutual aid to all the members, whether financially or through the sharing and loaning of resources. The society also gave protection and assistance whenever the members needed them – the members were usually poor and powerless, and the brotherhood gave them a voice.
IN SINGAPORE 1820s The first secret society that was formed in Singapore was the Ghee Hin Kongsi, which literally means “the rise of righteousness”. It began as a self-help organisation aimed at assisting Chinese immigrants. However, the main difference between the Ghee Hin Kongsi and a typical bang was that the Ghee Hin usually conducted initiation ceremonies for its new members.
“The initiation ceremony was always held at night in a secret location. The grounds of the ceremony were arranged to represent a walled city where the initiates made a symbolic journey. Within the city were three gates through which an initiate must pass: the Hung Gate, the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness, and the Hall of the City of Willows. At the Hung Gate, initiates knelt with their right arms and shoulders bare, and the bottoms of their left trouser leg rolled up – symbol of the union of man, heaven and earth. Their pigtails were un-braided and worn as a tress. Every initiate held in his hand some lit joss sticks. The Master of Ceremony would ask the initiates a series of questions to which they would reply in verse. Following that, 12 oaths were read to the initiates. At the Hall of Loyalty and Righteousness, they were tapped on their backs with either a knife or a wooden stick. On display were familiar Chinese icons of authority that were sure to evoke awe and loyalty. Here, the initiates took a further 12 oaths. Finally, at the City of Willows, they took the last 12 oaths to complete the series of 36.”
An excerpt from the book Secret Societies in Singapore
24
Family & Life • Jun 2014
1830s The Ghee Hin emerged as the strongest secret society in Singapore, more powerful than the other two secret societies present at that time – the Kwan Teck Hui and the Choo So Kong Hui. Not only did the Ghee Hin have the largest membership, they also generated the highest amount of revenue from its business activities, especially from the sale of opium, which was legal at that time. The role of the Ghee Hin had expanded beyond a self-help organisation to become a structured body that governed the economic and social lives of the Chinese community in Singapore. It was even acknowledged by the colonial government at that time.
1840s – 1850s Tensions begin to rise among the different dialect groups within the Ghee Hin. Many of the leaders also held senior positions on the boards of temples and industry associations, which were organised along dialect lines. During this period, a large number of Hokkiens also started coming in, causing a shift in the country’s demographics. Prior to this, the Teochews made up the majority of the Chinese population. Splinter societies formed in light of this – a group of Ghee Hin Hokkiens started the Ghee Hok society. Separately, another batch of Hokkiens unrelated to the Ghee Hin formed the Hok Hin while the Teochews started the Ghee Sin.
1860s – 1870s
One of the most serious clashes broke on 15 December 1876, but the anger was directed at the colonial government after they introduced a new postal system that made the remittance network run by the Teochews redundant – the new system was more expensive and made many of the Chinese unhappy. Things came to a head the day the Chinese SubPost Office opened as police clashed with the crowd that had gathered intending to sack it. It was only when the headmen of a few secret societies were detained that calm returned to
1877 - 1888 After the 1876 riots, the government realised that they needed to seriously look into the affairs of the Chinese people. The common consensus was that the immigrants, many of whom were not even aware of the existence of the administration, had to start turning to the government instead of the secret societies for help. In May 1877, the government appointed William Pickering, a man fluent not only in written and spoken Mandarin but in various other Chinese dialects, to be the first Protector of Chinese. He forged close relationships with many of the Chinese and even arbitrated over petty quarrels. Pickering was affectionately known as daiyan, which was Cantonese for “great man”. Despite his popularity, there were still a few Chinese who disliked and distrusted him, due to his efforts to reduce the popularity of secret societies. On 18 July 1887, a Ghee Hok member, Choa A Sioh, walked into Pickering’s office on the pretext of making a complaint. Instead, Choa took out an axe from his coat and threw it at Pickering. The axe gashed Pickering’s forehead and he ran away from his assailant as best as possible. Choa gave chase but was eventually overpowered by the staff that was around. He was tried and sentenced to seven years in jail. Pickering, unfortunately, never fully recovered and had to retire in 1888.
1890 – 1940s Due to the Pickering incident, the governor decided to change the government’s stance from one of cooperation to suppression. The governor implemented a drastically new Societies Ordinance law, which required all the secret societies in the Straits Settlements to close their operations. Almost all of the secret societies followed the law to the letter, especially since the new law now allowed the government to immediately banish any immigrant that caused trouble. The secret societies slowly began dying out but starting coming back with a force between 1910 and 1914 with a huge influx of Chinese immigrants. The new societies that formed in the early 20th century were vastly different from their predecessors and behaved more like thugs and gangsters. They committed armed robberies and extortion, and were involved in illegal gambling dens and brothels.
THE HIERARCHY OF THE SECRET SOCIETIES OF YORE • Headman, or da ge (大哥) The headman has his post for life and is only replaced if he retires, is banished or has left the country for good. • Deputy Chief, or er ge (二哥) The deputy chief actually helped the police in maintaining law and order among the society’s members • Assistant Chief, or san ge (三哥) • Master, or xiansheng (先生) • Red Rod, or hong gun (紅棍) • White Fan, or bai shan (白扇) • Tiger Generals, or hujiang (虎将) • Grass Sandals, or caoxie (草鞋) Images extracted from Secret Societies in Singapore: Featuring the William Stirling Collection
The secret societies started clashing with each other, due to dialect, religious and business differences. With the increasing number of Chinese immigrants, all of whom came from different provinces, fighting was an eventuality given the rising tensions.
the island. These riots became known as the Post Office Riots.
1942 – PRESENT The secret societies were clamped down during the Japanese Occupation but during the post-war period, a new law passed by the colonial government to encourage the formation of political parties was heavily abused, leading to the rise of secret societies again. These new iterations were just like common gangs and dispensed with the traditions, rituals and customs of the older generations. It took almost five decades of rigorous police work, strict laws and economic progress before the blood brotherhood would be broken. In 1996, the number of secret society related incidents dropped down to a heartening five. Jun 2014 • Family & Life
25
OP-ED
Connecting with the
Youth of Tomorrow
This month, we collaborate with the folks behind the Singapore Parenting Congress, happening on 2 - 3 August 2014, and bring to you hilarious anecdotes from three parents who valiantly attempted to update themselves and connect with their children via different social media platforms.
By Scott Steinberg Father, author, professional speaker, Angry Birds fan Dear Zoe, Hi - it’s me, @Dad. (Hint: I’m the goofy-looking dude in those old 30MP photos you’ve got stored on your surgically-implanted hard drive.) Because conversation will mainly consist of four-second video clips and animated selfies in the near future, I just wanted to take a moment now, while I still had your attention, to congratulate you and the class of 2027 on entering middle school. And – OMG, ROFL I know – fill up your inbox with a little bit of fatherly advice. I know, I know... but hear me out. It seems just like yesterday you were in kindergarten, using your iPhone to drive AI-controlled toy cars off the road but today, you’ve grown to become a beautiful, intelligent young woman with her eyes set on Harvard’s massively online open undergrad programme, and preparing to greet the prime of her life. Cheesy as it sounds, you’re about to dive headfirst into a brave new world of online learning, communications, and maybe even romance. And I’ve realised - we can’t put off having “the talk” any longer. Take it for what it’s worth from a man who remembers when computer screens came in one colour (peagreen – everyone’s favorite!), and laptops were the size of small suitcases. Here’s what I wish my Dad had told me before giving me my first modem (Google it - trust me), and turning me loose to greet the virtual world alone: • Keep your social networks less social, more private. Remember when Jenny Katzenberger told everyone about how she was going to go up in space for her birthday, but forgot to invite you? Yeah: That special trip you and I took on Virgin Galactic to make up for it cost almost an entire month’s worth of Bitcoins. • Think twice before posting. Personally, I get a kick out of all those videos of you and your friends dressed in glittery feather boas singing karaoke to Pink’s latest album. (Who knew she’d live to be 80?) Note to self, though: Will college recruiters and prospective boyfriends - at least, those I let in speaking range - feel the same when they’re the first thing to come up in response to a Google search? • Don’t forget, everyone’s playing a role online. And don’t forget who had to bail you out when that “hunky” guy you met on FacedIn turned out to play different sports (e.g. Call of Duty 93 - soon to be
26
Family & Life • Jun 2014
added to the Olympic Games, he says) than you’d hoped, and played in a marching, not rock, band. • Respect the golden rule. So maybe Mrs. Starling did go a little overboard on that math test, and it’s a little strange that Peter Winkel still picks his nose in class and wipes it on the touch-less iMac. It’s not your place to judge. How do you think you’d feel if everyone knew how hyper-obsessed you were with President Kelly Clarkson? • Don’t forget to speak up. The next time you encounter something questionable online, remember that you can always come to me - lines of communication are always open, and I won’t judge. With this online stuff, it’s important we trust each other, and engage in healthy, constructive dialogue. Especially if I think what you’ve stumbled across is what I think it is, and not just an unfortunate looking LOLcat. • Remember to unplug. Don’t forget to shut down every one in a while: Say, during meal times, or one hour before bed. Sleep is good; real-life balance is good. Also, so is occasionally reminding other people that you still have a nose and forehead. I promised your mother we’d have this talk, and it’s not one most kids ever get to hear. Consider it a present from dear old Dad – just like all those videos, texts and tweets I’ve been saving, waiting to put in your wedding video, in case you don’t take it to heart. Just kidding - or am I? Hit me with a hashtag when you’ve had a moment to think it over. I’ll be busy playing the latest voice-controlled Angry Birds app!
Judy Wong Mother of three and lover of Instagram
By Claire Nazar Families for Life Council Member and super popular “They did what?” my teenage daughter exclaimed in total disbelief when I told her that her friends had requested to add me as their friend on Facebook. “And you did what?” “I accepted. What else do you expect me to do? So rude if I don’t, right?” “But you can’t.” She whined. “Why not? They must think it’s ok if they want to add me.” (Picture me with a smug smiley emoticon). That was the most memorable moment we had on Facebook – the day her friends became my friends on FB. It triggered a running argument lasting over two years. Whenever one of her friends became my friend on FB, we would revisit the same argument as to how “awkward” it was for parents to be in their “friend” circle. After a few birthday parties, BBQs during school holidays, and car lifts for my daughter’s friends, I got to know her friends pretty well. It seemed like a natural progression to me when her friends requested to add me as a Facebook friend.
My boy taught me how to use Skype before he left to study in the UK three years ago and boy, what a great communication tool I found it to be! I could chat with him endlessly (think our record was 2 or 3 hours straight), saw if he had put on weight, the meals that he had whipped up and much more. I could also catch sight of his messy bed, the soft drinks, and the potato chips on his table, which would trigger the maternal instincts in me. I recall one incident when I was on Skype with my boy over my mobile phone. I could not hear him clearly as I did not have my earphones with me. Thinking that he would also not be able to hear me clearly, I would bring my phone near to my face whenever I spoke. Each time I did that, he went: “Mummy, don’t put your face so near the phone!” I would in turn go: “But I can’t hear you clearly darling!” This went back and forth a few times until I received a message from him. “Mummy! I told u not to put your face so near. So GROSS!! I can see up your nose and into your nostrils yunno (sic)!!” It then dawned on me that whenever I put my face near the phone to speak, my nose was in full view of the camera of the phone. Talk about getting up close and personal! I love WhatsApp too – love that all of us in the family can chat and post photos and keep one another updated under our family’s group chat. We use WhatsApp to keep one another “connected” with my eldest away in the UK, my 2nd boy serving his National Service and when my girl is overseas for competitions oftentimes. I use Singlish with my children on WhatsApp as I feel that it makes us “connect” and it makes our conversations more fun. I know, some parents will be shaking their heads when they read this. I have also somewhat mastered the “messaging lingo” used by my children, far from the newbie days mistaking “LOL” to mean “Lots of Love”! I remember how my hubby would write in complete sentences and with proper spelling when he started using WhatsApp! It was quite funny seeing him still trying to type out his messages whilst the rest of us had moved along in our conversation in our group chat. After some lessons from his dear wife, he started adding Singlish and emoticons to his messages in our family group chat. The first time my husband did so in the group chat, my daughter wrote: “That’s totally mummy using daddy’s phone lor!” I had to convince her that it was really her dad! Oh, did I mention I love Instagram too?
Little did I realise that there was an unwritten commandment for parents who are friends with their teens on social media – Thou shalt not like, or comment or post on your teens or their friends’ walls. Parents are meant to be seen; not heard. “But why can’t I…” I whined. Some of the posts were genuinely funny and interesting. “No, Mom, you are a parent!” I reasoned with her that I was once a teen and resorted to even declaring that I had human rights and freedom of speech. So, what’s wrong with liking or commenting on an interesting post? She said I infringed the teenager’s human rights to not be put in an embarrassing or socially awkward position. From two opposing worldviews, my daughter and I gradually learnt to accept and respect each other’s space on Facebook. So, we had a truce – no comments by me on her Facebook. But, I was allowed to post “cool” stuff on her wall. Once, I shared a catchy song on her wall to congratulate her on completing her choir competition. No Like by her. But later in the day, I caught her humming the song. Slowly but surely, I gained her respect on Facebook. When I posted a picture of a teen’s dream bedroom, she not only liked my post but proceeded to comment that she wanted that room. A new norm was created. We began liking and commenting on each other’s posts. It didn’t seem so awkward after all. But the time came when I had my revenge and the tables were turned. My daughter had become friends with my friends on Facebook. “Hey, who says you can be friends with Aunty So-and-So / Uncle So-and-So, ah? Why you like their posts, huh?” “They asked to add me as friend what. Some more, I talk to them in real life. Not like you and my friends!” We just broke out into laughter. At the end of the day, we both agreed that friending our respective friends, was a matter of whether we had an authentic enough relationship with them to cross into the social media front.
The Singapore Parenting Congress will be held on 2 - 3 August 2014 at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. (www.familiesforlife.sg) Jun 2014 • Family & Life
27
ADVERTORIAL
Juicing with Executive Chef
Christopher James Millar of Stellar, 1-Altitude Did we tell you how much we love the HUROM Slow Juicer at the Family & Life office? It’s amazingly silent when switched on, is quicker than most traditional blender-juicer combinations, and churns out antioxidant-rich fruit juice, thanks to the patented Slow Squeezing System.
We’ve been sharing the love, reaching out to chefs from award-winning restaurants to ask them to give it a whirl. This month, we got renowned Executive Chef Christopher James Millar, who’s currently helming the amazing Stellar restaurant at food and lifestyle destination 1-Altitude, to check out the HUROM Slow Juicer. He cracks open his secret vault and gives us one his favourite juice recipes, one he willingly demonstrates on the juicer.
AN APPLE A DAY BY CHEF MILLAR
2 apples (chopped) 1 pear (chopped) 2 carrots (chopped) 1 lime flesh only
So, what does Chef Millar think about the HUROM Slow Juicer? “It is really, really quiet. It’s quite amazing really because the machine actually juices quite quickly despite the name. It’s definitely something that would not be out of place in a commercial restaurant kitchen. Any chance of getting a few HUROM Slow juicers sponsored for Stellar?” he says, half-cheekily, half-seriously. We’re still working on that for you Chef Millar!
28
Family & Life • Jun 2014
BITES
It’s Durian Season! Ah, the king of fruits is DIFFERENT TYPES in season, heralding the OF DURIAN it or not, there are more than perfect time for family Believe 400 types of durians! Durian is almost bonding while feasting on like a religion here, especially during the delicious durian flesh. durian season in June to August. Here’s a guide to picking out the best durians for We take durian so seriously, we even have a grading system for the king of you and your family to fruits! It was first proposed in 1987 enjoy with help from our by durian lovers Chattavongsin and favourite grocery store, Siriphanich and was refined in the YES Supermarket. later years until what you see today.
MAO SHAN WANG: The undisputed king among the different kings vying for the durian throne, Mao Shan Wang, which translates to “mountain cat king”, has gained almost legendary status for its rich, creamy taste. The Mao Shan Wang can be recognised from its thick and short spines, the light green husk, and the distinct, star shape pattern at the bottom of the fruit. HONG XIA / D101: The Red Prawn durian has a distinct reddish skin and tends to curve towards one side, just like a, you guessed it, prawn! Relatively sweet, the Hong Xia is also a great entry-level durian for people. XO: The reason why it’s called the XO durian is because of the alcoholic aftertaste, which comes about thanks to an extended period of fermentation within the shell. One thing to look out for when you’re hunting for a good XO durian is watery flesh! While watery flesh is not ideal for the other durians, for the XO, it’s a sign of great tastes to come!
CHOOSING A DURIAN When you’re at the durian stall, there are a couple of things you should request to make sure that you’re not getting cheated and that you’re getting your money’s worth! • Shake the durian (we recommend using a towel because those spikes can be an annoyance!) near your ear. You should be able to hear the seeds and fruits rattling inside. If you don’t hear anything, the flesh has most likely not properly separated from the skin, which means it has not fully ripened. The exception is the XO durian, which tends to have wetter flesh than other varieties. • Smell the durian! You should be able to smell the fragrance even before the fruit is cut. • If you want the seller to pack the durian for you, make sure to ask him to take out the seeds and flesh in front of you to pack! There have been cases of durian sellers exchanging your chosen fruit with one that is not as fresh. (Of course you won’t have this problem with YES Supermarket.)
GOLDEN PHOENIX: If Mao Shan Wang is the King of Kings, then the Golden Phoenix can be called the Queen! While the durian tends to be on the small side, the thin husk and small seeds mean that you’ll be enjoying lots of flesh, which lean towards the bitter taste spectrum. You can identify the Golden Phoenix by looking at the spines, which converge into a tip at the bottom.
BENEFITS OF DURIAN • Rich in minerals, vitamins and dietary fibre • Is an excellent source of vitamins C as well as B-complex, which is a rare feature among fruits • Has minerals such as manganese, copper, iron and magnesium • Has no saturated fats and cholesterol
DURIAN RECIPES
DURIAN FRIED RICE • 4 cups of leftover white long grained rice • 1.5 cups of chopped vegetables • 1/2 -1 cup of cubed tofu (or more vegetables) • Flesh of five seeds of durian • 2-3 tbsps vegetable oils • 2 tbsps tamari or soy sauce • 1 tbsps chopped garlic • Hot chilli pepper and ½ cup of chopped spring onion, to taste 1 Stir fry garlic and tofu until lightly browned. 2 Add vegetables and stir fry until softened. For lighter cooking, add a little water, cover the pan, and steam until soft. 3 Add rice and more oil and stir until the rice is evenly coated. 4 Add durian, tamari or soy sauce and pepper and continue cooking for another three minutes. 5 Turn off flame and mix in spring onion. VEGETABLE DURIAN THAI SALAD • 2 cups of grated cucumber, green papaya, or green mango • 1/2 cup grated carrot • 3 tomatoes, sliced into quarters • 1/3 cup fresh green beans cut into 1-inch sticks • 1 cup of unripe durian, cut or shredded into small pieces • 2 limes • 1 or 2 birds eye chillies • 1 medium clove garlic • 2-3 tbsps of white sugar or if you can get it, palm sugar • Salt to taste 1 Place the chillies and garlic in a mortar and pound until smashed into a paste. If you have no mortar and pestle, chop very finely and smash on the bottom of a bowl with the back of a spoon. 2 Add the sugar and lime and mix into a paste. 3 Add the durian chunks and green bean and pound lightly to break it into smaller pieces. 4 Add the rest of the ingredients, and pound until veggies are softened and have absorbed the juice. 5 Serve inside a hollowed out durian shell.
Yes, it’s durian season and YES Supermarket is selling a wide variety of durians! Get your durians at Block 433 Tampines Street 43, Block 201B Tampines Street 21, Block 138 Tampines Street 11, Block 829 Tampines Street 81, YES Marketplace @ Tampines Mart, 7 Tampines Street 32, and 35 Hougang Avenue 3. twitter.com/YESSupermarket | instagram.com/ YESSupermarket | fb.com/YESSupermarket. Jun 2014 • Family & Life
29
BITES
Quinoa Salad At Family & Life, we believe that cooking can, and should be, a family affair! This month, we present the underrated quinoa, perhaps one of the healthiest and filling cereals out there, and our resident chef’s take on this delicious grain.
The quinoa seed is a lot like George Harrison of the Beatles – always overlooked but such a critical member of the family, in this case, the food pyramid. Quinoa was a staple food for ancient civilisations that unfortunately dropped out of the modern human’s radar until only recently, when we discovered how nutritious it is. It’s even been labelled a superfood! High in protein and free of gluten (great news for gluten-intolerant folks!), quinoa is filled with lots of
essential amino acids, calcium, phosphorus and iron. Best of all, it’s easy to cook and is incredibly delicious. Fine dining chef Tim Meijers shares with you the secrets to preparing this crop and presents his favourite way of cooking quinoa (psst, it’s so easy, your children can do it too).
We hope you have fun with this recipe. Do share your asparagus creations with us on our Facebook page at www.fb.com/familyandlifemag!
SERVES: 4 people (starter size) PREPARATIONS DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY: Easy enough for kitchen newbies! INGREDIENTS Quinoa PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes Quinoa........ 500 grams 1. Put the quinoa in the cooking pot and add the cold water. TOTAL COOKING TIME: 15 minutes 2. Bring it to boil before reducing the heat. Water............... 1 litre
Baby green asparagus.............1 bunch Baby radish........ 100 grams
3. Once most of the water has evaporated (which should take around 20 to 25 minutes), remove the pot from the heat. 4. Spread the quinoa on a tray and allow it to cool down.
Sugar snaps........ 250 grams
Truffle oil................ 50 ml Salt and pepper............ To taste
Vegetables 1. Boil a big pot of water. 2. While the water is boiling, remove about two centimetres of the bottom of the green asparagus.
MATERIALS Flat plate or drinking glass Cooking pot ABOUT THE CHEF
Tim Meijers is a globe-trotting chef with more than a decade of experience working in Michelin-starred fine dining restaurants. He came to Singapore three years ago and worked for Saint Pierre before starting Tim’s Fine Catering Services, bringing the luxury of fine dining to offices and homes all over the island.
30
Family & Life • Jun 2014
Spatula Knife Chopping board
3. Then, clean the sugar snaps by slowly taking the top off and pulling it down. You’ll see a little string coming out. 4. Boil the green asparagus for a minute before cooling them in ice water. 5. Then, boil the sugar snaps for three minutes before cooling them in ice water. 6. Split the sugar snaps in half. 7. Wash the baby radish and cut it into quarters. 8. After the quinoa has cooled down, mix in the truffle oil and season it with salt and pepper. 9. Take the glass or flat plate and plate your quinoa salad.
EVENTS
WH? T’S
HAPPENING PICNIC UNDER THE STARS One of Singapore’s most highly anticipated outdoor dance events is returning in July on the lush greens of Fort Canning Park. In collaboration with Ballet Under The Stars, the communal restaurant Cocotte has put together a delectable four-course picnic for arts and dance enthusiasts to consume and savour while enjoying the performances! With a menu of niçoise salad, eggplant terrine with tomato coulis & basil, poulet roti sandwiches, cherry chocolate cake, fresh fruits, two bottles of water and a mat all packed into a wicker picnic basket - ready to be collected at the Fort Canning Park prior to the performance. All that is left is to look for an ideal spot to while away the evening!
When: 18 - 20 & 25 - 27 July 2014 Where: Fort Canning Park Price: Starting from S$60 per picnic basket To order a picnic basket, head on over to restaurantcocotte.com, drop them an email at info@ restaurantcocotte.com or give them a call at +65 6298 1188. For more information about Ballet Under The Stars, hop to www.singaporedancetheatre.com.
ROUND THE MOON, BLUE THE SKY Have you or your children ever wondered why the moon is round? Then, meet Smallest Dragon, the curious lead character of Round The Moon, Blue The Sky, a collaborative production featuring the best from Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan! Combining a unique blend of physical theatre, riveting puppetry, black light magic and lots of audience interaction, this highly engaging and educational performance is specially tailored for children between the ages of two and eight, although I Theatre promises that older children and grown-ups will find much to amuse, enthral and engage too! It’s not just entertainment; your children will also learn the art of problem solving, creative thinking and more in a unique environment. So, come on down and experience the magic of the big stage that you definitely cannot find in the swipes of your digital devices.
When: 21 July to 27 July 2014 Where: Alliance Française Theatre Price: From S$27 for an early bird ticket Early bird prices end on 9 June 2014 and there are family and big family packages available. For more information or to purchase tickets, head on over to www.sistic.com.sg or any SISTIC authorised agents islandwide.
BARE YOUR SOLE 2014 If you care, go bare! Your feet that is. Habitat for Humanity Singapore’s annual walkathon Bare Your Sole is back this year, providing participants with a unique way to raise funds in the fight against homelessness and poverty. There are two distances – 2.5 kilometres and 5 kilometres – and the funds raised from the event will benefit Project HomeWorks, an initiative designed to improve the living conditions of the elderly, the sick and the physically challenged living in one-room flats across the nation. However, it’s not just walking! Bare Your Sole 2014 promises to be a fun-filled family event, with food stations by popular eateries such as Dead & Deluca and Cold Stone Creamery. So, if you don’t feel like walking, you can still indulge in the various delights on offer! There will also be a variety of activities for children, including performances by stilt walkers, percussionists and balloon sculptors. There will also be a raffle draw with attractive prizes to be won!
When: 12 July 2014, 9 am to 12 pm Where: Gardens by the Bay East (Rhu Cross) Price: From S$20 for children and S$35 for adults Packages for a family of four are also available. You can register online at www.bareyoursole.org.sg.
MENTAL LITERACY TRAINING COURSE Let your children discover their inner potential instinctively and subconsciously in a completely relaxed environment at the Mental Literacy Training Course by the Mental Literacy Training institute. With the help of specially-designed learning materials, the course helps to activate your child’s middle brain, helping him or her to learn easier and more effectively in the classroom. It’s not just academic progression too! The Mental Literacy Training institute has also helped children to improve their self-esteem and self–confidence, which is great for the future. We’re sure your children will enjoy the fact that the course features no difficult and complex mathematical and scientific theories too!
When: 16 – 29 June 2014 Where: A Tick for That – Kovan City Price: Call +65 9027 9902 or email info@mltsg.com to enquire Jun 2014 • Family & Life
31
YES Supermarket
Your Everyday Store MON
TUES
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
1
2
3
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
22
23
24
25
26
27
29
30
21
28
YES035 35 Hougang Avenue 3 #01- 04/ 06 Singapore 538840 Tel: 6382 1989 Fax: 6282 1989
YES201 Blk 201B Tampines Street 21 #01-1091 Singapore 522201
YES829 Blk 829 Tampines street 81 #01-272/ 274/ 276/ 278 Singapore 520829
YES032 7 Tampines Street 32 #01-01 (Tampines Mart Wet Market) Singapore 529285
YES138 Blk 138 Tampines Street 11 #01-108/ 110 Singapore 521138 Tel: 6781 0811 Fax: 6782 7588
6
13
YES Supermarket
Pte Ltd registered address:
Blk 201B Tampines Street 21 #02-1095 Singapore 522201