I lost my dad when I was 17 years old. That was in 1975.
During my younger days, before my dad passed away, I hardly remember how close I was with him. However, I knew he was very hardworking and always worked hard to provide us with food and shelter.
He and my uncle had built the house we lived in.
I am an engineer trained by Monash University but I had not built any house for my own staying!
Father to me was not well understood; he just provided food and shelter.
When I married my wife, and we had our first child in 1988, we were so happy and I tried to find ways to be a good father.
I read books about how a father should be. I attended classes on being a good father. I looked around for some good examples of a good father. I asked around about how a good father should be.
I learnt and I tried to be a good father to my children.
I want to be a good father to my children, and I want to share with them what I have, not just my wealth, my money, but most importantly my experiences as a person, my knowledge, my network of friends ….
I want to be sure they will strive to be good people, contribute well to society, and not become a liability to the nation.
How can I be sure?
There are so many temptations and so many deceptions out there.
I cannot be with them 24 hours a day. I cannot be sure of who they will meet.
I can just keep praying for them to be able to distinguish what is right from wrong, and how to say no to drug abuse, say no to gambling habits, say no to alcoholic abuses, say no to vanity ….
I have found that as a father I have to keep up with the trends that the children are exposed to and learn to understand them better, and how their peers influence them.
As a father, I will not just guide them but also encourage them to be self-reliant.
I try to teach them the value of money, wisdom of power and authority, to be humble but not shy, and be wise but not boastful.
I must be a role model for them.
During my younger days, before my dad passed away, I hardly remember how close I was with him. However, I knew he was very hardworking and always worked hard to provide us with food and shelter.
He and my uncle had built the house we lived in.
I am an engineer trained by Monash University but I had not built any house for my own staying!
Father to me was not well understood; he just provided food and shelter.
When I married my wife, and we had our first child in 1988, we were so happy and I tried to find ways to be a good father.
I read books about how a father should be. I attended classes on being a good father. I looked around for some good examples of a good father. I asked around about how a good father should be.
I learnt and I tried to be a good father to my children.
I want to be a good father to my children, and I want to share with them what I have, not just my wealth, my money, but most importantly my experiences as a person, my knowledge, my network of friends ….
I want to be sure they will strive to be good people, contribute well to society, and not become a liability to the nation.
How can I be sure?
There are so many temptations and so many deceptions out there.
I cannot be with them 24 hours a day. I cannot be sure of who they will meet.
I can just keep praying for them to be able to distinguish what is right from wrong, and how to say no to drug abuse, say no to gambling habits, say no to alcoholic abuses, say no to vanity ….
I have found that as a father I have to keep up with the trends that the children are exposed to and learn to understand them better, and how their peers influence them.
As a father, I will not just guide them but also encourage them to be self-reliant.
I try to teach them the value of money, wisdom of power and authority, to be humble but not shy, and be wise but not boastful.
I must be a role model for them.
courtesy | Peter Leow Cheen Chai
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