Come, join us!

Sometimes last week in a bus on my way home, I saw a young gentleman with intellectual disability goes up the bus with his caregiver. 

2 bus stops later, the young gentleman started to knock on the metal railing. Noticed the helpless plead from the caregiver's eyes for help, I gave the young gentleman a firm look and shaked my head to signal that his behaviour is not acceptable. 

He stopped.

Only for 2 bus stops distance and then, he started banging on the window of the bus this time. While doing this, he was staring at me as if telling me he is determined to continue knocking. He banged it so hard that the bus captain shouted to ask him to stop.

Oh no... did the smart Alex, aka Ling Chong Beng made things worst?! After all, I am not familiar with the young gentleman and might have trigger another sets of behaviour with what I had done.

Just when I was wondering if I should try something else, a young lady with Down Syndrome sitting at the back of the bus came and sat across the young gentleman. She moved her hands over to her chest, gave it a few tap, looked at me with the assuring smile as if to tell me not to worry and she will help me.

"Please do not bang the window. You be good ok. I gave you something. Wait har."

She started talking to the young gentleman then digged into her bag. She got a packet of sweets out and passed it to the gentleman. 

"Cannot bang the window, ok. Be good, you can have this sweet."

The young gentleman did and stopped banging on the window. I smile at the young lady before aligning the bus and continue my journey home.

This may not be the best or correct approach to intervene the behaviour. Nevertheless, it helped the young gentleman and his caregiver from being scolded and even chased out of the bus.

I am touched by the action of this young lady who went all the way out to help a fellow member of our community. She was earlier seen to be tearing and upset. However, she stopped crying, wiped her tears and jumped into action when she saw another person within our community needed help.

Yes. The community that include the young gentleman, the young lady and me. The community form by person with intellectual disability, their caregivers, families, friends, staff, agencies and others who believe in them. The community that advocates for the rights of person with intellectual disability, support them with the dreams of integrating them into the mainstream society and having equal rights like every other human beings.

It's those little things in life that gave us the energy and confidence to live life and continue with our passion.

Are you living your life?

Don't waste it cause there are many out there who wished they are you, who are much fortunate than any of them.

Consider joining our community? 

By the way, my name is not Alex.

Daiko Drumming

Guess what I have for dinner?

Took leave today so that I can bring 小tz to watch a Daiko Drumming performance at Queenstown this evening. The little fellow and I enjoyed such arrangement as we hardly see each other due to my long working hours.

Earlier on, fetched 小tz from her school bus. Along our way home, 小tz put her bag's strip into her pockets. Seeing that, I said:

"小tz, what are you doing? You crazy girl."

With a confident smile, she said:

"Daddy, your blog said you are a crazy daddy. I am your daughter so I must be your crazy girl. Daddy, correct!"

#facepalm#

What have I done?!

:-\

What I learnt from a trip to the playground.

Met up with a group of parents over the National Day long weekend last month. Well, like most parents do, we ended up at the playground watching our kids having fun. 

Anything new? Haha...

And like what usually happens in the playground. 

Oops...  :x

I meant like what is may happens once in awhile at the playground, children do get knocks into each other while running around.

That happened to my friend's son that day. He accidentally head-banged into another older boy running towards him. Both fell and immediately, my friend and the older boy's maid came over to carry, inspect and calm the boys. In most cases, this will likely end the entire episode, right?

I meant what else can happen thereafter? Adults started scolding each others? Children started fighting with each other? Or what?

Well, it did not. 

After talking to his son, what his son did next was a pleasant surprise. Instead of continuing his fun at the playground, he came down from his father's hug, walked towards the older boy, extended his hand, shake the boy's hand and likely said something like "sorry". I can't confirm that as I was too far to figure out what he said to the boy.

This, I am impressed! I like my friend's attempt to build a good foundation for his son.

It's not easy to impart the determination to be strong and stay healthy. It's even harder at this competitive world to be academically good. 

How about having the courage to apologise, to admit our mistakes and face the person that causes all that? Look around us, we, the adults who are suppose to be more mature. How many of us are able or willing to do that? We ended up telling lies, suppressing others and belittle those that doesn't abide to our saying.

No wonder there are so few leaders among us.

Well done, my friend.

Hiking fun with daddy.

This happens a month ago in a bus on our way home…

Me: “See… you so fat.”

小tz touching my stomach and hers commented: “Daddy, why you and I all fat fat?”

Me: “Well, it’s time to exercise. Shall we go hiking during weekends?”

小tz: “Ok daddy!”

Fast forward 3 weeks ago on our hiking trip through the park connectors…

小tz: “Daddy, see… the leaves is yellow!”

小tz: “No, no… see, the leaves is white, err… no that is brown!”

小tz: “Sorry daddy, the leave is green there! Hee hee…”

小tz: “Daddy, I like hiking but next time can we not go to places where there are no monkeys? I hate monkeys!!!”

小tz: “Daddy, I am hungry… … … can we eat now?”

At the end of the 1.5 hours trip with 小tz…

小tz: “Daddy, what are you doing?!”

Me: “Looking for your off switch.”

小tz: “Sorry daddy, I don’t have any off switch on me. Mummy didn't born me with that. Hee hee… ”

Me: “… … …”

Scootering fun with Daddy.

Yahoo!

See, she learned yet another skill 2 weeks ago. As usual, it has nothing to do with her study.  

Don't play play, I did that before too!

This happens some 20+ years ago when I was still young and energetic.

I was going round the old circular road near to our old National Stadium. The only place in Singapore then where there was less traffic with lots of fresh air in the evening.

Closing the gap between the group of runners in front, I was deciding if I should overtake them to continue with my training. Seeing that I am still hesitating, my instructor moved towards me, gives me a tap on my shoulder and encouraged me:

"You have done more rounds than them. It's about time you pick up your speed to be in front of them."

Feeling encouraged, I checked to make sure I don't knock into others, and then picked up the courage to overtake the group of runners.

Wow! That feeling was satisfying. After so many rounds of following behind this group of runners, I finally have the courage and determination to speed up. Looking back at the group of runners trying so hard to catch up with me, it just gave me the awesome feeling to continue my dream.

My dream to get a license, stop driving an "L" plate car and being nagged by my driving instructor.

-_-!!!

Duty of fathers.

Kids Meals!

I discovered that most father ended up eating this when I chatted with 2 other fathers recently.

No, I am not talking about nuggets, fries and apple juice from McDonald's. And if you are single, or you happened to be the few fortunate souls, I am talking about meals leftover by our kids.

K i d s   M e a l s

Got it?

Looking at the father next to me, having his second round of food, like me, I commented: "Hey, it's getting better now, right?!"

"You are so right!" he supported.

"It was worst when the kids were much younger, serious." joined the third father.

"Yeah. I totally agreed. Sigh..." I said.

Giving me a pat on my shoulder, the second father echoed: "Eating porridge that tastes like nothing. I been through that too."

Looking at each other one last time, we buried our heads to finished our Kids Meals.
:'(

The duty of fathers. Pitiful hor? Haha... so if we happens to be fat, please understand our difficulties with diet control.
;p

Just ate sushi with yt and 小tz last weekend. yt told me that they wanted to eat the week before but as I was working during that weekend, they decided to wait till I am available.

Tears almost dripped from the corner of my eyes when I told yt not to wait for me next time.

"Daddy, if you are not around, who is going to help me finish all the rice rolls left over by 小tz?!"

#facepalm#

Rice rolls? Look at the photo, friend. Yes, the rice portion of the sushi. 小tz loves the meaty top so yt and I teamed up to finish the rest of the sushi.

"High 5 darling!" Haha...

Oh yes, I understand and will still loves you even if you became fat. 
:*