Family Gatherings

September is a joyous month for my family. There are 3 birthdays to celebrate: 13/9 - my mum and my son, 20/9 - my youngest daughter and 12/9 - my silver wedding anniversary.

As my dad passed away in May this year, we have kept a low profile for all celebrations. So, it was just a simple gathering for my mum and my family yesterday. We had buffet dinner at Riverview Hotel Garden Restaurant.

Since my dad’s demise, my mum has been in bad health. I was glad to have made her day. She was in high spirits and showed no signs of giddy spells. The ambience and food at the restaurant was to her liking.

At her age, all she wants is to be in good health so that she will not be a burden to any one of us. As long as she is happy, my siblings and I will make time for her. Gatherings like yesterday also allowed interaction between my children and her. The common lingo is Chinese.

For my wedding anniversary, my husband and I used to go for shows previously. Since his stroke 3 years ago, things have changed. His attention span is short and is unable to sit through a movie for more than 2 hours. Instead, we usually spend time together with my kids, just like yesterday.

In my 25 years of marriage, I am thankful to have a supportive husband and 4 great healthy kids. So far, all of them have done quite well in their studies and they seldom give me problems. What more can I ask?

I know life is stressful for Singapore parents. However busy you are, besides taking care of your children, do also spare some time for your own parents. Children bring joy to them. With more laughter, hopefully they will have fewer ailments, live longer and be happier.