The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting
The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting |
| Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:10 AM PDT WHEN singer Badri Ibrahim was a child, Father's Day was always a low-key celebration where his mum would cook something special for his father and the family. But Badri never expected to celebrate Father's Day himself. At 19, he had no "paternal urges", that is, until he met Tina Awang, 31, a single mum and her three kids. To put it mildly, Badri became a committed bachelor and for the next six years, he was seriously involved in the lives of Tina's kids. In fact, it was that special bond between them that made Badri propose to Tina about six years ago. "Tina's kids are all so lovable and a joy to be with. I was more of a brother than a father at first," says the Langkawi-born singer. Eventually, Badri came to regard Tina's children as his, too. The progression from being called "Uncle Bad" to "Papa" came quite naturally. Just like Badri, actor Tengku Iskhan Shah Tengku Haidar (popularly known as Que Haidar) also enjoys a genuine bond with his stepson. In fact, it was Que's cool demeanour that won stepson Qalif Khan's approval. So when Que, 30, proposed to Qalif's mother, popular dance instructor Linda Jasmine Hashim Murad, 37, Qalif was delighted. ParenThots finds out about stepfathers and how they assumed the role, while winning the hearts of their stepchildren. Soapbox Anna Wong writes about the lessons her father taught her when she was a child which have helped her in raising her own children. If you have a story to share on parenting, pregnancy or fertility, send it to parenthots@thestar.com.my. The best e-mail every month wins DVDs courtesy of Berjaya HVN. Book reviews Homemade Kids is a good book to have if you are new to the green movement and would like to bring your child up in a greener lifestyle. This would be a good book to start with. Meanwhile, What To Expect – The First Year is a parent's personal bible. It is a go-to guide for changing diapers, checking stool colour, or wondering about newborn's sleeping patterns. It's your must-have! Win a Canon camcorder Want to win a Canon camcorder and a year's supply of Cheerios breakfast cereal? Just enter the Celebrating Amazing Families With Cheerios Amazing Family Photo Contest. All you have to do is upload a photo of your family featuring a pack of Cheerios. Then get everyone you know to vote for it! Simple, right? To enter, go to contests.the star.com.my/cheerios/. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:08 AM PDT WE are bringing back Fathers Figure to give dads everywhere a chance to share with us how they are bringing up or have raised their children. With new-age dads getting more hands-on and involved in parenting these days, this column provides a platform for them to talk about their experience, be it amusing, inspiring, uplifting, or plain taxing. We'd like to hear from fathers of any age and every stripe – rich dad, poor dad, single father, fun dad, tiger dad. E-mail us at star2@thestar.com.my with the subject header "Fathers Figure" (in no more than 800 words). Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
| Posted: 15 Jun 2011 04:06 AM PDT A noodle stall operator whose remarkable effort to raise his disabled child and her brother single-handedly is captured in this pictorial. CHONG Yu Xin was born premature at six-and-a-half months. Her mother's waters broke while she was mopping the floor, resulting in an emergency delivery. Now 10, Yu Xin suffers from spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy where the person's arms and legs have abnormal stiffness. Her right arm is also shorter than her left by about one foot (0.3m). She also has attention deficit disorder (ADD) and very poor eyesight. She wears leg braces and walks with the help of a walker. Yu Xin and her brother Kai Jet, eight, are taken care of by their father Chong Hoi Khow, 42, who operates a noodle stall in Ampang Tasik Permai in Selangor. Their mother left when they were younger but now visits them two or three times a month. She also takes Yu Xin for her medical check-ups. Currently, Yu Xin can converse in English, Bahasa Malaysia and Cantonese. Her voice is soft and she breaks into a smile easily. It has been six years since Yu Xin started going to the Special Children Society of Ampang (SCSOA) in Selangor – the not-for-profit organisation where she learns to read and write. She also undergoes an hour of physiotherapy every morning, as well as hydrotherapy and fine motor skills training. Her father pays RM300 a month for all the sessions and lessons. "Since going to SCSOA, she has become more talkative and sociable, and has learnt to speak English and Bahasa Malaysia. The centre has done a lot for her physically, too," says Chong. When Yu Xin first enrolled there, her legs were crossed over and it took five teachers to hold her during her physiotherapy sessions. Chong sends Yu Xin by motorcycle to the centre every weekday morning. After she finishes class at noon, the society's van takes her to her father's stall in a coffee shop, where she waits for him to pack up at about 2.30pm before they head home together. The girl is a familiar face with the shop owners and patrons, many of whom have a soft spot for her. "She can be very cheeky. When she hears customers order kopi-o, she will also order a cup. She understands everything and can answer questions posed to her," says Chong in Cantonese, with a hint of pride. Home to the family is a rented apartment nearby, located above a shoplot. Chong shares the small unit with his sister, who works in the hotel industry. The father usually carries Yu Xin all the way up the dark and dank stairway. As part of our feature on SCSOA to commemorate the recent opening of its spanking new premises in Taman Ampang Utama – a landmark occasion for the organisation which finally has a place to call its own after being in operation for 12 years – we approach the amiable Chong for a peek into their daily life. As we enter the sparsely furnished brick-and-wooden unit on the second floor, Chong humbly apologises for his home's stark conditions. He then bathes Yu Xin. "She loves to take her bath and fiddle with the tap," says Chong. After her bath, she plays with simple things like plastic boxes and coins in a container; sometimes she flips through her brother's old school books, or watches TV. "She loves to listen to Malay songs and sing them too," Chong adds. Despite his hardship, Chong maintains a jovial disposition. His hope for the future is that Yu Xin will be able to walk without aid. "Most important is for her to learn to walk and take care of herself. Doctors initially told us she should be able to walk by seven or eight years old. Now, she is already 10," says Chong, in a somewhat dejected tone. "Sometimes when I think about her future, I will worry," he says. – Wong Li Za Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price. |
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