"If you fail to plan, you plan to fail."
This infamous quote had us drafted our new year resolution and to make it seem like the norm for every year and everyone. We would tell ourselves, our employees, team members and even our teenage kids that we needed to plan.
But how many of us had fulfilled our plans or goals for the year before this?
What if we don't plan, will we really fail? What if we had planned and yet fail (My cheeky students will say "My goal is to fail and I had achieved that.")?
So how do we measure success and failure? What have we gained? What have we sacrificed? What have we lost? Most importantly, what have we learnt?
So what if we failed? So what if we succeeded?
Are we still cool? Is our family still the priority? Are we still together?
What matters most? What do we seek?
In this blog, I would like to remind parents that what mattered most is how you view your child? The acceptance of who they are and whose they belong to, are important to your child. The priority of spending time and communicating with your child is precious. No money can buy happiness can't be and No time can't be reversed to atone for the lost time.
Understand that your child is special, he/she's got your DNA. Love yourself, love your child.
Tips for family planning 2020
1. Make NO plan for yourself.
2. Make plans to spend more time with your teen.
3. Read a book on how to connect with your teen.
4. Deliberately sit with him/her during TV/homework/brushing teeth/gadget time. Just sit with them without any comments or saying anything. Just be with them. They will feel the effort and closeness.
5. Take a longer route when fetching your child to have more time for communication. Don't rush to get home.
6. Have tea break or snack together.
7. Avoid academic questions. Ask questions that involve feelings.
Every effort made will not be put to waste. It takes time. Keep calm and take a deep breath.