“Nowadays, there is no denying kids their screen-time – they even have online schoolwork! To me, being an Active Parent is to be mindful to limit their screen-time and get them moving. We have our weekly classes with ActiveSG Martial Arts Club and plan for special excursions. But being active can also be just taking the kids out to do a grocery run together.
Our family activities create happy memories that the kids can reminisce about, and it has given them confidence to explore new adventures. The kids may whine while being outdoors because they are tired and feeling warm, but once they get over it, they would laugh at themselves and ask for a second trip! As working adults, we are constantly on the move and the day just flies by. It is only when everything has quietened down at night that we look at the children and marvel at how much they have grown.
During Circuit Breaker, we jogged at the park connector near our home. When the measures eased, we ventured farther and went hiking at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, kayaking at Sentosa, and cycling at East Coast Park. We also resumed our family Aikido classes at Heartbeat@Bedok and the kids went back for their swim lessons.
My fondest memory of my wife and kids in Aikido class was when we tried to do one of the basic moves – a forward and backward roll. It looks simple but the actual execution is not! We often laugh at our badly executed moves and call them our “sausage” rolls. Sometimes, the kids will get upset but we encourage each other to persevere. I think our “sausage” rolls are still far from perfect, but we have come a long way since.”
Keat Wai and his wife, Tzu Wei, and their three kids are all training in Aikido with ActiveSG Martial Arts Club, where the lessons are suitable for all ages, and families can take part together.