It was a Friday afternoon, my son Solomon asked me whether his friend could come and play computer games with him. I told him that they might play for three hours and should stop playing by 6 p.m.

When his friend arrived, I was doing my homepages in the study room. Solomon and his friend were playing the games with the notebook and desktop computer in the dining room. In order to concentrate in my work, I closed the door.

After finishing some of my works, it was about 6 p.m. It seemed like Solomon and his friend were not aware of the time. I used my handphone to call Solomon and reminded him of the time.

At 10 minutes past six, I found they were still playing the game. I went to them and told them to stop playing. I stood beside them and was aware that they were not getting ready to stop, I got angry and told them to stop. Solomon was not bothered, but his friend started to get worried because I kept standing there. Finally, I raised my voice, "Stop playing!"

Actually, I did not like to do that in front of his friend. But he did not keep the promise and ignored my reminder and warning. Until I raised my voice, all of us were embarrassed.

On the second day, it was the Saturday morning; I kept my promise to buy a stove and a stew-pot to boil the herbal soup for him.

We went to West Coast and bought a Japanese stove, but could not get the stew-pot we wanted. We drove to Taman Jurong Shopping Mall and could not get it. Then we drove to Hong Lim Park. The shopkeeper told us that the only two pots they had were spoilt. So, we walked to Chinatown Complex where there was a shop we might find it. The shopkeeper told us that there was no stock. By that time, we were hungry and went to take our lunch.

While we were taking our lunch, I remembered that there was a shop that selling a lot of Chinaware. We finally found what we wanted in that shop.

When walking back to Hong Lim Park carpark, we were talking with joy. We decided to buy the herbal and charcoal on the way home. We planned to boil the herbal soup every Saturday starting from next Saturday. At that time, I told him that he should not keep playing computer games. He should spend more time in his study. He said OK!

But on Sunday morning, he broke his promise and annoyed me. When I was preparing to go to the church, I thought he was also getting ready. When I got ready, I found that he was not ready and was playing the computer games.

It was a black Sunday. I was unhappy and did not talk to him much.

In the afternoon when we were back home, his mother bought some BBQ meats home after the orchestra practice section. He called his mother with the very sweet voice, "Mama, let both of us come and eat 'bagua'!"

That was the technique he used to play. I thought I have to let him learn a lesson. I told his mother, "From tomorrow onwards, he has to take bus to school until he disciplined himself in playing the computer games!"

I was very firm and did not send him to school the week. I have been sending him to school every morning since starting of this year. It saved him more than twenty minutes' time than if he had to travel by bus.

It was Saturday again. I started to boil the herbal soup in the morning. Although I did not talk to him for a week, I have to help him in his health. He was under-weight and thinner than the average, he ever told me that he might need to take the herbal soup. Therefore I started to boil it that morning and went to his school to attend a talk after lunch.

When I came home, I found the soup was boiled and was still warm. I poured it in the bowl and told him that the herbal soup is ready for him. I did not talk much and was serious.

About an hour later, he came to the study room and asked me, "Baba, I am going to take dinner with mama. Do you want me to buy dinner for you?"

I was cool and answered, "Thank you, I have taken my dinner."

I found that he was not aggressive, I decided to talk to him regarding his study and the computer games.

That night, I asked him whether he would like to go for a stroll. We walked to the market to see the cat, Pounder, our new friend.

While meeting Pounder, both of us started to talk.
The Cold War between father and son ended!

About a week later, we were back to normal. I found that he kept his promise, not to play the computer games for more than certain times, and only play them after doing his school homework.

I asked him that how he felt during the week that I did not send him to school. He answered, "Angry!"

I told him that I felt sad. I have been waking up early to send him to school for more than one and a half month, and he did not study hard. Instead, he kept playing computer games. I told him that there were a few morning, I heard him calling me in my dreams, "Baba, Baba, its time to go to school!"