I used to read articles on parenting published in the magazines and newspaper. I rarely read article to advise the children on filial piety!

My son attended the kindergarten of Jurong Christian Church for three years. He learned from the teachers the stories behind each of the public holidays as well as some of the Chinese Festival. He was once requested us to celebrate the Moon Cake Festival which we did not celebrate for years.

When he studied in the Pandan Primary School, he requested me to go out with him by bus almost every Saturday. I wondered what his teacher talked to the children. We always traveled around Singapore by bus. We carried the same shoulder bags. Our neighbours admired us very much.

When my son studied in Secondary Scholl, I attended the first seminar organised by the school. I was shocked to hear that our children would be rebellious. I could not accept the picture painted for my son.

At the second seminar, I heard the same saying from the professional, I refused to attend any seminar organised for the parents.

Will children be rebellious when they are at their Secondary School days? What makes them rebellious? Who makes them behave so?

My son started to go out with classmates and schoolmates during weekends when he was at the last semester of Secondary Two.

There was a Sunday evening around 9 o'clock; he asked my permission to go out to meet a friend. I talked to him when he came home. He told me that he assisted a schoolmate to make 50 copies of VCD. He told me that the VCD was the documentary of a seminar organised by the client of his schoolmate. He got the reward of one dollar for each VCD copied. As I knew that he was not doing something illegal, I told him that as long as his homework not affected, I would not stop him to have `part-time work'.

I had an opportunity to attend the Lifelong Learning for senior citizens course organised by YAH Community College. I learned much from the instructor the ways to handle our family members. I picked up many ideas to be together with my son in a very peaceful atmosphere. I recalled what Mrs. Bloomquist told us that the important of occasional hugging of children even when they had grown up. We went to church every Sunday. We hugged each other once a while. I reminded my son that we are different from some of the families. We make Sunday our family day. He did not stick to parents, he enjoyed the family day with his parents. We are different because the love of God binds us together.

I discussed with my son that he could make appointment with his classmates and friends anytime as long as he has done his homework. But every Sunday morning and lunch time, it will be the time for our Lord and family. We love each other with the love of God.

Why thought that children would be rebellious? Why the professional shared with us that children would be rebellious? Why they did not think of a way to train the children how to love and respect their parents?

Oh, dear parents! Let us train our own children.

My dear professional, please write articles on filial piety to help the children. The children need your assistant and not your painting or imagination of their future.