by Cara Lee
Children’s Day is not just a day for gifts and treats. It’s a pause button in our fast-moving lives, a precious day to look into our children’s eyes and remember that these moments won’t come twice.
This year, we spoke to three parents at different stages of the parenting journey — from holding a newborn to sharing life with adult children – and asked them what it means to celebrate the children we love, and what this day means to them. Their stories remind us that no matter how old our children are, the heart of Children’s Day remains the same: love, laughter, and the moments that last forever.
Yvonne: A Mother’s First Season
“Celebrating my baby is not just on this specific day, but every single day. We find ourselves celebrating every small milestone such as first sleep through the night, first flip, first successful day home after coming back from the hospital. This has taught me and my husband that despite the uncertainty as new parents, there is something to celebrate over our little one every single day. Celebrate the small wins!”
Every smile, every moment, is precious!
Motherhood has shown Yvonne what unconditional love looks like.
“As a first-time mum, there are many things that I am still learning on the go. We are not perfect and sometimes we may fail, however, our little one shows us what love is. No matter what happens or how much you feel you are not doing well enough as a parent, your child thinks that you are the best in the world, and that is more than enough to keep you going on days that you feel like you can’t do it anymore.”
Yvonne and her husband with their newborn son.
Her prayer is simple yet profound: “Thank you for loving me unconditionally as your mummy and being patient with me as I learn how to be the best for you. Mummy and Daddy love you very much, but know that there’s someone who loves you even more than us and that is Daddy God.”
As she relishes the time spent with her newborn, this season lays the foundation for their little family in preparing for their years ahead.
Alan: Learning Through Little Eyes
For Alan, a dad of two preschoolers, Noelle and Nathan, Children’s Day is not just about gifts or parties — it is a reminder to slow down and treasure each passing moment. “After a while, you realise that you will never get every moment — the cuteness, the voice, the facial expressions. You will never get that back again.” Every celebration, even a simple Saturday spent choosing where to eat or going swimming, becomes a precious way to honour their joy.
More than just milestones, Alan reflects on how parenting has reshaped his heart. He recalls moments when a passing adult remark like “mosquito bite” becomes a prayer request in his daughter Noelle’s hands — a childlike faith so pure it humbles him. “It really shows that they have very simple faith… we adults may not pray at the first instance, but our children show us that it can be as simple as their prayers.”
Alan’s preschoolers, Noelle and Nathan, having some sibling fun!
From handling sibling spats to spilled curry, Alan shares how his children have taught him patience, humility, and the value of seeing through their eyes. “We also, like children — we don’t know everything, and we can also ask for help.”
Through everyday routines like Bible reading, bedtime prayers, and greeting each family member by name, Alan and his wife create meaningful traditions they hope their children will carry into adulthood. “Our children are literally God’s gifts,” Alan shares, echoing the meaning of his daughter’s name, Noelle. “We should celebrate every single moment of it.”
Every Day Feels Like Children’s Day
“To be honest, every Saturday is like Children’s Day, it’s like a way of life… Every time they have a whole day with us, they really look forward to it. Our presence is what’s important to them.”
Whether it’s eating what they like, choosing where to go, or just spending unhurried time together, Alan and his wife make it a point to honour their children’s joy in the everyday. These simple, consistent rhythms have created lasting memories. Evening routines of reading Bible stories and praying together have become cherished anchors. “They would even remind us,” Alan smiles.
Alan and his family spending precious time together.
“They really love celebrations too — especially birthday celebrations in school. And when there’s a performance or something special, she really wants us to be there… my daughter keeps reminding me: ‘Don’t be late!’”
For this Dad, every moment spent in their world is an opportunity to affirm their worth and build faith that lasts.
Teaching Values That Last
Alan is intentional about the values he hopes to instil. “Respect is one thing we focus on — we make sure they call everybody by name, even extended family. Stand there until all the elders are acknowledged,” he explains. Alongside respect is kindness — something they’re still learning, especially now with two children navigating sibling dynamics. “We pay more attention when they’re angry or upset. That’s when kindness really needs to show.”
These values are taught not just through instruction, but through modelling and quiet consistency. Alan recalls how his daughter used to freeze when she made a mess, bracing for scolding. “But nowadays, when we say, it’s ok, accidents happen… she now apologises without fear. She knows what to do.” It’s a visible reminder that patient parenting changes not just behaviour, but the emotional atmosphere at home. “They subtly build me up,” Alan reflects. “I’ve really grown in the last 2–3 years.”
“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”
— Angela Schwindt
Yee Kia: Trusting Through Every Stage
Parenting does not stop when our children become adults — it simply changes shape. For Yee Kia, mother of Jonah (22) and Kayla (20), the journey has been one of growth, redemption, and hope in God’s plans for her children.
“When we talk about leadership moments, I find myself defaulting to how I used to hold my children’s hands,” Yee Kia shares. “It influences how I lead today — growing a child or a person to face challenges themselves.”
She recalls a conversation with Jonah about his PSLE days. “Mum, you never helped me with my PSLE; you never offered me a tangible reward…” she shares. “I’ve always told them that if you get good results, you are the one who benefits.”
Instead of doing the work for him, she taught him how to study independently, marking his own work, planning his revision, plotting calendars. “I see my role as equipping them to be adults, to face the world on their own. I see these things bearing fruit — my son is now fearless, self-sufficient, and very independent.”
Time flies, from their preschool years (left), now to adults (middle)! On the right, Yee Kia and her family send Jonah off for Basic Military Training – a rite of passage for adult males in Singapore.
Redeeming the Hard Moments
Yet the journey has not always been easy. Reflecting on her early years of parenting, Yee Kia candidly shares, “When the children were in Primary school, we weren’t Christians yet — I couldn’t wait for them to grow up. I found it back-breaking, not something I really enjoyed.” Parenting was overwhelming, and there were moments she struggled to love well.
“There were times when my daughter screamed so much, I felt traumatised. I even recall once wanting to whack her with her toy umbrella — but instead, I whacked the floor so hard that her favourite umbrella broke. I can’t imagine what would have happened if that wrath was inflicted on her.” But God’s grace met her family in unexpected ways.
“Today, our relationship is very strong. The God-moments come when our hearts change because God is in our lives. There is nothing that God cannot redeem.”
Holding On, Letting Go
As Jonah and Kayla became adults, Yee Kia realised parenting now means giving space while staying deeply connected. “My children still really value time with us. We always think once they grow up, they won’t need us as much — but they still do.” She smiles recalling how Kayla, who stays in a hostel, cherishes “mummy-daughter time” whenever she comes home. “Just hugging her, sitting together, enjoying the embrace — it’s precious.”
Yee Kia and her husband spending quality time with their two children.
With Jonah, quality time often means spontaneous plans like café-hopping, family outings, or even trips to places he wants to explore, like the new Oceanarium. “We try not to fully pack our weekends. When they call, we drop and go — to just be available.”
Anchored in God’s Faithfulness
Looking back, Yee Kia treasures how God has been at work in her family. “There were seasons when I couldn’t be there, but God showed up. When I worked long hours at the bank, my husband Ryan stepped in to lead nightly devotions and prayer. During a time when he didn’t have income for two years, God’s mercy and grace continued to flow into our family.”
Today, as her children walk their individual faith journeys, Yee Kia holds on to God’s promises. “While we pray for our children to have their God-encounters, let us not lose hope. God still has a purpose and plan for our children, even as adults. We can continue to hope in an unchanging God.”
“Children are not a distraction from more important work.
— C.S. Lewis
They are the most important work.”
Every Season of Parenthood
From a child’s first cries to grown-up conversations, parenting is a journey marked by seasons — some long, some fleeting. Whether we are cradling a newborn, chasing a preschooler, guiding a teen, or exchanging life updates with an adult child, the celebration is the same: to see them, cherish them, and love them well.
This Children’s Day, would we give them something more lasting than a gift — our time, laughter, and our presence? Long after the gifts fade, the memories will remain stitched into the fabric of who they become.
Cara Lee is the Director of Strategic Initiatives at Anglican Preschool Services. Yvonne Chen is the Principal of LSP (Church of the Good Shepherd), Alan Lee is the Finance Manager at Anglican Preschool Services, and Sng Yee Kia is the CEO-Designate of Anglican Preschool Services.
