The word "Compel"- 100% worth reading!

com•pel (km-pl)
tr.v. com•pelled, com•pel•ling, com•pels
1. To force, drive, or constrain: Duty compelled the soldiers to volunteer for the mission.
2. To necessitate or pressure by force; exact: An energy crisis compels fuel conservation. See Synonyms at force.
3. To exert a strong, irresistible force on; sway: "The land, in a certain, very real way, compels the minds of the people" (Barry Lopez).

( credit to the freedictionary.com )


Earlier this week, I was compelled to use the word 'compel’ to put my points across in a series of comical situation.

Now I am going to use it again. Not that I am obliged to write this but I really feel I am compelled to. This is to address some concerns that have surfaced over the issue of my eldest son having to travel across the border for his education.

I have friends and relatives who are so concerned about the 'hassle' that my eldest son has to go through or endure on his daily passage in pursuit for a better education. Have we all forgotten that I have an uncle and auntie ( sorry LH, i know u hate to be called an auntie..) who moved 13,577.21km for their kids' education. I really dont see the need for concern over a measly 5km distance my son has to put himself across on a daily basis. He doesn't cycle to school, he just sits in the bus. I really don't think he will ever get to cycle to school like we all did.

Anyway, this is written so that we don’t have to, from time to time explain or justify ourselves for 'torturing' our son. (Wide grin). So, the next time, someone asks us about our son's education and his 'holy daily passage', I’ll just say ' go to my blog la and read about it la'

Well, like all parents, in the beginning, we were genuinely concerned about his daily passage. We did our homework years ahead of his enrolment to his primary one. Of course, plans were made, put into action and as usual, plans need to be readjusted and re-tuned. And so we did. After all, at this age, we strongly believe that if you cant re-adapt in life, you are pretty much doomed for life. The years of policeman in shorts are over, please. I don’t even wear cotton shirts now, dri fit is in.

As much as I try to write this without any sense of prejudice, I am sure I’ll be accused of some anyway. But who gives a shit. I am not pissed. Life is too short. I just get even if I need to or have to. But in real sense, I am a lot nicer in real life. Really nicer. (Another wide grin)

Anyway, I just want to point out some stats that were derived from his first week to school on his school bus. The bus picks him up at 11am to 11.15am, and arrives at his school shortly before 12pm. That is when his school starts except on Friday which is 130pm. On Fridays, I drive him to work at 1230pm, before going to work. How cool is that? How many dads with full time jobs have that luxury anyway, nowadays.

During his first week, He took no more than one hour to reach home. His school finishes at 6pm and the latest he has ever got home was 7pm. On average, I would modestly say that it takes 45 minutes, one way ( door to door) to get home and to get to school. There were a few days when he got home at 630pm sharp. That is just 30 minutes, door to door. Even my other half was surprised. So, let me reassure all you kind souls that there is no need to be concerned. I can reassure you that we dont put our kids through hell at our own expense. We just strongly believe in putting our kids in a competitive and positive environment to our best ability. In doing so, hopefully if they were born dumb, some smartness would rubbed off from other kids into them.

Anyway, we don’t believe every kid is born a genius. That is some stupid idiotic marketing tag line used to sell some over priced pre school study programs. But we believe in providing the best parental support to our abilities and the most positive environment for them to do their best in life. When I say the best, I don’t mean becoming a doctor, engineer or an architect. That is so lame, we were all brainwashed in our early years that if we don’t become any of the three above, we have 'failed' in life.

My second son told us ' Mom, I want to be a gardener cum submariner and a hunter" he meant those three all at the same time. We explained being a gardener is hard work and long working hours under the sun. He said ' it is alright". We said ' then just be the best gardener around ok". He smiled.

A few years ago after we had our first son and the second one was coming along. I had a visiting friend from KL who asked me.

Friend: “you want to put your kid to study in Singapore ar??'

Me:" of course la. "

Friend:" u gila (crazy) or not??? I hear so many kids committing suicide and losing their happy years of just being kids in Singapore'

Me: ' where did u hear that??'

friend;" my friends told me la, and the news also"

me:" so what do u wan for your kids, when u have any in the future?"

Friend" I want my kids to fully enjoy his 'kids' life like those days that we went through, run around, play kite, play guli, not so stressful la"

Me:" how do you know they are stressed? I mean the kids la"

Friend: “well. Nowadays everyone sends their kids to music class, maths class and so forth"

Me: “well. If you feel strongly about it. Put some convictions into it. I suggest you move from KL to maybe a kampung somewhere away from the city la. That way, your kid can play kite, play guli and run around catching spiders whole day. Till he gets to school'

Friend;" I can do that in KL also...I mean let my son play guli and catch spider”

Me: “tell me when you have put your plans into action after you have kids"


He hasn’t called since, well he has called but we never talked about this topic anymore. I believed he has too readjusted and readapted? lol

Did i ever tell you, my son’s class has on huge touch screen as part of their teaching tools. They don’t use ‘blackboards’ and chalks anymore. Ok. Really cool hor?

Btw, Thanks for your concerns otherwise i would not have spent a full hour writing this on my off day. Yi Shien is totally in heaven over his bus ride. He loves the bus ride cause he has made some friends and he gets to run around with them at the Custom.( i mean play, sorry) ha ha. It is the only 45 mins to one full hour he has to himself to let his hair down and run around amok like a monkey ( as describe by some) at custom. He deserves it. As long as he doesnt come back with a bandage on his hands or on his head. We are not concerned at all. Anyway if you are really really concerned again. we told him not to run when going up the escalators. The rest of the place it is pretty ok. :-).

But on a more serious note, if you happen to bump into him at custom and he runs and plays around just like what i have just described. Just tell him. " I will tell your papa!".

I wanted to fetch him to school on the first Friday of school, he said ' no need la papa" i said " why not? ". he said " it is fun to sit in the bus la" i said " u get to run around at the custom, rite?" he jus grinned back at me. LOL. I forced him to let me take him to school that day anyway. very much to his disaproval.

Muah Muah.