Parenting

Leaving for Japan

The day has finally come for me to depart to Japan together with my colleagues.My family did not sent me to the airport as the flight was next day morning 1am to Japan.I really cannot bare myself to leave my wife and my children.But technology has improve and therefore I can see them on Skype everyday. Use Skype for video call as it is much clearer and sharp while MSN quality will be bad unless u want to message only.

The SIA Flight to Japan, Fukuoka was quite full with only 6 seats left unfilled. The managers from our company was there to sent us off.

We bought some presents for our Japanese Colleagues in the duty free shopping centre in Terminal 3. Here we are awaiting for the gate to open to board the flight to Japan.

Renouncing Your Malaysian Citizenship in Singapore

My wife will be going to renounce her Malaysian Citizenship in Singapore at Jervois Road. You will need to be at the embassy before 8AM and get a queue number. They only process a limited number of applications per day.

All documents (except Form K) must be accompanied with 2 photocopies. Ensure you bring all the necessary documents and photocopies for the application procedure.

Here’s what you need to bring with you:

1. Passport
2. I/C (Singapore & Malaysian)
3. Birth Cert (laminated)
4. Singapore Certificate of Citizenship
5. Expired (or not expired) Malaysian passports
6. Original Form K, which is Yellow.
7. 3 recent passport-sized photos (blue or white background)
8. SGD$6

Documents Needed for RENUNCIATION OF MALAYSIAN CITIZENSHIP>>>

There are some Malaysians who cannot have the patience to wait up to 5 months for the whole procedure to complete. They cross the Causeway to speed up the process.
Read this blog to find out more>>>

Singapore Citizenship Approval Letter
The approval letter is valid for eight months. But the RENUNCIATION OF MALAYSIAN CITIZENSHIP is going to take at least 5 to 8 months. The approval letter can be extended if you need more than 8 months by booking the Oath Date

You need to book the Oath Date through their e-site and the approval letter valid will auto-extended. The web site to make the oath booking is under Citizen Registration.
https://eappointment.ica.gov.sg/ibook/index.do
** you only  able to change 3 times and no more.

The things I want to do with my family!

I and my Family have enjoyed ourselves at the last Family Day Celebrations. This year, I plan to join the HiPPO River Cruise together with my wife and 2 children. They love to sit on the boat and it will be a new experience for them to cruise the Singapore River. It is a good chance for the kids to know the heritage of the Singapore River. They will also be able to catch a good glimpse of the vibrant life of the waterfront. 

The DUCK & HiPPO Group has been in Singapore for a long time but we have never really tasted their tours but hear of good reviews from tourist. It will be a good chance to join their tours during the National Family Day Celebrations for free. Thanks for your generous contributions.

We have long wanted to join this tour but put if off due to tight time schedule. Most of the discounts are meant for tourist and not for Singaporean like us. It is a great opportunity the National Family Day is giving us for a chance to be a tourist for a day and enjoy the cruise with our Family.

Start planning for your own Family Day Out on 30 May 2009! Visit www.nfc.sg!

Faster Maternity Leave Claims

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports Singapore, has announced that the Government has modified its maternity leave subsidy scheme to allow companies to receive their payments earlier.

As of next month, Singapore employers will no longer have to wait until a worker uses up all their maternity leave before being reimbursed.

They will get part of the subsidy as long as half of the 16 weeks of leave mothers are entitled to, has been taken. The existing subsidy scheme requires the Government to reimburse businesses for half of the 16 weeks of leave but only after the mother has taken all the leave. Thus under the current system, companies may only recieve reimbursement as late as 12 months after delivery.

According to Dr Balakrishnan, the new arrangement would make the system fairer to employers, especially with the bleak economic climate. This will hopefully help to improve cashflow for companies and encourage them to support women who want to have children and to remember that in both good and tough times Singapore must continue to be a family-friendly society.

The Government has set up a new website for interested members to find out more on the 

• reimbursement of Government-Paid Maternity Leave
• reimbursement of Government-Paid Childcare Leave  

Click here to the Pro-Family Leave Schemes>>>

Singapore Imperfect Couples Search

Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS) has launch a campaign to find the Imperfect Couple on FaceBook. This is a run up to the recent launch of the Funeral TV Commerical shown recently on television.

Every couples is not perfect in real life. Although our personalities and characters are different, we can still stay happily together. Please be patient with your partner and you will discover the inner beauty of each other. Family Bond is precious and long lasting.

Let's endure with each other imperfection and let our family bond strengthen. 

HFMD Detected on Adult

HFMD not only affects children but can also spread to adult. I have contracted HFMD through my children as I have shared food with Amelia previously before I knew she got the disease. It is similar to the children as I got red spots on my hand, foot and some on the face. It is quite itchy and you have to resist from scratching it.

There is no known anti viral for it so the doctor prescribe medicine use on children but the dosage will be increase by four times. In addition, you get cream to apply on it so that your red spots will recover faster. I also get a week long MC and there will be a review at the end of this week. This is to ensure that I do not spread it to my colleagues who may in turn bring the infection back to their families.

Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a human syndrome caused by intestinal viruses of the Picornaviridae family. Click here to find more on HFMD>>>

Hello Kitty@Junction 8

It is the time of the year where Christmas Show is happening at all the local shopping malls in Singapore. Kids love to see all their favourite cartoon characters come to live. Our first visit bring us to Junction 8 at Bishan for the Hello Kitty Show.

Kuriya Dinning No Kids Policy

Kuriya Dinning is the latest restaurant on the list in Singapore that does not welcome kids under 6 to the restaurant. The reason cited is it want to provide comfort and good environment for it's dinners.
I am able to understand their concern as kids do create noise at dinning places. As a father, I like other parents will try to pacify our kids while dinning out. It still cannot be prevented as kids are very active and are excited when dinning outside.
All parents you do not need to worry as many restaurants still welcome kids to their places. Remember, families spending are much more than couples or other dinners. They also liven the atmosphere of the dinning place.

Trip to SNEC

I am bringing my mother to the Singapore National Eye Centre for her eyes checkup. The clinic has move to a better and luxury environment on the 4 floor. It is a nice clinic but this may cause a rise in health care cost.
You need to visit the polyclinic for a referral letter before visiting the SNEC. You will be treated as a private patient if you come directly without a referral letter.
There is nothing wrong with her eyes and the doctor has made arrangement for her to visit again in 10 months time.

Virus spreading within Family

It started with our son falling sick early this week. The whole family got the flu and fever virus by the end of the week. We need to monitor the children temperature using a digital thermometer. If temperature rises to above 38 degrees, we will need to sponge them to reduce the temperature.
All of us are now recuperating at home. Amelia has missed one day of lesson and will be back at her kindergarten next Monday.