Family, values, parenting

Missing home. Maybe it's because I realise that Chinese New Year is finally over but there was just a little something missing which can never fully get except from HOME. Something about the atmosphere and people that is different.

During the course of a few conversations with various people yesterday, someone will always mention something about Malaysia and Singapore and compare those places with Perth... what's good... what's bad...

I love Perth.

And I am grateful that I have an opportunity to live life here. And occasionally I suck in my breath in relief when I come across news from back home like this...

Malaysian PM's new $50-mln jet order sparks row

Religious department defends khalwat raid on Americans

Students and academics forced to 'Aku Janji' document

But then again I realise, these are big issues that most times, don't affect the everyday living... people still carry on... life still goes on for the ordinary folk...

And quite a significant part of me wants to go back to my homeland. Because deep down inside, I treasure the experiences and values I am surrounded with growing up in Malaysia. And I realise that these would be things that my children will probably never get to experience here in Perth. They would grow up to be a different breed of kids altogether, and little corner of my heart my fears that I will not be able to relate to this part of them. Can I face that?

Yesterday one of our cell members was talking about how she was seriously contemplating going back to live in Singapore for a few years and bring up her kids the Singaporean way for the first part of their lives and come back to Perth again later.

And I recall another cell member who jokingly suggested that a few of us families should band together to form our own little home schooling centre and bring up our kids together. He seemed to be joking for the most part, but I think part of him was serious about it too.

So as I reflect, I think the main issue is not the controversial news from our homeland. Most of the time, I just find this kind of news just good entertainment.

But the core issue here is about family, and values, and parenting.

Or maybe I'm simply just being paranoid about the whole issue in its entirety.

Just a thought.