Airplane Oxygen Mask Rule For Parenting

Most people I know hardly pay attention to the safety briefings that take place before an airplane takes off. There's usually a few lines in the live demo or video that go: "if cabin pressure drops, an oxygen mask may fall from the ceiling in front of you. Strap it over your face like so. Passengers with children should attend to themselves first before helping others."

That last line should be a lesson to all parents - take care of yourself before you help your kids.

I've seen many parents who don't have a plan. The kids come and they handle it, somehow. I bet most parents from my parents era didn't have a plan and getting by was the norm. They worked hard and hoped for the best - values that work even today. Except that life has got a lot more complicated.

In Singapore, many parents are both forced to work to make ends meet or fulfill their ambitions. Both guy and girl are generally well educated and would like to pursue a career. They want to upgrade from a HDB flat to a condominium apartment. They want to trade in their Toyota for a continental car. When the kid(s) come along, these wants may not change. In most cases, parents work even harder.

Here's one problem that creeps along - they forget about their health. They grow fat and lazy, and are unable to commit any time to exercise and keeping fit. What parents forget is that their health is what enables them to take care of their kids. Once their sick, it's hard to manage the house let alone little persons.

I'm not talking about maintaining butts of steel or Greek god abs. Just weight, tone and cardio. Compromise and make the half an hour three times a week to sweat it out. Be it TV or a shorter lunch. Put in a walk on the park or run up the apartment block staircase. Think small doses for the long term, not mad frantic exercise for the short term only to attempt repetition following another new year resolution party.

Health is just one thing. There are many other things that parents need to sort out and keep in mind before they unleash their hopes and dreams on their little ones.

'Good counselor friend' told me that kids learn about how to love from the way their parents express love to each other. How right is that? There was also a promo trailer I remember for a TV show called Parenthood that mentioned that "being a parent makes me want to be a better person". That's right too. Would you want your kid to copy your bad habits or learn to be a better human being?

The questions seem hard but seriously, parenting in the 21st century is hard. Worse still, it's clear that many of the ills we see in society today stem from the way parents teach their kids. The small details affect the big picture. Everything from the value of thrift to the way we treat domestic help will be passed down to our kids. So think before you act. Your kids are watching and learning.