Being in one’s comfort zone is usually the best place to be.
However, family commitments can sometimes serve as a wake up call that there are other more important things in life – your children.
We had the exclusive privilege to interview Choong Yih Min, co-founder of Simply Life, a local homegrown brand which manufactures baby, children products and homeware that are and lovingly peppered with words of encouragement and praises for the little ones. The brand embraces hope, happiness, possibilities and positivity – which are translated into their range of items, be it those deliciously soft bamboo baby apparel or functional water bottles.
Simply Life is a brand under Creative Moms, which Yih Min and her husband, Gilbert founded in 2004. They have 3 boys, Matthew 18, Daniel 16 and Jonathan 12.
We managed to suss out some tips from Yih Min on how she parents her tween/teens too – read on to find out!
Hello Yih Min and Gilbert! Do share your love story and tell us how you met!
We met through common friends at a Christmas party. There was a gift exchange, and we both received gifts from each other… hmmm… not sure how that happened when there were more than 50 guests at the party!! And we started meeting up more often after that, and then as they say, the rest is history!
What are some challenges when it comes to raising multiple kids?
Time!! Priority of time, because somehow, we always feel that there is not enough time for each child :(
Also, one size parenting does not fit all… it really depends on the characters of your children, the family dynamics and your beliefs.
What was the turning point in your lives that led to the creation of Creative Moms?
After our 3rd child arrived, I wanted time flexibility. With 3 kids in tow, I felt guilty when one child fell ill and I’ve to take urgent leave from work. As that child recovered, another child fell ill… I wanted the flexibility of spending time with them when they came home from school and be more involved in my children’s lives.
Creative Moms came about as Gilbert and I brought with us our experience and skills for the business. In 2004, we started Creative Moms and secured licensee contracts with Disney and Hit Entertainment. Over the years, although the distributorship grew, I was able to juggle family time much better as compared to before.
What are some favourite activities that your family enjoys together?
Dining, watching movies, bowling, snooker and swimming :) The family enjoys bonding over these activities together.
Do you think our kids in Singapore lead stressful lives these days?
It depends… if they are expected to excel in all areas such as sports and academic, then the stress can be there. My kids do complain that they are very stressed, but I feel that if there is better time management, it is manageable. Time spent on computer games, SMSes, YouTube, social media etc… all these time can be channelled to rest time, hobbies etc. which would allow them to rest and take their minds off the stress that they experience.
With our modern day lifestyles, many of us wish that life can be simpler. Was that how Simply Life came about?
Our 4th child, Simply Life, was born because we wanted to reach out to others in our own little ways. A word of encouragement, a word of praise can go a long way in lifting up someone :) Praise and you will be raised! Complain and you will stay! ;)
Do share some tips on parenting tweens/teens with our readers, please!
Give them room to grow – but set boundaries/guidelines that they shouldn’t overstep. Encourage them. Let them know that you are there for them no matter what happens.
Learn to say “No” – sometimes they need to have the “No” so that they can say “No” to their friends.
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