Kids Say What?

Have these questions ever crossed your mind?

• Why are my kids always on their iPads, phones, computer?
• Why do they watched the same program ten thousand times?
• How does an eight-year-old finish a 950ml bottle of shampoo in 3 days?!  
• Why won’t my kids remember to flush the toilet?
• At what age do they start to think about boy-girl relationship?
• What is the best approach to talk to them without sounding “lame”?
• What current lingo are the kids using today?
• How do they really feel about the school? 

They have crossed my mind many times, and I have even said a few out loud in exasperation! I have read many blog posts about kids and their issues that are well written and researched by adults bloggers. But how about hearing from the horses mouths?

Well, we are launching a new section called Kids Say in December!

Kids Say  is a platform for the kids to voice out their thoughts and share their perspectives. Under Kids Say, you will find posts that answer the above questions and more. The posts are meant to give parents a better understand WHAT and HOW kids of today think. You may find that your kids are faring better than the images you formed in your mind. OR you may see a different side to the same issues that you and your kids fight with repeatedly from the sharing by another kid.

Parents can offer SOME guidance (eg. direction, grammar, structure) but the posts should be written using the kids words. The posts should be between 300 – 500 words (more if your kids are up for it). Do include 2-3  photos (high-resolution please) to go with the post.

Your child can also choose to use his/her real name, a pen name or remain anonymous. He/She will also join our pool of young writers.   When we receive any questions from the “BIG” people, we will invite them to respond. Different child may have different opinion or viewpoint for parents to tap on.  The objective is to encourage our young writers to write and enjoy the process.

Please email me at meiling@universalscribbles.com if:

1. your kids are interested to contribute a post – we will be happy to publish it.
2. you have a question about that you will like our kids to answer

We do ask that all questions be relevant and comments be constructive to encourage our young writers.

Why Kids Say?

Kids Say was conceptualized as a way to encourage my own kids to write. But more so, I was motivated to help bridge the seemingly widening communication gap between parents and kids. This past week alone, I have heard of three separate cases of primary school kids who are thinking of or have committed suicide. These kids are all below 12 years old. Surely, they are too young to be entertaining such thoughts.

Education stress and family relationships aside, one common issue among the 3 cases jumped out at me — the kids felt unheard by their parents! This desperate helplessness drives them to take their own lives as a call for attention. Hearing the words and paying attention to the message makes a difference!  

The rates of child suicide cases in Singapore are rising – according to a 2010 statistics from the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), an organisation dedicated to suicide prevention. And those who took their own lives were as young as 10 years old!!

Lets make sure that our kids do NOT make this statistic list as we help them navigate the challenging education terrain and teenage years in Singapore.

Kids Say posts do not have to be serious. It can be a sharing of your child’s favourite restaurant, or review of games, books, movies etc.

Do read our first post where kids share why they are always on the gadgets. Our next post is from a young girl who had a chance to study overseas for one year and will share about her experiences of both school systems.

Thank you in advance for your support to encourage future writers and taking an interest in the kids’ lives. 

Share your views or thoughts with us and connect with US on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Till our next post, love yourself, love one another.