Every fourth Saturday of May is 'Family Day Out'

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/343445/1/.html

SINGAPORE: Starting this year, every fourth Saturday of May will be designated as Singapore's 'Family Day Out'.

This is the latest initiative by the National Family Council to encourage Singaporeans to spend more time with their family.

63-year-old Teresa Quah, a retiree, said: "It's a very good idea to bring the family closer... help them communicate with each other."

The National Family Week was launched 22 years ago, but not many people seem to be aware of such a campaign, going by a straw poll conducted by Channel NewsAsia.

To raise the profile of the National Family Week, organisers have decided to give their month-long campaign a new name. It is now called the National Family Celebrations, and campaign activities will be launched on 24 May at a carnival at the Singapore Flyer.

Organisers will be giving away 15,000 free tickets for rides on the Singapore Flyer as well as other attractions. There will also be special family packages at other places such as the Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park.

Yeo Chuan Hong, a father of two, said: "This year, families can get together in their own time and take the extra effort to be closer."

Over the years, activities organised for the family campaign have been expanded to last for almost a month.


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its good that National Family Council is doing more to raise awareness about the importance of family bonding but it also mean that the family unit/bonding has deteriorated to such extend that an external agency HAS TO DO SOMETHING to entice or encourage people to bond which seems so primitive or instinctive or maybe I am wrong.

Are you guilty of neglecting your family?
and i mean quality bonding, you can just eat with them over dinner but do you actually talk to them? Bring them out? Go on outings together? Do something together?
DO you FEEL the bond?

And.. I think mum will like the idea too, not that she has any lack of "bonding sessions" with us :P

You might say that there are so many other commitments thus cancelling out time for bonding with family, but the thing is ... bonding sessions doesnt always require alot of time.

For me.. usually my weekends, I'll divide out between bf and my family, even if i do go out on both days, I make sure I'll see my mum for half a day, accompany her to the market or breakfast before I leave the house or we just walk Snoopi LOL.

She might not say she likes it, but I can see it from her face.
That is "happiness" shown to me.

you might say "why the bf doesnt follow me all the time or I dont follow the bf all the time, still can bond with family what?"
But the question is, if I follow him or he follows me all the time, bond with WHOSE family?
Sometimes i think, its good to leave the bf and his family to have their own personal space, sometimes I join them for dinners and outings, sometimes I want our own personal space, just the two of us and sometimes I want my own personal space with my family.

time is fixed. human minds' are not.

well that is me :)

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on another note, yesterday morning dear said, "i will give you surprise later"
thus i waited and waited and fell asleep at night when dear suddenly appeared at my door LOL
"Like the surprise?"
"I wouldnt want it any other way"

Dear came over after his study session with his friends then accompanied me before he left for school to take exams this morning.

and I felt a tinge of sadness in me.. to send dear off to school, waiting to see his bus going into the distance..

nevermind.. shall see him after exams! which is next friday hee and another 3 more weeks to Taiwan!