First day of primary school: What is on a P1 parent’s mind?

“I hope that she makes friends and finds her place among her peers. Yun Le might encounter times when she realises her comments and ways of doing things are different from her friends. But I want her to always be kind, try to understand others, and accept the way others do things.

For myself as a parent, I think it’s important for the school and I to be on the same page in terms of my child’s development. 

I also believe that schools and parents stand on the same side. If there are incidents or issues, we both want to communicate well, find out the root cause, and solve the problem.”

Mr Saurabh Gaidhani, father of Aarini, with his wife Ms Mayura Patil

“As Aarini enters P1, it’s a time of learning not just for her but for our family. During the parent briefing, other parents shared their experiences, and hearing their stories benefits me and my child as well.

I also think that this culture helps curtail the ‘my kid versus your kid’ mindset. We all want our children to succeed in their own ways.

In future, I might join the Parent Support Group. I can see that they are doing a lot of good work. I’ll observe and learn, and if I’m able to, I hope to contribute too.”

Mdm Jennifer Phee, mother of Quintus, with her husband Mr Alex Tam

“Primary school is the start of his journey where he finds his own direction and figures out where he wants to be in future.

We’re excited that he’s moving on to the next chapter of life. With two older children, primary school is not unfamiliar to us. But we don’t have any expectations for Quintus. Different individuals grow differently.

We will just keep an open mind about how he progresses. For now, he’s interested in robotics, but a few years down the road, he might be interested in other things. Our role is to assist him to accomplish his own targets and goals.”