Therapeutic art jam sessions. Cute crochet toys. These are just a couple of the many things parents are doing for stressed students, as they actively involve themselves in their children’s school communities. And many of them are discovering that volunteering their time and effort at the Parents Support Group (PSG) goes a long way to ensure that students’ mental well-being needs are supported.
Schoolbag dives deeper into three PSG-led programmes that are making a tangible difference in students’ lives.
At Chung Cheng High Yishun, parents are supporting students’ well-being one crochet stitch at a time
As the school year enters its busiest stretch and stress levels peak before the exam period, a whimsical initiative by the PSG at Chung Cheng High Yishun (CCHY) has brought much-needed joy to students. The initiative mentioned: Rainbow Monsters – handcrafted crochet creatures, each tagged with a note of encouragement.
First started in September 2024, the project saw PSG members partnering Peer Support Leaders (PSLs) to host a school-wide “monster hunt” during recess, where students eagerly searched for 260 crochet monsters hidden around the school campus. The aim was to add some fun to the hectic term, but it managed to spark important conversations about mental well-being.
Mdm Betsy Toh, one of the parents who initiated the PSG Crochet Club, shares that attached to each crochet monster was a heartfelt message reminding students to reach out to peers if they need extra support.
“This initiative was also about creating a sense of togetherness,” says Mdm Toh, whose daughter is a PSL. “We didn’t set out with an intentional message about mental health; instead, we simply shared something we enjoyed and loved doing, and in doing so, spread joy to the rest of the school.”
The response to Rainbow Monsters was overwhelmingly positive, with students not only thrilled by the hunt but also touched by the supportive messages left by their peers. “It felt like the whole school was enjoying hunting for the Monsters together. Even we parents at home or at work could feel the excitement when we received text messages from our kids,” Mdm Toh adds.
PSL Edda Leow says that running the campaign alongside the PSG was “an awesome experience” that left wide smiles on everyone’s faces. “Some of my friends told me that they felt supported after reading the simple notes on the crochet monsters,” she elaborates.
Secondary 2 student Nasya Eleora Tessalonika agrees that the encouraging messages were a nice touch. “My friends and I were even more motivated to study after the campaign, and we are now also more aware of the importance of seeking help from peers,” she says.
For the PSG parents involved, the project serves as a reminder of how important it is to stay connected with their children, even as they grow more independent. “As our children enter the teenage phase, we face new challenges of parenthood. Our children may sometimes push us away, but I believe that everyone needs support, and that our children need us to be there without being the nagging parent,” Mdm Toh says.
Mdm Tay Hui Cheng, Head of Department and School Staff Developer at CCHY, emphasises that parents can complement schools’ efforts in fostering a supportive and open environment for their child’s mental well-being. Being involved in their lives, participating and bonding with them in parent-child activities is a good starting point, she adds.
At Presbyterian High School, parents bring the emotional support to art-jamming sessions
On Mondays and Wednesdays, when the recess bell rings at Presbyterian High School (PHS), some students make a beeline not for their favourite stalls, but for a studio located within the canteen area. There, they immerse themselves in a relaxed, creative atmosphere, working on their paintings or digital art while chatting with the parent volunteers on duty.
Initiated and run by the PSG, PHS’ Art Jam sessions started in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as an activity for students who continued to attend school to complete their work as they did not have personal learning devices or Internet at home. Since then, the popular sessions have continued regularly.
Mrs Tiani Boy, a PSG member who started the initiative, likens the process of creating art to a “health supplement”. She sees it as a convenient and accessible outlet for students to express their emotions in a safe environment. It also offers them the chance to discover their potential in art, which builds their self-confidence and enhances their self-worth, she says.
As an artist herself, Mrs Boy finds painting therapeutic. Even though her daughter graduated from the school four years ago, Mrs Boy continues to volunteer her time at PHS. She highlights the significant role of parent volunteers in supporting students, saying, “In this more casual setting, the students feel at ease and are able to open up and share their ups and downs with the parent volunteers. When we detect a critical concern, we will raise it to the attention of the school leaders for further action.”
Mr Sim Chai Heng, a PSG member, understands all too well the challenges that the adolescent years bring – peer pressures, academic demands and emotional upheaval. To support his children aged 14 and 16, Mr Sim joined the school’s PSG and has been facilitating the art jam sessions.
As a designer, Mr Sim brings his professional expertise to the sessions by guiding students in their art activities and providing advice to those who are keen on developing their graphic design skills. He also lends a listening ear to students who drop by to chat. “When they do that, the parent volunteers try to steer them in the right direction. I feel that it’s especially important for teenagers to have parents and adult figures to guide them,” Mr Sim says.
Secondary 2 student Kawaai Kento attends the art jam sessions regularly. He says that they offer him a space to “express his feelings and ease his worries”, particularly during stressful exam periods.
Jovan Seow, another Secondary 2 student and regular attendee, highly recommends PHS students who have not joined the art jam sessions to give it a try. “It’s fun, and you get to bond with other students too,” he says.
At Park View Primary School, parents help kids cook up confidence
The canteen buzzes with excitement as students and parent volunteers, aprons on and utensils in hand, gather around the tables. There’s a steady hum of light-hearted conversation as students work together to assemble fruit kebabs, chop veggies for a fresh salad, or carefully slice ingredients for their own mini pizzas.
This is a typical Friday morning at Park View Primary School (PVPS) whenever the Budding Chefs programme is in full swing. Structured as a five-week programme, Budding Chefs is designed for Primary 1 and 2 students, and run by the PSG and parent volunteers.
The hands-on programme teaches more than just simple recipes. Mdm Vanies Tan, a PSG member whose son is currently in Primary 4, shares, “The students learn self-management, too, as they take turns to use the kitchen tools. This is especially so for the Primary 1 students. It teaches them to be patient and aware of other people’s feelings.”
Another PSG member Mdm Siti Fadzlon agrees and adds that the collaboration between students and parent volunteers also supports students’ social-emotional development.
As students learn to safely handle kitchen tools and try new nutritious foods – often for the first time – their self-confidence is also boosted. For Zaheen Haaziq and Laya Kalyanaraman, who are currently in Primary 3, the programme that they went through last year introduced them to new foods that they might not have tried otherwise, like cabbage and lettuce. “The cabbage actually tasted quite nice,” Zaheen said with a smile. With their newfound food preparation skills, both students shared that they are now eager to help their parents in the kitchen.
Another PSG member Mdm Bhanu Rekha Students noted that the programme’s impact extends beyond school hours, as she and her children have replicated recipes at home. “Spending quality time cooking together increases our emotional bond,” she said.
Mdm Teo Siew Yeun, Head of Department of Mother Tongue at PVPS, highlights the broader impact of the Budding Chefs programme on student well-being, emphasising the vital role parents play in supporting their children’s development. “It takes a village to raise a child,” she says. “Parents play an essential role in this process, and their involvement is key to helping students thrive.”
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