Parenting is becoming so much cooler these days. Thanks to the parents we’ve met, we’ve come to learn so many stories that just touch our hearts and tickle our souls. All parents seem to have these moments when they just get it – and achieve the state of flow in parenting creativity. I’ve also a new-found respect for the moms who somehow manage to juggle it all, and find the delicate balance between being a mother, and being a friend.
In comes Gina Romero, a dynamic rock-chick-entrepreneur-supermom whom I met this week (with an email signature that speaks volumes of her dynamite personality!) A gamer herself, Gina and her husband formed a family team with her two boys in World of Warcraft. In the most animated fashion, Gina recounted the moments of impeccable family teamwork, lessons in strategy, and the occasional outbursts of a mother’s natural instinct when her youngest one (the weakest link) charged ahead in a moment of impatience – “Don’t worry!! Mommy’s coming to save youuuuuuu!!!”. Fantastic story. Till today, Gina’s boys are still pleading her to join them on WOW.
How big an act humor plays! I’ve found the ability to laugh at ourselves so key to encouraging exploration and creativity. It must takes great courage I think, for parents to just let go. Perhaps that is the art of parenting 2.0 – to observe, to listen, to understand, to relive your childhood through your kids, without your expectations, and to let them re-inspire your curiosities, to let them be your muse, and to infuse play into the process.
Thanks to Conan O’brien who inspired this post with this awesome tweet today.
Just some good-natured humor before PE polling day :)
It’s an interesting time to be in Singapore, at time when our democracy is beginning to take it’s shape. It’s fascinating to hear the reasons WHY people are rooting for the candidates of their choice. Everyone’s pretty open about their allegiances now, which seems like a big step forward.
Some have really taken the time and effort to gather all competing evidences they can possibly lay their hands on, and deliberate on who might be the best man for the job. Some have chosen to vote for higher order and minority issues, or whichever candidate best represents their interests, definitely no harm in that.
I overheard a group of uncles who were discussing the candidates’ dates of birth and zodiac signs, who’s face they liked the most, followed by some really sensational gossip they heard online. It was quite astonishing.
One of the best events I’ve attended is MakerFaire, an annual exhibition organized by Make:Magazine in major cities across the world. Started in San Mateo, California, it assembles some of the most creative, passionate and crazy mad scientists, and allows them to show off their inventions.
The Essence of Play
Children were everywhere – flying in the air, sprawling on the ground, underground (I wouldn’t be surprised), climbing into suspended aluminum containers that made for make-belief space travel, crawling inside metal structures, and playing inside the top of a large mechanized caravan. This wasn’t a Disneyland that designed the perfect dreamworld. This was raw and dirty. Makerfaire presented you only the primitive blocks, showed you the possibilities, and then gave you the chance to let your imagination take over. Kids were in awe, kids were learning through play, kids were asking questions, kids were experimenting and failing. There was so much I didn’t know, I felt like I was a kid again.
The Art of Make-Belief
Enter Steam Punk. The League of STEAM (Supernatural and Troublesome Ectoplasmic Apparition Management) paraded some sophisticated equipment for detecting paranormal activity – all beautifully finished with neo-Victorian detail: leather, wood, cast iron, lead and black paint. They even demoed an ornate steam-powered gun that would fire a zombie-catching net onto the unsuspecting walking dead. Kids gawked in awe, as the Steam-master rattled off specifications on leather-clad detection devices that would have had a fighting chance of working, had zombies existed. Too convincing!
More Magical Moments
Amongst the robots (Arduino and Android were a strong force this year), radio controlled devices, arts, crafts, jewelry, science experiments and food, the most effective demo was, if audience reaction was a measure, the van de graaf generator manned by a grey haired scientist in a lab coat. He smiled unflinchingly as he charged his generator, at which point his hair would stand up like a dandelion. He’d then invite members of the passing public to shake hands, at which point the static discharge would make touch guys squeal, toddlers laugh, children smile, and friends roar.
Also note-worthy was Fossil Fool who used to be a bike-powered electric guitar played by a single man, but now it’s an entire band, with drums, guitars and their own stage on the lawn.
But perhaps the most spectacular was the ArcAttack twin Tesla Coil coupled to an electric guitar. The guitar player (decked out like the Stig from Top Gear) used discharge from the tesla coils to emulate musical notes. One word: awesome.
The Power of a Generous Passionate Community
What struck me the most was the ease in which enthusiastic inventors wanted to share their creations. Everybody was welcome to touch, play, participate and ask questions, and nobody was allowed to leave unsatisfied. We learned that a jetpack does exist: it is powered by 93% Hydrogen Peroxide, is propelled by steam at 180 bar and propels you 3 meters into the air for 30 seconds (good luck finding a tree). But most importantly, when using a real jetpack, you don’t really look that cool: you’re lifted by your armpits and have your legs dangling below you in sympathy. Sadly we weren’t allowed to try the jetpack, but the scientist behind it was so enthusiastic, we might as well have!
Nurturing the next generation of Makers
It dawned on me how we are gradually losing this spirit of tinkering in Singapore, eroded by our rapid pace of progress. We now have trouble even fixing the simplest of things (guilty as charged). Well, solutions! Every parent can encourage their kids to make their own toys instead of buying one ready-made off the shelf. You’ll be surprised at how many nifty things one can make out of trash! For the bolder parents, I recommend fifty dangerous things you should let your children do (I heard there’s a sell-out Summercamp in the US on the same topic of guiding children to play with dangerous objects in a safe manner). For the educators reading this, one simple idea: dedicate a small corner in your school, make an announcement to accept old electric appliances and computers, throw in some tools for good measure. Let children play, take things apart, put things together, fail, get hurt, learn, and try again.
I saw the man
Sitting over the ledge
His legs dangling in the air
It could have been 10 stories high, or more
He was holding and talking to his dog
About fifty people along waterloo street
Some pointing, gossiping, most giving quiet stares
All looking up, wondering, praying
That he wouldn’t make the jump
I couldn’t get it out of my mind all through the day. At least one person takes his life every day in Singapore. It’s the kind of numbing statistic you don’t think about until you come face to face with a victim. Worse, the post-traumatic effects ripple across those who have loved, or have seen.
It was like a solemn slap in the face. In the light of the upcoming presidential elections, I’ve been watching people speak with an emotional charge, whether it for the sake of intellectual argument, the expression of choice, or as an outlet for their grievances. And then I’m reminded that there are some who are completely removed from all this, with a magnitude of despair I don’t think we can even appreciate.
It’s been quite a trying time in between kicking off the startup, overloading my university modules AND having to knock out a thesis. I’m surprised how it all came together at the end. In those times, sacrifice was really the name of the game.
All’s good now thanks to the immense support of people around me. It couldn’t be more liberating being out of school, finally being able to spend all my time actually learning and devoting my time to larger purposes and people.
Am back more inspired than ever. I’d also like to introduce a new co-author who’s been such an inspiration and pillar in my life. From him I’ve learned to better understand myself, love others, examine life more deeply and appreciate even more all the beautiful mysteries this world has to offer. Thanks Alam :)
A startup founder, TEDster, couchsurfer, and liberal - those are the labels. At the heart, I'm fueled by ideas, passionate about creating solutions, and enjoy working with young people to make change. I write about education, the trail-blazing people I meet along my journey, and other fascinating observations in life. More
