Your Asian mom

As the world steps into a new year, my daughter steps into a new chapter of her life—starting Form 1 at an independent secondary school. New uniform designs, new teachers, new friends, and a completely new environment now shape her daily routine. For her, it is a fresh beginning. For me, it is a quiet lesson in learning how to let go. Choosing an Independent Secondary School We have had our eyes on this school for several years. The decision was not made lightly. Like many parents, we considered one fundamental question: how do we best protect and prepare our child’s future? This is not to say that government schools are bad. In fact, their low—or even zero—school fees have played an essential role in ensuring that generations of children can read, write, and count. That alone is a remarkable achievement. However, the independent school our daughter attends aims for more than the basics. Its focus extends to discipline, social development, employability, and academic excell...

I recently made a decision that felt surprisingly heavy: I unsubscribed from Netflix. On the surface, it sounds trivial. It’s just a streaming service. But in reality, it marked the removal of the one habit that quietly filled my empty pockets of time—time that I kept promising myself I would use for self‑improvement. Practising music. Learning a foreign language. Reading books I had bought with genuine excitement, only to let them gather dust. Making this choice was tough. Almost immediately, life felt emptier than before. When distractions are stripped away, silence can feel uncomfortable. Minimalism teaches us that we do not need much, but it rarely talks about the emotional adjustment that comes with subtraction. Over time, I have embraced a minimalist lifestyle. I shop less because I no longer seek joy in buying things I don’t truly need. I work out without expensive gym memberships; most days, my only cost is fuel for a ten‑minute round trip to a nearby stadium for a ...

Now that you are grown, what do you do with the parent who hurt you—and also sacrificed for you? For many adult children, success does not bring closure. It brings distance, clarity, and an uncomfortable power shift . The father who once controlled the household now ages. The child who once endured now earns, decides, and lives independently. And somewhere between obligation and resentment, a relationship continues—uneasy, unresolved. So how should a hurt but successful child react to his father now? First: by letting go of the need to rewrite the past There is a temptation to wait for acknowledgment—an apology that fully understands the harm, a confession that makes sense of the pain. But many parents, especially those shaped by poverty, violence, or rigid cultural expectations, are unable to articulate remorse in the language their children need. The adult child does not need his father to fully understand in order to heal. Closure does not require agreement. It requires acceptance t...

As parents, we all want the best for our children. We dream of providing them with quality education that equips them for a successful future. However, in Sabah—a state known for its natural beauty and cultural diversity—quality education comes at a price. Let’s delve into the challenges faced by parents and explore the cost range of ensuring a top-notch education for our little ones. The Educational Landscape in Sabah Sabah boasts a mix of public and private schools, each with its unique strengths and limitations. Here are some key aspects of the educational landscape: Public Schools : Public schools in Sabah follow the national curriculum set by the Ministry of Education. While they offer affordable education, overcrowded classrooms and limited resources can hinder personalized attention. Private Schools : Private schools provide an alternative for parents seeking smaller class sizes, better facilities, and a more holistic approach to education. However, tuition fees can be significa...

At this era whereby couples are living on their own, especially in the city,  they are indeed need help from someone to take care of the mother and child after the traumatising childbirth experience.  Unfortunately, not every couple has the privilege helper, mother or mother-in-law who can attend to the confinement needs due to several reason, including the availability of the help, experienced mothers have other commitment or just the bad relationship between two generations.   If paying more means happiness to new mother and child, a confinement center will serve another option for mothers to recuperate and "coping" with the arrival of bundle of joy.  The bundle of joy is not necessarily brings someone joy 24/7 as the baby also comes with several issues to deal with such as  newborn jaundice, colic, "insomnia", breastfeeding problem and etc.  Mother who had through labour also needs rest, aside from having to troubleshoot baby's ...