A parenting article, an autism website and a free talk on mental illnesses
Dear Everyone:
In this Awakening Minds update, I would like to highlight the following feature and events:
a. My new article for this month, "The Rich Kid Syndrome", is inspired by my real-life encounters with parents who consider their non-discriminate provision of money and material things to their children as the demonstration of their parental love. However, their children grow up to expect their parents to give them whatever they want and worse still, to bail them out when they get into trouble. In fact, some of these children who have manic depression are often able to finance their excessive lifestyles during their manic phases through their parents' generosity. Thus, I consider this article as my contribution towards a preventive approach in promoting mental wellness: parenting our children appropriately to prepare them for the challenges of life plays an important role. (Below is an excerpt of this article).
The Rich Kid Syndrome
By Choo Kah Ying
This article is not necessarily about rich kids. In fact, many kids who fall prey to the “Rich Kid Syndrome” (RKS) are not rich; their parents may only have average to slightly above average incomes. Children who suffer from RKS believe that they are entitled to get whatever money can buy from their parents. These parents stint and save on necessities for themselves in order to lavish the lion’s share of their earnings on their beloved children and satisfy their desires...
Unfortunately, these children who are accustomed to these “acts of love” come to expect and take them for granted. Basically, they treat their parents like walking ATMs: they feel entitled to getting the money they need to purchase whatever they want, with nary a care of how hard their parents have had to work to earn the money... These children then grow up to become adolescents who crave brand-name clothes, the latest fashion and technological accessories, and even fancy holidays in overseas locations with their peers. Each of these cravings and adventures is graciously sponsored by their doting parents....
(To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/article_the_rich_kid_syndrome.html)
b. I would also like to remind everyone about this free talk. Please remember to register for the event with Silver Ribbon Singapore.
May 29, 2010: "A Journey With..." (organised by the Silver Ribbon Singapore): This event is open to members of the public. This is a free talk by four authors who have written books on their experiences with mental illnesses:
Mr. Raymond Anthony Fernando, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Loving a Schizophrenic
Ms. Choo Kah Ying, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery
Dr. Rita Goh, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Back from the Brink of Insanity
Mr. Harris Ng, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Recovered Grace: Schizophrenia
The details are as follows:
Date and Time: Saturday: 29 May, 2pm – 4pm
Location: Toa Payoh Public Library
RSVP: Registration is compulsory; call 6386 1928 or email info@silverribbonsingapore.com.
If you want to preorder any of my books and pick them from me on that day, please let me know ahead of time. I will only be bringing a limited supply (http://awakeningminds.sg/books.html).
c. Finally, I would like to invite everyone to check out the amazing website done by two wonderful final NTU students, Han Weiding and Wong Huifoon: http://reachautism.sg/. It is a primarily Chinese Website, but if you click on my story and check out the videos, the interviews with me are in English. The other featured stories also contain interviews that are in English. So even English speaking people should check them out. The video footages and the slide show featuring Sebastien skating, doing his work and cooking are awesome!
Best regards,
Kah Ying
P.S. To all the wonderful mothers of their children with special needs and mental illnesses, Happy Mothers' Day!
In this Awakening Minds update, I would like to highlight the following feature and events:
a. My new article for this month, "The Rich Kid Syndrome", is inspired by my real-life encounters with parents who consider their non-discriminate provision of money and material things to their children as the demonstration of their parental love. However, their children grow up to expect their parents to give them whatever they want and worse still, to bail them out when they get into trouble. In fact, some of these children who have manic depression are often able to finance their excessive lifestyles during their manic phases through their parents' generosity. Thus, I consider this article as my contribution towards a preventive approach in promoting mental wellness: parenting our children appropriately to prepare them for the challenges of life plays an important role. (Below is an excerpt of this article).
The Rich Kid Syndrome
By Choo Kah Ying
This article is not necessarily about rich kids. In fact, many kids who fall prey to the “Rich Kid Syndrome” (RKS) are not rich; their parents may only have average to slightly above average incomes. Children who suffer from RKS believe that they are entitled to get whatever money can buy from their parents. These parents stint and save on necessities for themselves in order to lavish the lion’s share of their earnings on their beloved children and satisfy their desires...
Unfortunately, these children who are accustomed to these “acts of love” come to expect and take them for granted. Basically, they treat their parents like walking ATMs: they feel entitled to getting the money they need to purchase whatever they want, with nary a care of how hard their parents have had to work to earn the money... These children then grow up to become adolescents who crave brand-name clothes, the latest fashion and technological accessories, and even fancy holidays in overseas locations with their peers. Each of these cravings and adventures is graciously sponsored by their doting parents....
(To read more, please go to: http://www.awakeningminds.com.sg/article_the_rich_kid_syndrome.html)
b. I would also like to remind everyone about this free talk. Please remember to register for the event with Silver Ribbon Singapore.
May 29, 2010: "A Journey With..." (organised by the Silver Ribbon Singapore): This event is open to members of the public. This is a free talk by four authors who have written books on their experiences with mental illnesses:
Mr. Raymond Anthony Fernando, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Loving a Schizophrenic
Ms. Choo Kah Ying, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Five Little White Pills... And Then There Were None: A Journey from Manic Depression to Recovery
Dr. Rita Goh, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Back from the Brink of Insanity
Mr. Harris Ng, Mental Health Advocate/Writer, Recovered Grace: Schizophrenia
The details are as follows:
Date and Time: Saturday: 29 May, 2pm – 4pm
Location: Toa Payoh Public Library
RSVP: Registration is compulsory; call 6386 1928 or email info@silverribbonsingapore.com.
If you want to preorder any of my books and pick them from me on that day, please let me know ahead of time. I will only be bringing a limited supply (http://awakeningminds.sg/books.html).
c. Finally, I would like to invite everyone to check out the amazing website done by two wonderful final NTU students, Han Weiding and Wong Huifoon: http://reachautism.sg/. It is a primarily Chinese Website, but if you click on my story and check out the videos, the interviews with me are in English. The other featured stories also contain interviews that are in English. So even English speaking people should check them out. The video footages and the slide show featuring Sebastien skating, doing his work and cooking are awesome!
Best regards,
Kah Ying
P.S. To all the wonderful mothers of their children with special needs and mental illnesses, Happy Mothers' Day!
posted by Choo Kah Ying at
10:41 AM
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