“Why can my child play games for hours but struggle to finish homework?” Many parents of children with suspected or diagnosed ADHD ask this. One possible explanation is hyperfocus: becoming so absorbed in an activity that it is difficult to notice time passing or switch tasks. It can happen with games, books, hobbies or even […]
“My Child Struggles with Chinese.” When a child is doing badly in Chinese, the concern is often about more than grades. Revision may take hours that could go towards other subjects. Homework may end in tears, and parents may worry about how Mother Tongue results will affect secondary school choices. It is understandable to consider […]
When Education Minister Desmond Lee tested Parliament with a PSLE maths question earlier in March this year, many parents could probably relate. Your child brings home a word problem, asks for help, and you wonder where to begin. You do not need to supply the answer. Try guiding your child through MAPS: M — Make […]
About one in six young people aged 10 to 24 in Singapore show signs of problematic social media use, according to a Ministry of Health report. It is a concern many parents recognise at home: “Just five more minutes” can easily become an hour. I recently spoke with Lianhe Zaobao about excessive social media use […]
I recently watched an interview with MP Denise Phua, who spoke as an advocate and as a mother of an adult son with autism. Her reflections made me think about a question many families face: How do we define success for our children? We often picture a familiar path: good grades, university, a job and […]
At the 2026 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong shared the stories of three Singaporeans whose paths were far from straightforward. Ervin Han spent more than a decade working towards The Violinist, adapting his plans through repeated setbacks. Shaik Nifael Nazeemuddin left school at 17 and began by cleaning grease traps. He learnt the […]
Some children have plenty to say but find it hard to turn their ideas into a clear paragraph. Recently, several parents have raised this concern with me. One simple tool is the hamburger paragraph. Think of the opening sentence as the top bun: it introduces the main idea. The filling contains supporting details and examples. […]
Some night ago, my son and I took out some ring puzzles I had bought years ago. We laughed, tried different approaches and gently competed to see who could solve more. It was a simple family moment, but it reminded me of something I often tell him: focus on what you can do next. Like […]
Progress Happens on Difficult Days, Too When a child is having a hard day, it can be difficult to see the progress they’ve made. They may need an instruction repeated, struggle with a task they managed yesterday, or need more help to settle. For parents and educators, these moments can be tiring. Pause, offer support, […]
It is a question many parents ask. Both professionals can assess ADHD, but they may help your family in different ways. A psychologist can explore your child’s attention and behaviour alongside their learning, emotions and day-to-day functioning. An educational psychologist may also assess whether learning difficulties are contributing to challenges at school. A psychiatrist is […]
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