22 SEPTEMBER was a milestone in parenthood for me. This day, my daughter Ying finally graduated with Double degrees. Without doubt it was one of my proudest moments in life as I heard her name called and watched her stepped up the podium, right hand touch the hat as a mark of respect, the march forward to the vice chancellor to be conferred her degree.
In a few minutes, her part of the convocation was over. In the last few days, I had reminisced the journey that took her to this podium. Although it was not a dramatic journey with trial and tribulation, but it certainly was a memorable one as far as a father can testify. It defined the meaning of fatherhood, the worries and the hopes every parent placed on their brood.
When she was 18 months, we sent her the Childcare Centres. I took the responsibility to walk her to the centres. Initially, I stay with her in the class or within viewing distance. She wouldn’t allow me to leave her. Each time I leave her; she would cry and really break my heart. Only after two weeks, she settled down and would let me go. But I would still peep through the window to soothe my own fear. Finally we both feel comfortable, she enjoyed her class and I felt assured she was coping well.
She attended a few years of Kindergarten. In the morning, the grandmother will walk her to the kindergarten. In the afternoon, our maid will fetch her back. And when I was in Singapore, I would bicycle her home. Those years, she was confident and well behaved except she could be very playful. She once punched a boy so hard in the stomach that he cried.
Then came primary school. Being the first born, getting a place in Primary 1 was always a challenged. Somehow, I was able to place her at St. Anthony Convent. I spent the first days with her in school, just to be sure she know how to take care of herself. She settled down very fast. A private school bus fetched her to and from school daily. The years passed quickly and she joined the school Percussion Band.
At the end of Primary four, it was streaming time and she was posted to EM2. This was the one occasion I never forget. She was adamant in getting to EM1 even her Chinese grades was just nearing the requirement. I took her to see the vice principal and spoke to her. The VP advice me against letting her enrol in EM1. But she was so focus and determined that I support her decision and the VP could not turn her down. When the PSLE result was announced, she did not disappoint. She qualified to go SAP school. That made me very proud.
She went on to Chung Cheng Secondary School. Both my wife and I attend the first day in school. The school has a large campus and a very scenic lake. I know this few years will be very important to her and soon she will be maturing into a teenager. Every morning, one of us will drive her to school. She took up basketball and represented her school in both district and national level. She was a striker. I had watched her in competition many times and each time I am really proud of my daughter. She was also a school counsellor.
In JC, she went on the Meridian JC. She played basketball for JC and was the captain of the team. Academically, I know it was a struggle and challenge but nevertheless she was able to complete her JC with very decent result.
She went on the Monash University in Melbourne and completed a double degree in Banking and Finance and degree in Accounting.
The convocation ceremony is truly the summit of the academic journey. As a father, I take immense pleasure in watching her grew up, matured, gain self confidence and acquired all the values I had inculcated in her. Personally her achievement meant a lot more as I never had the university life. She was to live this part of the life for me and sure she did.
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