As we advance into today’s contemporary society, children and teenagers are becoming increasingly bolder and expressive. Their cynicism can be seen from articles that bemoan the latest teenage tragedies of exploitations and crime. On a more positive note, happy, healthy and intelligent kids do exist.

I believe there are certain factors that mould a child’s character, shaping them into healthy and intelligent individuals with a positive attitude towards life. Parents are largely responsible for determining the outcome of their kids’ lives. They wield the power to arm their children with proper moral rectitude and by inculcating their children with values that would enable them to resist temptation; their children can make prudent decisions and are less likely to go astray.

Academic pressure

The environment that children are exposed to also plays a pivotal role. Beginning with playschools and kindergartens, these institutes should ignite a passion for learning that would hopefully blossom beyond primary, secondary and tertiary education. It is my point of view that schools in Singapore are renowned for its high productivity, with students churning out homework and assignments with manic efficiency. This passionate pursuit of education helps nurture intelligence and the pressure to do well also fuels a competitive environment, which could serve as a powerful motivator.

The preparation for ‘O’ levels brought out the best and worst in me. Besides transforming into a hormonal mood-swinging wreck, having notes constantly attached to my face also meant that interaction with family and friends was kept to a minimum. I had dissolved into a social retard. Realizing that I could not survive this war (the ‘O’s) alone, I turned to my family and friends for support and together, we hurdled through this academic milestone.

Simple pleasures

What keeps me sane? Family and a bunch of reliable mad-cap friends! My family, for instance, finds joy in doing simple things together – having meals, watching television, going to the movies, talking about our aspirations and who’s who in the music industry (yes, my parents keep themselves up-to-date). Acknowledging the inevitable biological changes that my fifteen yearold brother and I are undergoing, they engage us in heart to heart talks that include the birds and the bees.

The sheer magnificence of joy in the mundane cannot be understated. Our typical family gatherings are boisterous affairs that include relatives from both my mum and papa¡¯s side, where we get together to regale and exchange trivialities. Then there are the occasional all-girls outings with my mum and her sisters, when we have haircuts, replenish lipsticks and indulge in sushi. Wet market trips with grandma and my cousins are also moments that I treasure and look forward to.

Having two young tots (age 3 and 4) as siblings at times pose a number of hair-tearing incidents, especially when I am desperately trying to focus and bury myself in endless school assignments. But it is their energy, antics, incessant chatters and arguments that keep me grounded and more appreciative of family values. This is especially so when accompanied by the love they radiate – so warm, widespread and unconditional, striking raw and close to heart.

School has always been more than seeking intellectual enlightenment and I feel privileged and blessed to have graduated from a convent school,
which provided a conducive environment that nurtures my emotional and spiritual growth. Involvement in the Student Council and ELDDS (English Literary Drama and Debate Society) gave me opportunities to explore
my passions and foster closer bonds with my peers. I am proud to hail from such a dynamic alma mater.

To conclude

So what is the specific formula to raise happy, healthy and intelligent kids? Such qualities are prized and crucial to any social fabric but there is no exact
method.

Although I do succumb to procrastination and reduce my brain to inertia at times, as well as indulge in the occasional ‘comfort’ foods, I do believe that I fulfill the qualities of being happy, healthy and intelligent.

Sarah Natasha Raziff, 17 years old