EtonHouse Father's Day Special

Fathers are special! They take on an incredibly important role in the upbringing of children and have a lasting impact on their families. This Father's Day, we speak to EtonHouse dads who share their beautiful and inspiring stories with us and find out what it's like being in their shoes. 

Ng Yi Xian - Executive Director, EtonHouse International Education Group 

Tell us more about you and your children. 

I have two twin boys, their names are Kiran Ng 黄启光 and Keegan Ng 黄启亮. Right now, they’re only about 3 months old! Among the two, Kiran is active and assertive, while Keegan is more patient and likes to observe his surroundings. I’m amazed at the miracle of life, because even when they were in the womb, we could see how Kiran was always moving around! 

How has being a dad changed you? 

Everyday, I see how my children are constantly observing the world around them. Everything is new, wonderful and unexpected. And everything is a learning moment for them. They are constantly inquiring, always thinking and forever learning. 

In Zen Buddhism, they say that you must have a “beginners mind”. Only that way can you learn more about what is around you. Whenever I look at my twins now, I am reminded of that saying. 

As a father and being in education, what are your thoughts on it? Has being a father changed your thoughts on education? 

I sometimes joke that I have 12,000 children and now I have 12,002 children! But my brief experience raising them has made me truly appreciate the importance of education. Not just in school but how I as a father can teach my children at home. After all, there is the Chinese saying, 修身齐家治国平天下 (self-cultivation is family governance).

Being a father has also made me reflect on my own personal image of child. How I see my children has a deep impact on how they will see themselves as they grow up. If I do not see my children to be confident and capable, how can I expect them to grow up that way?   

What’s your favorite thing to do with your children?

I love to look into their eyes and see their innocence and wonder. 

Ang Poh Seng - Chief Financial Officer, EtonHouse International Education Group 

Tell us more about you and your children.

I have been married for 12 years with 3 children-Ethan (11 years), Mathieu (9 years) and Amelie (6 years). I have a lovely wife who takes very good care of everyone at home. I am an accountant by profession, but am certainly not the mainstream accountant. During my free time, I enjoy cycling and chatting with my wife.

Ethan is a very affectionate boy, especially towards family members and friends. He is very competitive and outspoken, and is not afraid of speaking up when his peers are not doing the right things. During his free time, he enjoys learning magic tricks and working on paper origami.

Mathieu is a very helpful and considerate boy who will always reach out to render a helping hand to others. He has interests in very broad areas, like fishing, cooking and cycling.

Amelie is the princess in the household. She loves animals and is very affectionate to everyone. That being said, she has a fiery temper.

How has being a dad changed you? 

It has added more joy to my life! In this journey, as a father, in bringing up my children, I have learnt to be more responsible, patient and understanding. 

As a father and being involved in the education sector at the same time, what are your thoughts on it? Has being a father changed your thoughts on education? 

It has certainly enhanced my understanding of the education system and the delivery of education. The level of impact that education has on a child is not only dependent on the school, but certainly the environment where the child is placed in (e.g. family love and attention). 

What’s your favorite thing to do with your children?

Play pranks on their mother.

Edward Wyn Jones, Principal, EtonHouse International School Broadrick  

Tell us more about you and your children.

We are a family of four. We have two children, two boys 14 and 11 years old. Evan the eldest loves all things historical and already knows more than I do about history. 

Aaron is much more of a creative being. He is full of crazy and imaginative ideas as well as being emotionally intelligent. 

They have a great relationship with each other due to having been together all the time when we took time out to travel the world a few years ago. We visited fifteen countries during that special year and came to really appreciate each other. 

How has being a dad changed you? 

Being a father is ‘number one’ in my life. My boys are everything to me, but unfortunately they are growing up too quickly. 

I was fortunate to have a wonderful father and I hope that I can guide my boys in a similar way. I’m not sure if being a father has changed me, but during the early years of nappy changing and limited sleep, I’m sure it helped me to develop patience and tolerance.

As a father and educator, what are your thoughts on it? Has being a father changed your thoughts on education? 

It’s very important that my children are happy in school. It’s essential that they enjoy every learning experience. I think schools need to ensure that they cater for diversity in every way, that they encourage creativity, inquiry and that we develop every child’s individual talents. 

As a father, teacher and principal I feel that I'm fully aware of how dedicated and how committed our teachers are to their students. As a father I think it's so important that I say ‘thank you’ to our special teachers on a regular basis, especially during these challenging times.

What’s your favorite thing to do with your children? 

We enjoy wandering, travelling and exploring. Recently this has been done locally, but we still enjoy immersing ourselves into every local culture. 

When we travelled the world for twelve months a few years ago we were fortunate to visit some wonderful places. As a family we enjoyed experiencing different cultures, tasting wonderful food and meeting so many wonderful and friendly people.

Matthew Scott - Vice Principal, Middleton International School

Tell us more about you and your children.

My wife and I have three beautiful children. Our eldest Addison is 10 years old, followed by his younger brother Parker who is 8 and our youngest, is our daughter Ainsley who has just turned 7. 

How has being a dad changed you?  

Being a Dad has transformed me! It’s hard to believe that it has been 10 years since Addi was born. It has gone so fast. To be honest, no words can describe the joy of being a father. The best description I can muster, is that it is like you’ve been watching the world in black and white, and then all of a sudden everything turns to colour.  I’ve learned so much from my kids, and hopefully passed on some small nuggets of wisdom too. They are constantly changing me, I've learned a deeper understanding of gratitude, joy, compassion and of course love! They have taught me the importance of being physically and emotionally present for others, and a better listener (they tell so many stories!)

As a father and educator at the same time, what are your thoughts on it? Has being a father changed your thoughts on education? 

One of my favourite quotes regarding education is from John Dewey who said that “education is not preparation for life, it is life itself”. Working in education and raising children who are currently school aged, has reinforced to me the urgency of creating schools that foster not only academic excellence, but develop children as holistic, compassionate, creative and internationally minded individuals. For me, being a father is a constant reminder of the fact that education is for life, and that values such as curiosity, lifelong learning and reflection, need to be instilled into the everyday school experience. I feel that these skills are crucial for success now and in the future.  

What’s your favorite thing to do with your children? 

As a family, we love to spend time together outdoors, keeping fit and healthy with activities like soccer, basketball, jogging, bike riding, swimming and walking. However, what really counts is quality time together, the more we share fun and unique experiences, the more meaningful memories we create.