@genghis25
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I am so happy now that my kids are in lower secondary school. I cut down so much on tuition fees

I am blessed to have many friends through my wide circles, but only a small handful are truly close friendships that have been built and tested over many years. I don’t need to meet my friends frequently to feel secure in these relationships; I know these close friends will cheer me on, support me, and never judge me. They accept me as I am.

That said, I don’t consider connections maintained purely through social media as close friendships. For me, closeness requires real presence, making the effort to meet, spend time together, and connect face to face. It is through these in-person interactions that trust deepens and relationships grow.

Likewise, as a friend, I believe in showing up. When my friends are in need, I will go the extra mile to support them, just as I know they would for me.

These days I just ask ChatGPT DeepSeek, Gemini and copilot

The actual meal photo may look unappealing at first glance, but on closer inspection, it does include vegetables, minced meat with corn and peas, and multigrain rice. In fact, this is a healthier option compared to what appears to be white rice with fried items (possibly chicken) shown in the tasting photo.

The use of wholegrain rice itself is already a healthier choice. We should avoid focusing on a single meal in isolation and drawing conclusions from it. It would be more constructive to review the meals over an entire week to get a fair and accurate picture.

There are only so many practical ways to prepare balanced, healthier meals at scale, so some realism is needed. For those who prefer freshly cooked canteen food, the live canteen option remains available. Bento meals are ultimately meant for convenience.

Let’s also remember to be thankful for each meal.

I spent the most when my 3 kids are in P6. Fees vary depending on the centre.

Science Ventures- $280/ month per kid (P6) $300/ month (lower Sec)
Mastery Science P6 - $490 (P6)
English - $350/month (P6) TLL
Chinese - $260/month (P6) Wang Learning
Private tuition Maths - $440/mth (P6)
Private tuition Chinese - $560/mth (lower sec)

I went to Tokyo from late Nov to early Dec 2025 last year, and the exchange rate was really good, about S$1 to ¥119. Everything felt cheap, cheap compared to my honeymoon trip to Hokkaido back in 2010.

All in, including JAL return flights, an 8D7N hotel stay in Shinjuku, all meals, public transport (including the Shinkansen experience and first class ferry ride), attractions, and shopping, we spent about $12k for five of us - two adults and three teenagers.

Considering how expensive Japan used to feel, this trip was honestly very value-for-money

I’ve already planned my holiday for late Oct / early Nov this year, bringing my 3 kids to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) since they’re now 12 and 14.

Planning early really helps. I managed to book my SQ return airfare at just $809, which is a great deal.

I also book hotels early, but with flexibility. I usually use Agoda, which allows free cancellation up to two weeks before travel, so there’s no downside even if plans change.

So far, my 10D9N trip for 5 of us, including flights and hotels, is about $8.5k. This includes hotel stays at Brisbane Skytower , 2 nights farm stay at Worendo cottage, Sea World Resort that comes with access to 4 theme parks, and even whale watching by sea world cruises.

Now I just need to plan for car rental + meals. Keeping my budget within $12k- $13k.

Moral of the story: planning early really pays off ️

I have been married for 13 years, and honestly, it is very easy to get distracted by parenting duties and daily life. My hubby and I make a conscious effort to have breakfast together every day, even if it’s just 15 minutes.

Couplet time matters. We talk about everything under the sun, usually a recap of what happened yesterday and what’s coming up for the day ahead. It also helps greatly that we share the same Christian faith as the same values help us stay aligned as a team.

Personally, I believe in these marriage principles:

Never stop communicating, even when it’s hard, especially so after a disagreement.

Keeping my mouth shut is golden. I don’t need to be right all the time.

Focus on his good points and extend grace to his imperfections, because I am imperfect too.

Let peace rule the house.

Don’t fill up the kitchen sink with grudges.
Clear them early, don’t let small hurts pile up and overflow into bigger issues!

Put pride aside. It’s not about winning, the real winner is the one who gives in first.

Model a healthy marriage for our children. This is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

As believers, God is at the center of our marriage.

Overusing “sorry” and “thank you” is perfectly okay.

Don’t dwell on negative thoughts. Choose to think positively and seek to understand why your spouse behaves the way they do.

It’s okay to quarrel sometimes. Focus on the common goal rather than the differences, and allow disagreements to build deeper understanding.

Marriage isn’t about perfection — it’s about humility, grace, and choosing each other daily ️

For PSLE parents of 2026 !

All the best for the year ahead
I went through PSLE with my kids in 2024 and 2025, so just sharing a few practical reflections:

Attend open houses (around May) for popular schools like RI, SJI, etc.
It helps motivate kids and sets a clearer expectation of the aggregate needed to get in.

If your child takes both Chinese and HCL, prioritise normal Chinese tuition unless you’re aiming for a SAP school.
I focused too much on HCL — my son’s HCL ended up stronger than his normal Chinese, which unfortunately pulled down his overall aggregate

Prelims are quite telling.
For my three kids, two scored the same as prelims and one improved by 3 points. Overall, prelim results were a fairly accurate reflection of PSLE outcomes. I also found it helpful to ask them how they felt they did after the papers.

Results aren’t the end of the story.
Last year, my daughter was disappointed with her score of AL20, but she’s now thriving in her secondary school. Every child is gifted differently. As parents, our role is to help them build a healthy self-image and be their biggest cheerleaders ️

Cheering all PSLE parents and kids on