Father Volunteers Going Strong at CHIJ Toa Payoh

A dedicated DADs for Life volunteer at CHJI Toa Payoh, Mr Tan Boon Siong, 54, is a father of four (pictured below). Not only does he demonstrate the importance of active involvement, Boon Siong also inspires other fathers from the school to do so.  

Boon Siong was pleasantly surprised when one of his daughters requested for him to take her out for a one-on-one dinner. He was grateful to know that the children still remember their date nights as the last outing was a few years back. Boon Siong’s four children, now teenagers still look forward to their special alone time with Dad. “It’s during these quiet dinners that we talk and catch up,” Boon Siong shared. For him, these dinners aren’t just meals—they are part of a larger philosophy about fatherhood. Boon Siong believes in creating time for his children, as these moments would carry them through life.

This delicate balance of being involved, yet not overbearing, is something Boon Siong has grown adept at over his fathering years. He believes that parenting shouldn’t be a one-way street. Instead, fathers need to actively listen to their children, to gain their trust and build children’s independence. With this belief in mind, Boon Siong while serving on the Executive Committee of CHIJ Toa Payoh’s Parent Support Group (PSG), organised a unique blindfolded soccer event. In this game, the goalkeepers were dads who were blindfolded. The rest of the players were paired–father and daughter, where only daughters could score a goal. “I can still hear the field peppered with laughter and giggles in my head, even after all these years. The message behind the game was for fathers to take a step back and practice listening to their daughters, instead of always taking the lead,” Boon Siong said.

Aside from organising games, Boon Siong and his team also involved in the Breakfast with Parents at CHIJ Toa Payoh organised by the school, where one of the beneficiaries was Mr Yip Kok Leong, 45, a father of two daughters aged ten and seven. The event was so well-received that Kok Leong immediately offered his “services” to the PSG right after the breakfast. “I’m good at organising events, so I thought I could contribute by volunteering in ways that would benefit other parents and children,” he shared. Since becoming more involved in school activities, Kok Leong noticed that his daughters have become more outspoken and grown in confidence.

Staying Involved as the Children Grow

As for Boon Siong, even after his children moved on to secondary school, he continued to volunteer in their schools’ PSG organising DADs for Life events. He found that participating in these events has helped strengthened his relationship with his children. Mr Vincent Tan who was volunteering alongside Boon Siong at CHIJ Toa Payoh and participated in the various events organised by DADs for Life, shared that the activities have helped him foster better communication and collaboration with his daughter.

As he reflects on his parenting journey, Boon Siong’s message to other fathers is clear: “Every dad is already a dad for life. Fathers can take the initiative to play a more active role and create opportunities to spend time with your children, no matter how big or small.” His dedication to the DADs for Life movement has not only strengthened his relationship with his children, but also helped him support other dads on their fathering journeys.

Echoing Boon Siong’s sentiments, Kok Leong believes that his time spent as a DADs for Life volunteer in school not only shows his children that he cares, but also benefits the broader community of parents and children. For families with busy schedules, DADs for Life events create wonderful opportunities for families to bond and connect.

The pair of father volunteers at CHIJ Toa Payoh hope that more fathers can come onboard in committing to be a DAD for Life as fathering is not just a parental role. It is also about showing up, listening and giving your them to these precious ones.