LIVE: Have we mentally prepared our KIDS for 2021?

Given the continued virulence of the virus, it is still unclear when is the reopening date for 2021. These decisions carry enormous social and economic implications and will have lasting effects on educators, on children and youth, on their parents – especially women – and indeed on societies as a whole.

My parent group chats is abuzz with these speculation – especially those who have been sending their kids to Kindergartens and/or private schools. With many losing jobs or getting huge pay cuts at work, the question on whether they can continue paying for their kids school education is on their minds. Pleas for rebates and discounts has been a continuous debate for most and even for us, while waiting for news from our school, we are now contemplating whether we should one, pull them out and try to apply for government schooling, two, homeschool and hire private tutors which is a bit more cost friendly or three “wait and see” method.

There are pros and cons for all these choices above, but at the end of the day, we want what’s best for the child. How are our children going to manage physically, emotionally and mentally with whatever decision we make?

What are the other possible solutions or options? Is there a possibility of hybrid learning and/or online schooling elsewhere that will be accepted by the school later on?

Joining me today is Dr Goh Chee Leong, CEO of R.E.A.L Education Group REAL Schools International & Private who is the perfect person to discuss this topic with. He is a consultant Psychologist for MENSA Malaysia and carries a wealth of experience in the education sector, and today, we will discuss these hot topics and how to prepare your child to thrive in this new world

www.realworldready.realschools.edu.my

Something was abuzz yesterday! Visited the National Environment Agency (NEA) - Environmental Health Institute (EHI) Mosquito Production Facility. When fighting a mosquito-borne disease like dengue, one target we must attack is the vector itself. Nonetheless, all of us must do our part to reduce the mosquito population in Singapore, such as by getting rid of stagnant water in our homes and surroundings. – LHL #ProjectWolbachiaSG

(PMO Video by Alex Qiu)

Given the continued virulence of the virus, it is still unclear when is the reopening date for 2021. These decisions carry enormous social and economic implications and will have lasting effects on educators, on children and youth, on their parents – especially women – and indeed on societies as a whole.

My parent group chats is abuzz with these speculation – especially those who have been sending their kids to Kindergartens and/or private schools. With many losing jobs or getting huge pay cuts at work, the question on whether they can continue paying for their kids school education is on their minds. Pleas for rebates and discounts has been a continuous debate for most and even for us, while waiting for news from our school, we are now contemplating whether we should one, pull them out and try to apply for government schooling, two, homeschool and hire private tutors which is a bit more cost friendly or three “wait and see” method.

There are pros and cons for all these choices above, but at the end of the day, we want what’s best for the child. How are our children going to manage physically, emotionally and mentally with whatever decision we make?

What are the other possible solutions or options? Is there a possibility of hybrid learning and/or online schooling elsewhere that will be accepted by the school later on?

Joining me today is Dr Goh Chee Leong, CEO of R.E.A.L Education Group REAL Schools International & Private who is the perfect person to discuss this topic with. He is a consultant Psychologist for MENSA Malaysia and carries a wealth of experience in the education sector, and today, we will discuss these hot topics and how to prepare your child to thrive in this new world.

Link to R.E.A.L Schools: www.realworldready.realschools.edu.my

It didn't take long to discover who the special guest was at last night's ESPN-televised Big East game between Villanova and Georgetown. USAir Arena was abuzz with Secret Service agents. President Clinton, Georgetown Class of '68, sat at midcourt, just 10 rows from the floor to watch his alma mater defeat the ninth-ranked Wildcats, 77-52, on Presidents' Day. Clinton, who had attended George Washington's stunning upset over thentop-ranked UMass two weeks ago, is rapidly become the lucky charm for Washington, D.

C., college teams. And the Georgetown faithful loved it. There was a sign in the Georgetown student section urging a Clinton-Dick Vitale Democratic ticket in '96 and a banner draped over the drums in the Hoyas pep band that said, "Wanted: Presidential Sax Player.

" But even the presence of Clinton couldn't match the brilliance of Georgetown's sensational freshman guard Allen Iverson. Iverson scored 26 points, grabbed seven rebounds, contributed seven assists and had five steals as the relentless Hoyas (16-7, 9-6) overwhelmed the Cats, who looked emotionally drained after their 96-73 victory over UConn Saturday in Storrs. This was the wondrous talent we had heard about last year. This was the player Villanova fans missed watching back on Jan. 22 when Iverson played just 10 minutes with a bad ankle and scored only two points during a 66-60 loss at the Spectrum. Some Villanova fans taunted Iverson before that game with signs that ripped him for spending five months in jail after his conviction in a Virginia court for his part in a bowling alley fracas. That may not have been a good idea. Iverson, who ripped UConn for 29 points just last week, may have a long memory. He certainly gave the Cats (19-6, 12-3) something to think about as the Hoyas broke their 11-game winning streak. The President visited both locker rooms afterward and Iverson, for one, was impressed. "When he came in, I was just so shocked," he said. "I couldn't believe it. Then, when I shook his hand, that just made his day. Coach tried to get him to come back next game.

" Vitale got a chance to ask Clinton about Iverson during a rare ESPN halftime interview. "Did you ever have that kind of speed?

" Vitale asked. "I was slow," Clinton said. "Even when I was fast, I was slow.

" The Hoyas suddenly look like they are on a fast track that could lead them deep into the NCAA Tournament. They made a big statement, scoring on 18 of 27 possessions in the first half when they surged to a 41-22 lead. Jerome Williams, Georgetown's active forward, scored 14 points and 11 rebounds while Othella Harrington added 12. Kerry Kittles led Villanova with 16 points, but the Cats shot just 32% and committed 23 turnovers.

News broke that Pistons star Allen Iverson has cut off his trademark braids.

Of course, the Internet has since been abuzz with discussion of Iverson's new look.

Shaq went as far as calling it "cute" (an odd choice of words if you ask me).

So why is the media covering this story, showing video clips of Iverson's new look? Why are there some 20 blog posts on the subject, even though it happened just yesterday?

I can't answer all these questions. But I can tell you why I'm writing this particular article.



The Questions that Led to "The Answer"

Growing up in Philadelphia, my favorite sports were hockey, basketball and baseball.

The Sixers were and will always be my favorite team. As I was growing up, guys like Dr. J and Moses Malone were my heroes.

Then came Sir Charles Barkley. I definitely recognized his greatness, but never did I idolize him like Malone and Erving.

Then, those lean years for the Sixers came. If you're a Sixers fan, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Shawn Bradley and Reese Witherspoon were our "stars".

Oh wait, I have Reese confused with someone...

I have to be honest, it was tough to stick with the team through that era.

I stopped watching. Management and owners seemed to care less about putting a winning team on the court and more about the bottom line.

It was a bad period from 1992 to 1996.

I actually stopped caring, and I hate to say it, but a lot of other Philadelphians did too. If you think I'm exaggerating, ponder this fact:

The Sixers couldn't even sell out the Spectrum at the time, nor could they unload season tickets.

Then that fateful day came: the day Allen Iverson was drafted by the 76ers.

He may have not have won an NBA championship for Philly during his tenure here, but he did something no other star or player since Dr. J had done.

He reinvigorated the fan base and recaptured the love for the Sixers. He got the entire city to care again.

By his second year, Iverson had the whole town talking. It soon became popular again proclaim your fandom. Even people from other cities were wearing Iverson jerseys.



Then the celebs starting coming to Sixers games: I remember seeing Will Smith at the game after Thanksgiving Day in 1997, against the Lakers. The place was packed with a sell-out crowd, and you could feel the electricity.

AI had even put a disenchanted fan like me back into the Sixers' fold. He had made basketball in Philly exciting again.



The Questions Came with "The Answer"

Yet somewhere along the line, as the years passed, the love affair between Philly and Allen ended. Like so many other times with countless other players, the fickle fans of Philadelphia chased yet another star out of their city.

The list of such victims is as long as you can imagine.

Eric Lindros, Randall Cunningham, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley, more Phillies than I care to remember...sadly, Iverson became just one more on that list.

But I still thank the man for bringing me back to Sixers basketball.

What made Iverson so special at the time was he was different, from the cornrows to the tattoos to the extra-long shorts. Iverson was always true to himself.

I'm sure the corporate types of the NBA were having nightmares, but the fact of the matter is fans from all over the world embraced Iverson.

I got so tired of hearing statements like "he's a hoodlum" based solely upon his appearance. I'll tell you as a Caucasian that Iverson having cornrows and tattoos didn't make me think he was a thug. I hated that the media thought they could speak for others.

I remember having a Iverson poster up on my wall in 1997, when I was in college. I remember my best friend coming over and, noticing the poster, sarcastically saying:

"What, is Iverson your homeboy?"

"No," I replied, "Iverson is 'The Man'."

I can't imagine the prejudice Iverson faced through his life or because of his color and image. But I know just how stupid and prejudiced some people acted towards me for being a fan of his.

What I respected the most about Iverson was that he was true to himself and was loyal to his family and friends, even when the media was tearing him apart for his loyalty. He was the real deal on and off the court.

Even when Iverson got in trouble with the police here in Philly (some story of him looking for his wife and pulling a gun on someone at a door), I stood by him and never wavered.

I saw the big picture: So many people wanted a piece of him, hangers-on and people thinking they could make a quick buck at his expense. And I hated that the media used his image agaisnt him every time something bad happened in his personal life.