Talk about birthday wishes coming true! Minister of Transport, Ong Ye Kung, turned into a genie when he recently fulfilled the birthday wish of an 8-year-old boy. The popular and much respected leader was written to by a hopeful father whose son's only wish was to meet the minister of transport. Needless to say, Mr Ong obliged immediately.
Mr Ong described the request and how it all went down in a Facebook post, that has now gone viral.
He shared, "A loving young father wrote to me a few days ago with a request - his son would be turning 8, he loves trains and hoped to meet the Transport Minister."
Seeing this sweet request, Mr Ong decided to take matters in his own hands.
Ong Ye Kung Fulfils The Birthday Request Of An 8-year-old
"So I arranged to meet the boy at Canberra MRT station on a Sunday afternoon," shared Mr Ong.
Mr Ong also revealed that during this rather special meeting, the 8-year-old, drew Mr Ong and even shared his future plans.
"Drew me this delightful card, nicely laminated, with all the train models indicated, and told me he wishes to work for LTA one day," he wrote.
Naturally, this sweet gesture by Mr Ong made the little boy's dream come true. As Mr Ong shared, "His father later told me that our meeting made the boy’s day. Well, it made mine too. Happy Birthday!"
Mr Ong's generous gesture filled many hearts and garnered love from netizens, who left no stone unturned to express their appreciation.
Netizens Loved Mr Ong Ye Kung's Gesture
Ong Ye Kung deserves all the praise for fulfilling the wish of the 8-year-old. The Minister took time out from his busy schedule and obliged the little boy. Naturally, this sweet gesture saw an outpouring of appreciation from netizens and fans, alike.
There were parents who lauded Mr Ong for lending his time and creating an impact on the child's mind. Some called him the 'People's Minister' and 'generous and kind leader'.
One comment read, "All we need is a few good men to run this Utopian country. Minister Ong is one of them."
But he wasn't the only many appreciated by netizens. Singapore parents also lauded the efforts of the father who wanted to fulfil his son's wishes too.
Parents Laud The Father Who Wrote The Letter
Parents also appreciated the dad who went all out to fulfil his child's dream. He not only identified the child's knack and interest in trains, but also supported his request when he wanted to meet the Transport Minister.
One comment read, "May we have more men like his dad and Mr Minister to show him tenderness and courage. Delightful post! Thanks!" While another read: "He knows the models of the train? Wow! Also kudos to the dad for supporting and finding ways to encourage his son to pursue passion. Even if this doesn’t end up with him working with LTA, the boy has learnt to explore interests."
Another mum wrote: "Our kids need such leaders. Thanks for making the effort to lead by example."
This post--now shared 428 times--garnered a whole lot of love from netizens and parents were touched by Mr Ong's gesture. It also brought out the crucial role of parents in understanding their child's interest and helping them pursue their dreams, just as this father did.
And you can do the same too.
Tips on How to Encourage Kids to Follow Their Dreams
Being a parent is not an easy job. The future of your child depends on how well you nurture him and not not thrust your opinions and views on him. Because doing so can potentially not only kill the talent of a child, but also lower his confidence. It is therefore, important to encourage kids to think and let them explore.
Here are some ways in which you can encourage your kids to recognise their own potential.
Spend quality time with your kids
This is one of the most important things that you should do. The more time you spend with your child, the better you'll know him. If spending quality time during the weekdays due to work commitments is a problem, then spend time whenever you can.
Go on vacations and observe them, talk to them. This will help them open up and share their area of interest with you.
Support your kid's confidence
You should raise your child to be self-confident and optimistic. Instil the values of politeness and helpfulness right from the start.
Encourage your child to do certain things on their own so they can trust their own capabilities and always encourage them to think positively.
Encourage your kid to follow their own dreams
No child is the same and neither are their abilities. Just because you are a doctor and good at Maths, doesn't mean that your kid will also be strong in these subjects.
Your kid may be good at cooking and may want to be a chef. Understand what they want and help them identify their area of interest. Never discourage them as it can potentially will pull them down, emotionally
Help them learn the value of money
Help kids realise the value of money and remember that everything can't be served on a platter. If they want to pursue a goal, motivate them to set a goal and save accordingly.
Walk the talk
Create a positive atmosphere at home. Children do what they see, not just what they hear or talk about. If you have been wanting to achieve your dream, but that got delayed because of other commitments, now is the right time. You need to show your kids what it looks like to achieve one's dreams.
Sometimes parents can get bowed down by societal pressure or personal experiences. Keep aside your experience of what it was as a kid and how your parents never understood your dream.
Instead, think of how you can help your kids to achieve their dreams. It's completely normal for kids to make mistakes, so let them learn from them and tread a path to fulfilling their dreams.
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Help Your Child Build Amazing Dreams For The Future