Thanks Scroobal. Yes, we're helping each other out in a foreign land, maybe Australia, maybe US, maybe Canada, maybe Europe, any other than Singapore. My son will be going back to Singapore to serve NS in 3-4 years time (18 years old, I think), and he hasn't declared that he has US citizenship. At least SAF doesn't need to go to a real war, so I'm not very worried about. Not sure if he'll end up as a White Horse, but I don't think I want him to be since WH is treated too well, and he won't learn much, judging from what my brother's son went through (the normal, non-WH route), it's really too easy nowadays.... You know many US kids don't have discipline.... I just want him to go through a tough life, and serve 2 years and let him understand and beome more discipline.... the US military is far too long, and may end up in some foreign countries.... too dangerous for me.... I just hope Sg will not find out about this foreign citizenship....
Please allow me to make a few suggestions for you to consider. Notwithstanding your noble and patriotic objectives of sending your son to serve NS, albeit primarily to instil discipline and other desirable attributes, and assuming that your son spent his early years in SG, you may wish to consider the following:
1. cultural differences (and possibly shock) when he returns to SG [as for us, our children are born outside of SG, and I left after University, and therefore our son will definitely find SG a foreign country, and unlike me, he will have no knowledge and understanding of Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and several local Chinese dialects];
2. the adjustment from a temperate environment to a hot and humid tropical climate;
3. differences in human relationships, interaction and perspective;
4. the overall benefits for an individual from the current NS (which I may know very little) compared to the days we went through in the 1970's; and
5. based on my observation of the younger generation and discussions with several individuals with teenaged children, it is probably more than discipline, but amongst others, could be that the younger generation grew up in a better environment, (several may be spoiled, whereas I, not sure about you, grew up in a financially very poor family) and thus have this belief of "entitlement".
Perhaps, you may wish to read and suggest that your son read a book
"Life and Business Lessons, Get Smarter", by Seymour Schulich with Derek DeCloet, published by Key Porter Books, ISBN-13: 978-1-55470-115-5 and ISBN-10: 1-55470-115-5. Chapter 1, The Decision-Maker: A Tool for a Lifetime, may help you with your decision, and is worth the price C$20.00. The author is a self-made billionaire, and one of Canada's greatest philanthropists. He has read more than 2,500 books. The book is an effort to deliver to a 20 to 40 year-old person, the life lessons learned by a 67 year-old Canadian billionaire.
Comments:
Canadian Business Magazine: "Not your typical dry business book. Each chapter is bursting with plain-spoken advice and pepperred with personal anecdote."
Money Sense Magazine: "What shines through this book is Schulich's exuberant spirit and a passion for the market that is truly inspiring."
Final comment: I believe that with the computer and internet, many individuals may have not read and written as much as desirable for a solid foundation.
NOTE:[Charlie9] is my one and only nickname on this forum. However, years ago at the old sammyboy forum, and prior to my changes in computers, I was [CKCA]. As I grow older, I try to give the other individual the benefit of the doubt, and ponder a little longer before I consider any unsubstantiated allegations against others, especially about someone using more than one nickname. Good luck.
