My husband and I have been married since 1995 and we have a daughter, 18, and a son, 11, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder. For the past 10 years, I have been focused on my business and helping my son at the cost of neglecting my daughter and marriage. I even became abusive and violent towards my daughter.
I attended my first Mother & Son Connection event in 2015 with my nine-year-old son, Aariel. I am a single mom and I look forward to any activity that can help us bond. We had no idea what the event would encompass, but we went with an open mind, looking to making it a fun day. Undoubtedly, it turned out to be an enjoyable day with many opportunities for bonding.
As Jessie had previously attended Focus on the Family Malaysia’s (FOFM) Mother & Daughter Connection event and found it helpful, we thought that I too could attend the Father & Daughter Banquet with my daughters.
Six years ago, I would have laughed at the notion that my family could ever be a source of encouragement. The cracks in my family were deep and seemingly irreparable. I was practically estranged from my parents and my only brother, Nicholas, who is four years older.
As an Assistant Director (School Division) in the Ministry of Education, my work takes me away from home on a regular basis for as long as 10 days a month. I’m a father to an only son, Hilmi, who is now 18-years old. He used to call me “ibu” (mom) because he spent most of his time with his mother.
Question: My strong-willed child is always a handful, but especially at bedtime. The excitement of the holiday season has only amplified this problem. He refuses to stay in bed! What…