Have you made New Year's resolutions with the kids? We ask our Launchpad members what they want to achieve this year, and what they hope their kids learn from their experiences.
Here at Honeykids Asia, we’re all about making New Year’s Resolutions with the kids. Our resolutions are often surrounding something we’d like to be mindful of or a habit we’d like to make or break. Our favourite resolutions involve a new skill we’d like to learn, either individually or together as a family (learning a language is top of our list!). Even if we don’t keep to the promises we make in the New Year, we like to give it a try! We asked our fabulous Launchpad members what they hope to teach their kids this year and how they plan to achieve their business goals for 2023. Read on and be inspired…
1. Do away with resolutions, and live with flexible intentions and authenticity
“This may sound controversial, but I believe that we can’t truly teach our children much as it feels like a lecture and very didactic. In my opinion, they get enough of that in school! What is more important in my family is embodying what we hope they will learn (through natural absorption of their environment). We want our children to live life without pretension and with true joy and authenticity.
A goal my partner and I have set is to know in our hearts that we have done everything in our capacity to guide our children as much as we can and for there to not be any resentment between our family. What our children learn, how and how much they learn, and when they learn is simply not within our control. What we can control is being comfortable in ourselves and making mistakes even in the presence of our children.
I choose to do away with making any resolutions or big goals this year. In the past, my goals were loyally followed through for the first few months of the year. Inevitably, I would berate myself for not being able to complete them as the year went by. Instead, I have set some flexible intentions in 2023 that I trust will guide me in trying my very best to enjoy the moments in the company of my clients and loved ones, responding with humility, and learning every day from my experiences (good or bad!)”.
Dr. Aparna Chari Sundar, KonMari Consultant and Montessori Educator, Global Mindful Journey
2. Focus on resilience
“Through all the ups and downs and unpredictability we have endured in the past couple of years, the one thing I will always teach and encourage in my kids is resilience. I want them to feel like they are growing up in a safe space where they feel open and loved and can work through any uncomfortable or difficult situation with determination, patience and kindness.
As a family, we try our best to help them communicate their feelings and teach them coping mechanisms for when they are feeling angry, sad, or anxious. We teach them to make mistakes so that they can learn and grow from each one and continue to self-improve and self-regulate. Nurturing them to be independent and praising their confidence is a key part of building their resilience in a positive way.
My kids motivate me to take more chances and risks with my business and not let my fear of failure take over all of my decision-making. They have praised and encouraged my decision on starting my business and also keep telling me to keep going even when things get challenging.”
Jiwon Maxted, Founder, Flow With Me HK
3. Teaching my kids that it’s okay to fail
“Growing up in a first-world country like Singapore is tough for our kids! That sounds counter-intuitive. We work hard as parents to provide our kids with an environment where they are blessed and fortunate to have everything they want at their fingertips. On reflection, have we, as parents, conditioned them to believe that life is always an upward trend? I am not suggesting we dampen their self-esteem or power to dream big. On the contrary, we should continue motivating them to succeed in living their passion. However, are we preparing them well enough for reacting to unforeseen circumstances? What happens if they don’t achieve their goals? What happens if they don’t secure top positions at school or in extracurricular activities? What happens when things don’t go planned?
My goal in 2023 is to complement teaching my kids to continue pursuing high-performing goals and to have a toolkit to manage unforeseen change and “failure.” I plan on doing this by implementing my ‘3As Framework’, with tips on how we, as parents, can support our kids (and ourselves – the advice is universal!):
Attitude: Remind yourself that nothing in life is a failure, and it’s only feedback. Find joy in the current situation, be grateful for the experience and talk to your kids about how some of your life’s challenging stories have shaped you into who you are today. Gratitude is a quick way to change the vibration of how we are feeling in the situation and brings a sense of calm and clarity in the chaos of the challenge.
Acceptance: Embrace and normalise high-charge emotions such as anger, sadness, and guilt. It’s better in than out; let’s not label feeling these emotions as less strong and resilient. Allowing yourself to feel and release helps to lower the negative charge of emotions associated with the situation. Helping your kids to express how they are feeling reduces the possibility of their subconscious mind making limiting beliefs and promises to themselves that tend to impact them as adults subconsciously.
Action: Accept the current reality. Talk about what you and your kids have learned from this situation, both about yourselves and the situation itself. If there was one thing that could have been done differently, what would that be and why? This helps instil a growth and learning mindset in our children, and also teaches them courage and confidence when faced with challenges as adults.”
Priyanka Tiku Gupta, Founder, Certified Performance Coach and Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner, Follow on Instagram
4. Focus on being empathetic and kind to the people around us
“The first word that came to mind for what I am hoping to teach my kids in 2023 is togetherness. And that starts with home and has a ripple effect on their lives and others. We try to involve our toddler as much as possible in the normal, daily chores and let him help where he can. Of course, things can get messy and will not always turn out as planned, but I think it does something to his confidence and his partaking in the family. I believe that young children being part of the family will also be more sensitive to the needs of an individual and will be helpful without having to be asked, in the long term.
And this is the ripple effect that I am aiming for — I do not only want our children to be valuable members of the family and contribute to our daily lives, but I also want them to be empathetic and kind to the people around us and know and see that we’re all the same in wanting to be loved, heard, seen, and appreciated. This is also where my collage art, Moon Milk, is built upon. The belief that we’re all the same in being different. (Moon Milk is made from recycled fashion magazines, and it represents the moon cycle with all different skin tones).
As a personal goal, I’m aiming for a sustainable business in terms of mommy/work balance and presence. I recently rolled into the second trimester of my pregnancy, so we will have two children under two mid-year. This will be challenging in many ways (and also so much fun!). I want to make sure that I am present as a mommy. I want to remind myself that I am Biek and continue to do the things I love: helping women with their wardrobes and making people happy with my art in their homes!”
Biek Speijk, Wardrobe Curator and Artist, Biekaleidoscope
5. Thinking outside the box critically and creatively
“As a mother to a two-year-old daughter, I have realised that as children grow, the choices and decisions quickly multiply. And I pick the choice which encourages and develops the most critical thinking. In today’s complex world, it is very important for kids to think out of the box if they are to be successful.
Critical thinking encourages problem-solving and makes kids more independent. Even with babies as young as 6 months, we can introduce play-based learning that stimulates their minds. I’ve personally witnessed the amazing learning journey of kids @ Sparkanauts, where students exhibit a much more confident, creative, and independent version of themselves.
In the spirit of practising what I teach, I have similar goals for myself this year. I wish to practice creativity with my business by ensuring that my offerings continue to excite the customers, improve communication with my employees and clients and develop the confidence that I can run multiple businesses at a time. I plan to use the same concepts of critical thinking – taking a step back and understanding my customers’ pain points and motivations, opening more channels for two-way feedback and most importantly, keeping an open mind.”
Ananya Pandit, Owner, Sparkanauts
6. Exploring the world with an eco-friendly mindset
“As borders have opened (finally!), we are hoping to travel more and explore places, cultures, and things we last had a chance to do a while ago. Travelling educates and creates new experiences for kids and teaches adaptability and flexibility. At the age my little ones are now, we are learning more about time and time management, which I think is such an important skill to have, as well as communication. We will keep learning about sustainability, eco-friendly lifestyle and sustainable fashion (keeping them involved with MiliMilu). Taking part in more beach clean-ups, gardening, hikes and outdoor adventures to ensure they love nature and will be protecting it in the future.
As a personal goal, we would love to grow and expand MiliMilu in Hong Kong and Singapore (and worldwide!). As a company, we want to teach and educate about sustainability and learn the best ways to do it (we love Launchpad for that!).”
Linda Morrison, Founder and Creative Director, MiliMilu
7. Self-discipline and self-responsibility
“New year, improved you! The one thing I’d like to teach my children this new year (and practice myself as well!) is self-discipline.
Discipline of words: The power of kind words cannot be underestimated. Staying true to one’s commitments helps you to stay accountable to yourself and others.
Discipline of thoughts: I’d like my children to know that self-motivation and regulation of emotions is imperative for a happy and content state of mind. No matter what comes your way, feel it. Process it. Then swing back to equilibrium.
Discipline of actions: Strive, and you shall excel. I want my children to learn to harness the magic of persistence, focus and hard work, which in turn helps build self-worth and confidence. I believe that good habits formed early set them up for success in their adulthood!
My personal goal this year, in addition to the above, is self-responsibility. I know that I am the captain of my emotional ship, the accountant of my actions and the trainer of my body and mind. I plan on being more organised with my time, disciplined in my workouts and resilient to all kinds of situations.”
Ankita Singh, Co-Founder, Milestone
8. Teaching the kids financial independence and the importance of self-care
“As my daughter is becoming more independent, travelling on her own and meeting up with friends, besides teaching personal safety, I look to have more talks with her about finances. As touch-pay or pay-wave grows as a payment option, it’s easy to not ‘see’ money leaving our wallet. Keeping an account of finances, I feel, is a little more challenging when not dealing with hard cash. So financial accountability is important for my daughter to learn to think before purchasing something and keep track of her own expenditure.
This year, for me, it’s about self-care. I’m looking at getting into a more regular routine of exercising (no pounding of pavements for me! – longer walks alone or with the fam), taking care of my health by making healthier and wiser food choices, and relaxing when I should be, and not seated in front my laptop. This is not about fitting into a tight dress or seeing the numbers drop on my weighing scale. It’s about having a better quality of life as I age, and I want to be around as long as possible in a well-functioning body!”
Vannessa Misso-Veness, Founder and Trainer, Cascade Train Teach Learn
9. Planning ahead and saving for the future for long-term financial success
“Some famous individuals, such as Warren Buffett and Tony Robbins, have advocated for the importance of saving and investing for the long term. They may be teaching their children about the power of compound interest and the importance of starting to save and invest at a young age. Others, such as Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey, have emphasised the importance of budgeting and financial responsibility. They may be teaching their children about the importance of living within their means, avoiding debt, and making smart financial decisions.
I am hoping in 2023 to teach my children about entrepreneurship and the importance of building wealth through their own efforts. That may be encouraging my children to start their own businesses or invest in startups and teaching them about the principles of financial success in the business world. Overall, I think teaching my children about financial principles, including saving, budgeting, investing, and being financially responsible, as well as encouraging my children to be entrepreneurial and explore opportunities to build their own wealth.
My personal goal in 2023 is to remain true to myself and my core. I am really hoping that by using this, I can help Art4Keep grow and help mothers like myself!”
Sujata Sheth, Emergency Medicine Doctor and Founder of Art4Keep
10. Building strong foundations for a prosperous future
“Resilience. Ask my eight-year-old what she would like mummy to do, and she would irrevocably say “not work” – in jest. With kids, it’s never enough time. But when she tells me she would like to take over our business one day, I’m heartened. I must have done something right there!
In 2023, I hope to lead by example so that it is possible to juggle work and family time. You need discipline, lots of prayers, and to learn the fine art of delegation (to the right team members). When her parents started Freia, it became a lifelong commitment for us to ensure that the “ship continues to sail” beyond the horizon.
When my children arrived, it shook up every bit of our lives. But with perseverance, grit and passion, we did not just give up on our business. Instead, we have managed to grow the business organically from 3 to 35 staff strong and achieved all of this while keeping our eyes close to our kids. I hope my little one sees that resilience in her parents and grows up to be inspired by it.
My personal business goals are to focus on building foundations; as a growing organisation, “growing pains” is a reality. When do you hire an extra headcount? How do you attract the right talent? How do you “sell” the vision to great talents? Since the tail end of 2022, I’ve started forging inroads into making this change and scaling up on resources. HR issues take up a significant chunk of my day, but I do feel that getting the right people to share and understand that common vision is what will bring us to the next quantum leap!”
Serene Seah-Ma, Freia Group
11. Setting boundaries to protect what is most important
“I want to encourage my kids to know that whatever the problem is about, there will always be a solution. You just have to work through the options to find the best fit. Life is a series of challenges, and it’s the same in business. I often discuss my work issues with Miss 7 and Miss 11, and they often come up with great ideas! As a parent, workshopping problem-solving with the kids is a great way to gain insight into what the path ahead of them may look like.
Personally, I’d like to add more boundaries to protect my energy and time. I’m finally working with a coach to help make some changes to my mindset, habits, and routine. I’ve started blocking out some me-time every morning, so I’m not just starting the day with my phone and laptop for company. It’s a great start that positively affects the rest of my day, as well as boosting my productivity and mood!”
Anju Cawthra, Director of Seasoned Singapore Expat Women (SSEW)
12. Harnessing the power of curiosity for a joyful and meaningful life
“I hope to teach my two children the power of curiosity. Curiosity is something I’ve always honoured. I feel it is very important, whether in terms of my personal life, my parenting, or in my work as a coach, for mothers who want to rediscover themselves and build a trusting and connected relationship with their children. For me, curiosity is about being observant about people and the environment and seeking out new experiences that intrigue me or brings me meaning and joy. Curious people are also able to ask questions and hold space for others (with no judgment or assumptions) so that people feel safe and brave to share their stories.
I hope my children will be able to harness the power of curiosity to better understand themselves and practice self-compassion; I also hope this enables them to relate to others and enjoy strong relationships with people. These are values that I hope they can live by throughout the various stages in their lives from childhood, teenage years and adulthood. When I am curious, I can add playfulness to routine or “uninteresting” tasks. I want to share with my children that while things may not be fun all the time (like homework or chores!), we can be creative to add a fun element to the things that we do.
On a personal level, I’d love to continue designing a thriving life and continue exploring parks with my children and grounding ourselves in nature. I want to continue facilitating workshops on empowered parenting and mother’s circles and spend time with friends and like-minded entrepreneurs from Launchpad to chat, connect and be inspired.
I want to ensure that I schedule time for these things to happen, and will ask for and accept help for childcare, and remind myself that when I am flourishing as a person, my children and family will likely be more curious and joyful too!”
Ava Gao, Motherhood & Empowered Parenting Coach, The Curious Mama
13. Developing a positive mindset to overcome any challenge
“This year, I’m hoping to teach my kids (and myself!) how to be mindful and see the positive in any situation. I want them to grow up to be happy, of course, but also resilient no matter where life takes them.
As a business goal for Just Peachy this year, I hope to reach families in other parts of the world! Now that Hong Kong is finally opening up, we want more families to be able to see, touch and feel just how innovative our reusable diapers are and how incredibly soft and comfortable our Feel Good kids’ underwear is!”
Vicki Chuard, Founder, Just Peachy
14. Live with empathy and compassion as a building block for success
“In 2023, I want to continue teaching empathy to my kids. Empathy can help children build connections, develop helping behaviour, be tolerant and open-minded. Developing cultural empathy in Singapore is easier because we are surrounded by different cultures, but that is also why it is crucial for children to understand why people act and think differently. I like to celebrate the different festivals with my children, do crafts and read them stories to start the discussion on cultural differences.
For my business in 2023, I want to expand my offer and develop a solution for tourists. So far, my tours have mainly been for newly arrived expats in Singapore who want to experience the city with their children. Now that travel is back, I want to help parents to visit a city with their children, Singapore, of course, but also other cities in SEA. The first step is to create a mobile application so parents can download the audio guides when they have wifi and aren’t using their data in the city. The second step is to develop B2B partnerships to distribute the activity books. Exciting times ahead!”
Séverine Malé, Director and CEO, KiddoTrip
15. Dream big! Work hard, live passionately, and success will follow.
“Live your passion, and success is yours! My sons want to be professional footballers, like many other boys. Their passion consumes them. It’s their first waking thought and the last one before bed. Any excuse to watch a game – even if we’re travelling, they’ll watch a third-league match in a tiny village anywhere in this world! My eldest son’s first word was “ball”, and my younger son, at just two years old, would get up by himself on the weekend to join his big brother’s game! We’ve had many discussions about what it takes to become a professional footballer.
At first, I used to say, “Come on, how many Ronaldos and Messis are out there?”. But I realised this was the wrong approach. I didn’t want to crush their dreams. Now, I say: “You can do it! Show up earlier than everyone else to train and stay the longest. Show your passion and never lose faith in yourself!” I am in awe of their dedication and ambition and want them to achieve more than they ever dreamed. This is also my personal mantra for 2023: work hard, live passionately, and success will follow.”
Dana Wolf, Feng Shui and KonMari Consultant, Anjia Living
Thank you to all of our inspiring Launchpad entrepreneurs for sharing their insights with us!