It Starts From Home

Remember this wonderful book written by Rosina Simon about how to raise dollar-smart kids? Mbak Rosina, who lives in Singapore, used to work in the same company as I am. When she was doing one of the roadshows to sell her first book at our office, I got to introduce myself to her and introduce The Urban Mama. She is such a nice soft-spoken lady and we discussed many things that we ended up exchanging emails.

Late last year, she contacted me through email about her intention to publish a second book. Just like the first one, it would be all about parenting values and journeys. She asked if I would want to share an article, a story that I use as my parenting value I want to instill to my kids. I was honored by her invitation and took it seriously. Unfortunately, in between my hectic days toward maternity leave, followed with new baby, I was so tight up and didn't get to write. Then I remembered, I had written a nice entry about my baking sessions with Naia.

Fast forward to November 2012, the book was complete and published to be sold. It is actually a compilation of 101 parenting stories on instilling values and habits. I submitted 2 stories, but the latter didn't make the cut since it was submitted too late. Nonetheless, I was happy to see my name and my article as part of the book. The book represents the collective intelligence of many parents who have experienced the body aches, headaches, and heartaches of raising children, and gained immeasurable joy and happiness in return. The stories are touching, funny and just simply inspiring.

What's more inspiring is that the origin of the book was not to be sold for profits. The book is sold to raise funds to build libraries for economically-disadvantaged children in Indonesia. It started with mbak Rosina's first book, which to date have set up 20 simple libraries in primary schools in Kupang (West Timor), 20 in Maumere (Flores Island), and are in process of establishing ten in Demak (Central Java) and ten in Sumba Island.

I will help mbak Rosina to distribute the book, if you want a copy. The book costs SG$24.90 or around 200,000 in Rupiah. You can order it here until 15th January 2013.