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Beautiful Everyday

Grace Tan
In Beautiful Everyday, Family + Children Portraits, Life, Musings, Portraits, Relationships

Raising Children of Character


You have heard of the phrase, it takes a village to raise a child. We were raised by our parents the best way they knew how to. Most likely with a rotan in one hand and with their favourite word, “No”. However, in this day and age, I feel that parenting challenges are even greater in this generation. My husband recently wrote and shared this message with some of our family members regarding the upbringing of our kids. In our culture of over-indulging our children, it’s so easy for their generation to grow up inappropriately without us realising it. Some of our friends saw what we wrote and asked if they could share this content with their family members too. Please feel free to do so.

Dearest Grandma, Yeh Yeh, Uncle & Aunts of our kids,
Grace and I would like to really take time to appreciate you for playing such a crucial role in bringing up our children. With your presence, their lives (and ours!) are greatly enriched.

With the changing landscape of culture and life, bringing up kids today as compared to yesteryear differs greatly in so many, many ways. We as parents are constantly grappling with how we should remain relevant with the times and balance what to accept from today versus what should be maintained based on the fantastic values that you sowed into our lives.

Here are some thoughts we’ve put together about a few topics, that we’d love to hear your feedback about. Continue Reading

Grace Tan
In Beautiful Everyday, Life, Musings, Portraits, Relationships

Happy 4th Birthday, little Krysta

20160813-ALEX_GRACE_10TH_ANNIVERSARY-151Dear Krysta,

It’s been an amazing 4 years together, as your mum. One day, when you read this, know that I love you fiercely with all my heart. We’ve shared laughter together, tears, and silly moments practicing karate chops on imaginary bad people during our storytelling sessions. Just yesterday, I struggled through the day being your mum… it started out as a great day, going out with your Ee Ee (aunty Lina) to the mall…but when we came home, you were really tired and I had a really hard 3 hours with you and your brother, trying to put 2 over-tired toddlers down for their afternoon nap. After 1 hour, I realised a nap is nowhere in sight, so I decided we’ll just have an early dinner and put you to bed.

I guess it’s a combination of me being overly tired too, and temper tantrum outbursts that led me to my own outburst. I am sorry for the times I scolded and disciplined you out of my own anger. Part of me wants an obedient, compliant child, but I know that you have a mind of your own and sometimes, our personalities clash, resulting in crying moments (for both of us). You touched my heart when you saw my tears and took a tissue to wipe the tears away, and suggested that I drank water so I felt better.

I pray that you will grow up to be an amazing woman of God, who is kind, thoughtful and loves people fiercely too. You have a heart of excellence and your meticulous nature reminds me of your dad, who always wants to do things well. I see my own imperfections as I raise you up, and I know that this is God’s way of moulding me to be a better mother too. Love you so much.

Mum

Krysta-1 Krysta-2 Krysta-3Krysta-4

Jamie Ang
In Beautiful Everyday, Family + Children Portraits, Portraits

Raising Boys: Jon & Jeanine

I have known Jon and Jeanine for a few years now, and I never would have imagined them to be the parents they are today. I am not a parent myself, but I did grow up with three brothers, so I had a rough idea about the chaos that goes on at home. Spending one afternoon with them, however, gave me the perspective of what happens on the parents’ side.

From the time we arrived home after lunch, I could see Jeanine juggling between entertaining the kids, and well, me. It took Jeanine 3 hours from playing with the boys, giving them a shower, ushering everyone in for some posed family shots, feeding them and finally, putting them to sleep (Jon had to attend to some work). During the short period of rest when the home was quiet, Jeanine patiently and selflessly sat down and caught up with me over a cup of tea. I knew in a couple of hours, she would have to go through the same cycle all over again. Yet, she never complained, not once. In fact, following her motherhood journey on Instagram (and blog) constantly reminds me to be grateful towards the little things in life and to always show grace to others. Being a stay-home mum has a lot of struggles, but Jeanine chooses to see and celebrate the joy in it.

So, to all the working mums, stay-home mums and single mums: Thank you for your sacrificial and unconditional love. Without you, we won’t be who are we are today! Wishing all the mothers a very (belated, but) happy mother’s day!

JonJeanine_01JonJeanine_05 JonJeanine_06 Continue Reading

Grace Tan
In Beautiful Everyday, Casual Portraits, Family + Children Portraits, Life, Maternity, Musings, Portraits, Studio

Highlights: Family Portraits 2015

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault

Each of us only has 24 hours in a day. When I first started my business, I was grateful for the extra ‘time’ that I could have for myself, and then when I had kids, I wondered where all that time went! Each day, I am surrounded by news of disaster, and how easy it is to lose someone you love. Ironically, when I have time with my kids, I just wish they would fall asleep faster, and when I am away shooting a wedding at a beautiful destination, I wish I could be back with them.

I also want to do more in life, but when I have time on my hands, I just want to laze and not do anything.

Such is the irony of life. And then, before you know it, time just slips through your fingers and then a week passes by, and then a month, and a year. Just recently, on Sunday, I sat down with my husband Alex at a random cafe in PJ to talk about life (without the kids!). It felt like a breath of fresh air. We ordered fries, tea and coffee, then flipped our mac screen open to look at our February calendar and intentionally planned date nights, family nights with the kids, swimming sessions etc! We left that cafe a little more rejuvenated, and a bit more focused with what we wanted to achieve in our life as a family.

So, as a pause… here’s a little compilation we did of some of the 101 families we photographed last year. We hope you will take a moment to cherish your family today.

Photography by Grace, Diane, Jamie & Weiming