GIVING HER FAMILY – AND HERSELF – “FULL ATTENTION”
Woo acknowledged that she could also have found ways to accomplish what she had aimed to do during her career breaks – without taking a break. But she felt it necessary to be completely present.
“There are areas in life that, if I wanted to look at, I wanted to make sure that I gave my full attention,” she said.
For one, she hoped to “imprint a core memory” on her daughters by journeying with them to “manage the inner stress and pressure they put on themselves” amid PSLE preparation.
She wanted them to know “not just that I’m there for their academics, but also there for their overall well-being” – Woo supported them in their weaker subjects and taught them how to “regulate their schedule”.
“When do you take breaks, when do you go and exercise downstairs, when might you need some sugar,” she said.
Exam revision aside, “the simple things were also very good”, added Woo, highlighting the extended mealtimes she now had with her children.
“It’s something that you don’t really get to have (usually). You eat with them, but you don’t have that flexibility to be able to bond with them. And that really enriched a lot of things. I was at home a lot more.”
The impact, while subtle, was significant. “(One of my daughters) knew that I was 100 per cent there, 100 per cent able to be with her,” she said.
Now that she’s back at work, Woo’s daughters sometimes still ask her whether she’s headed out for the day. “I think (they) really appreciated me being around back then,” she said.
