Having an eight-year-old son is not an easy task. I feel that now my boy needs more attention and time in everything especially after I remarried a few months ago. As both of us are stepping into a new life after being alone for almost six years, I need to redesign his activities as my focus now is not merely on him, but also on my husband.

At his age, my son is very curious and talkative but needs his parents' companionship as well. I have to plan his daily activities so that the environment will never make him a dull boy.

To fill up his time, I have started taking him to the nearest library. He can borrow any suitable book that he likes there. Besides reading books, he can also participate in Program Nilam at his school by filling in the books’ details on the given record book.

Since we have now moved to a different house, he also gets a chance to meet new people in the neighbourhood. I have found that he was a little awkward at first to mix with his peers.

Initially, he spent his time watching television when we first moved. We later asked him to go out and play badminton in the evenings. Slowly, he started socialising better. Now, he looks eager to play football with the neighbourhood children at the nearby playground.

He also has some pets now - a cute fish and an orange cat. I am also thinking of teaching him gardening as he has shown an interest in it. Indeed, it is good for him to know and love nature as well. Maybe he can start with having a small cactus, watering the roses or digging the soil for his own small garden.

I hope that he develops to become a great and versatile boy, not a dull one!

Azzi Rahman