Making Our Own Sunshine

 

Ms. Ms. Ng Sin Yee
 

 

Two years ago, I was lucky enough to visit Estonia on an educational trip and noticed something amazing: no matter how cold it was outside, students stayed outside for recess. 

Curious, I asked one of the teachers how they convince the children to play outside during their freezing, gloomy winter months. Her answer was simple, but it stuck with me:

"We don’t let the weather stop us. We teach our kids to accept it, find the bright side, and just make the most of it."

Instead of rushing indoors at the first sign of a drizzle or snow, Estonian schools see a cold day as a perfect opportunity for children to connect with the real world and learn to go with the flow.

That conversation stayed in the back of my mind for two years, but it came rushing back to me during this past school year. We all felt a wave of disappointment when the rain forced us to cancel our highly anticipated Sports Day, and again when our Swimming Gala had to be adapted and held right here on campus.

As parents and teachers, our instinct is to protect our children from disappointment and wish for perfect, sunny skies. But that Estonian teacher made me wonder: What if the rainy weather wasn't a spoiler, but actually the best real-life lesson we could ask for?

When plans go completely out of our control, it opens the door for our children to learn things that can't be taught in a classroom. For one, it teaches them to adjust to a world that rarely gives us perfect conditions; seeing our students accept sudden changes, shift their expectations, and cheer each other on in a modified setting builds a flexible, strong mindset that will serve them for life. It also reminds them how to make their own sunshine, proving that happiness shouldn't depend on a perfect weather forecast. Finding joy and team spirit inside the school or under a cloudy sky teaches children that fun is something we create, not something dictated by circumstances. 

At the end of the day, school is about raising children who are strong, creative, and ready for an unpredictable world.

While keeping our children safe and healthy will always be our top priority, we also want to give them the confidence to face unexpected challenges. By encouraging them to embrace life’s unpredictable moments, we teach them a beautiful truth: we don’t have to wait for the storm to pass—we can learn to thrive right through the rain.