‘Go on dates, parents’ student care centre takes care of kids till late

A student care centre is encouraging the parents of the children in its care to go on date nights.

- Venessa Lee

Since FUN Commune opened in Geylang in October 2023, it has held Parents' Date Night every last Friday of the month. Its children, typically aged seven to 11, stay on at the centre for dinner and a movie till 9pm, past their usual pick-up time of 7pm.

The pair of sisters behind FUN Commune where FUN stands for fair, uplifting and nurturing say their date night programme is intended to support both parents and kids.

Co-founder, director and academic coach Soh Huang Chi, 33, says: "Parents' Date Night was initiated to let parents put each other first again by going on dates.

When parents intentionally spend time alone together, they are able to reconnect and interact with each other, especially when their daily lives do not allow them to.

"This is very much aligned with FUN Commune's belief that, when parents communicate effectively with each other, they will be able to support their children and have a better relationship with them. A good parent-child relationship will help nurture a child who has a sense of security and is confident to face the world." The initiative was met with confusion at first, says her sister Soh Huang Ting, 38, the centre's business development director and parenting coach.

"When we started Parents' Date Night, the parents were quite confused and didn't know what to do or where to go. Some of them came to pick up their children earlier than expected, and the kids said.

they hadn't finished watching their movie." Now, the parents are "thrilled" and pencilling in date night ahead of time, she says. About 80 per cent of the children stay late at the centre on those Fridays, at no additional charge.