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Parenting perils of being always connected

In this digital age, parents find it hard to disengage from their children's lives and this may have a negative impact, says Prof Lim Sun Sun, whose new book describes this phenomenon

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCKPHOTO
Professor Lim Sun Sun says "transcendent parenting" has benefits such as providing guidance to youngsters who lack maturity in handling online interactions. But it runs the risk of over-involvement in the lives of even adult children.
Professor Lim Sun Sun says "transcendent parenting" has benefits such as providing guidance to youngsters who lack maturity in handling online interactions. But it runs the risk of over-involvement in the lives of even adult children. ST PHOTO: JOEL CHAN
Updated
Published
March 1, 2020 at 5:00 AM
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Once, on a work trip to Montreal, Professor Lim Sun Sun was startled from sleep by a 2am telephone call from her son's teacher.

Calling from Singapore in the afternoon, more than 12 hours ahead, the science teacher asked Prof Lim to source the new workbook her son needed for term two, as stocks had run out at the school's bookshop.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 01, 2020, with the headline Parenting perils of being always connected. Subscribe

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