Forum: When the winds of change bring hard-earned lessons

I was on a support boat when my son capsized while leading his race at the Pulau Ujong Regatta at East Coast Park over the weekend.

A gust came in from the left. His bow dipped. In seconds, the boat flipped. I saw everything unfold, but I could not reach him or call out instructions. I could only watch.

In less than a minute, he lost nearly 30 places.

The conditions that weekend were difficult. Wind shifts came without warning. The current was strong. Decisions had to be made quickly and alone. What unsettled me most was not the capsize itself, but the helplessness of watching him struggle while knowing I could not intervene.

At home, we prepare him carefully for examinations and the future. We plan revision schedules and arrange extra support. We try to anticipate every difficulty. Yet there will be moments, whether in an exam hall, a competition or later in working life, when we cannot step in. We can only watch.

He had capsized months earlier. That experience helped him stay composed this time. He disappeared briefly behind the hull, then righted the boat, climbed onto it and continued.

On the second day, he sailed more thoughtfully and made fewer rushed decisions. He returned to shore tired and smiling. He was second. What stayed with me was not his position, but the moment he righted his own boat.

It reminded me that preparation is not only about skills and knowledge. It is also about building the confidence to recover. Small setbacks, faced early and supported calmly, may equip our children better than constant smooth sailing.

Perhaps that is what we hope our children gain from school and from sport. Not calm waters all the time, but the quiet confidence to steady themselves when the wind changes.

Loh Tick Boon