Sheila Sim Takes 3-Month Work Break; Accompanies Daughters To 2-Week Mountain School In Japan Near Mt Fuji

This is also the first time Sheila had travelled alone with her kids, and she admitted to being a “tyrant” on the first day after having traveled since 5am in the morning. 

She did, however, apologise to her kids at the end of the day for being “very crazy and fierce” throughout the day.

Sheila accompanied her kids for the first half of the day, and was happy to hear Layla say that she “can’t wait” to return to school the next day.

“‘It’s all worth it’ was what I reflected to Deon in the evening. I spent half a day with them to make sure they were well adjusted. Today (Day 2), when I said goodbye, they both didn’t even look back,” she laughed.

According to Sheila, in Japan, students do not take formal academic exams until they are around 10 years old. The first three years of elementary school focus on building character, empathy, and manners, rather than evaluating academic knowledge.

“This is exactly why we are here. Not for the food, language, academic education, but character building, empathy and manners,” she wrote.

They also intentionally chose a forest school that spoke only Japanese, a language her children understand: “Hopefully they build some grit, resilience and get uncomfortable.”

Of course, the decision came with some hard work for Sheila too.

“No kitchen, no walls, no lunch provided, which means mornings are hectic: breakfast, packed lunch, sunblock, and two girls learning to dress themselves,” she shared.

She, however, noticed how free-spirited her children had become after just one day at the school.

“Scooping water from the drain like it was the most natural thing in the world. I didn’t blame them at all. It’s everything every Singaporean adult has ever said ‘No. Don’t. It’s dirty’ to.”

Their teacher also explained to the children their classroom, which has no walls, is the “biggest one there is, not confined by four walls”. 

“When I arrived in the afternoon, Layla walked straight up and handed me a bunch of tadpoles. Bare hands,” wrote Sheila. 

“She said it so calmly. So I had to match her energy. I was squirming inside. In Singapore, that moment would have ended with: ‘Don’t touch it. It’s dirty’. And that’s exactly why we’re here.”