COVERSTORY
Vivacious politician Mrs
Josephine Teo never lacks the
drive to push for changes in
the system, nor the ingenuity
to be a better parent to her
three children. She sits down
with Family & Life and talks
about work, family and her
rebellious youth.
Senior Minister of State for Finance and
Transport Mrs Josephine Teo confesses to
having been quite the rebel in her youth.
“Being the eldest of three kids, I was
naturally the key subject of my parents’
watchful eyes. They had my interests at
heart but I was too young to understand.
When I was upset with them for poking
their noses into my affairs, I would ‘run
away’ to my grandma’s home,” she divulges.
“On one occasion, I got a big scolding for
getting home past 8 pm. Unbelievable,
right? The next day, I really tried to run
away, but good sense got the better of me
and I went home before midnight.”
A svelte and active character, the 45-yearold often only manages four to five hours
of sleep while serving her nation and
tending to the residents of Bishan Toa
Payoh GRC, of which she has been a
faithful servant and Grassroots Adviser
for many years. Having served memorable
tenures in A*STAR, EDB and NTUC,
Josephine is now married with three
children of her own – a boy and twin
girls – who have taught her to enjoy
their colourful traits, which she too once
projected on her parents. “Simon is 15 and
my twin girls are 13. Simon is thoughtful
and conscientious, Jaime is artistic and
considerate. Nicole is quick-witted and
vibrant. All three have a good sense of
humour and are family-loving.”
However, the notable proponent of
measures to better benefit educators and
the workforce, now finds herself in the
same predicament as her parents, having
to manage the quirks of her children.
“My husband and I have always tried to
reason with them and give them space
Rock
ouse
H
The
By Andre Frois
We’re tested each time they
come home with a bad test
score. That’s when our kids
can tell if we really mean what
we say. Tuition can be useful if
they need extra coaching, but
it’s not the right solution for all
students, especially those
who aren’t motivated.
8
Family & Life • Sept 2013
so that there are no major disagreements
or conflicts,” she discloses, along with
an essential policy that she holds in high
regard. “Our children do point out our
mistakes and inconsistencies, and it is
important that we are willing to apologise,”
she says.
As a busy professional whose occupation
and country always demand her utmost
commitment, the eldest daughter of a
policewoman and a businessman has
had to craft numerous ideas in order to
frequently touch base with her secondary
school-going children. “In public life, it’s
very hard for me to commit to say dinnerwith-family every evening. More ??????)????????????????????????????????)????
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