A cautious trip home for the holidays for Sabahan mother and her four kids

Tan has registered Naomi for a few online art courses during the school holidays. Photos: Cheryl Tan

Cheryl Tan’s four children start their school holidays tomorrow, and she had a string of activities lined up for them during their three-week break.

But due to the emergence of Omicron, a new Covid-19 variant, Tan is having second thoughts about going full throttle with her holiday plans.

Nearing Christmas, she’ll be heading to Kota Kinabalu to visit her parents. However, the Sabahan is planning on having a quieter holiday as she is still worried about the pandemic situation.

“Among the many plans that we had were having family gatherings for Christmas and New Year, and to have a staycation in Kundasang or to go to the less touristy parts of Sabah such as Tambunan and Keningau.

“However, with the rising number of Covid cases, we’ve revised our plans and will spend time at home mostly. To stay safe, my parents and my family will be keeping ourselves occupied with cooking, cleaning and board games during the Christmas season,” says Tan, 32, in an interview.

Recently Malaysia announced it had imposed temporary travel bans on countries deemed as high risk due to the Omicron variant, categorised as a variant of concern by the World Health Organisation.

Tan’s children – who are all below 12 years old – haven’t been vaccinated, and she worries about their safety. Like many Malaysian parents, she’s cautious as her family’s safety is her utmost priority.

Joshua (second from right) and his siblings (clock wise from right) Naomi, Nicodemus and Eleanor (second from left) enjoying their playdate with a friend during the school break.

“When I’m back in Kota Kinabalu, I’d love to bring the kids to the nearby beach, have a playdate with my childhood friend’s kids, and make a day trip to a nearby town like Papar, Tenom or Beaufort.

“To stay safe, I will ensure my kids wear a mask whenever we are outdoors. In addition, I constantly remind my children to wash their hands with soap and water, especially when they are out in a public place or after sneezing or coughing,” shares Tan.

Because of the pandemic travel restrictions, Tan’s children Joshua James Cheah Zong Xiang, 10, Naomi Claudine Cheah Xin Ling, eight, Eleanor Grace Cheah Xin Rui, five, and Nicodemus Samuel Cheah Zong You, three, haven’t seen their maternal grandparents for two years. However, throughout the pandemic, the families have communicated with each other through Zoom and WhatsApp video calls.

“The first thing I’m going to do when we are in Kota Kinabalu is to hug grandpa and grandma. I’ve only seen them online for the longest time and I miss them so much. After that, I’d like to ride in the car with grandpa and grandma to see the city again,” says Naomi, a Year Two student at SJKC Kuen Cheng 2 in KL.

Older sibling Joshua chips in: “I’m excited to see my grandparents because we always do fun stuff together and go to many places. I plan to enjoy and help in my grandparents’ garden, hike up Bukit Padang and visit my uncle and aunty who live close-by. I also plan another sneak out with my grandpa to eat ice-cream.”

By spending time with their grandparents, Tan, born and raised in Kota Kinabalu, hopes the children will learn more about their Sabahan heritage.

“If you love something, you’d want to share it with those closest to you. People tend to associate Sabah with nature and the friendly, easy-going people. So I wish that my children will learn to appreciate Sabah’s beauty and grow up to be warm-hearted individuals, just like Sabahans.

“Also, I find their culture is a unique advantage to them and will makes them stand out, For example, Joshua used knowledge of the local food and history in his writing which was shortlisted at this year’s Malaysian Invention and Design Society ACE 2021 Writing Competition and Asia Young Author’s Award,” the proud mother said.

Cheah (second from left) ensures his four children are masked up in public spaces.

Tan and her husband, Benignus Cheah, 33, will keep their kids occupied with a list of fun home-based activities until the family’s upcoming Sabah trip.

During the holidays, their younger kids will attend kindergarten like usual. Joshua and Naomi will still have their regular tuition classes, and their mother has registered them for a few online art lessons and public speaking classes.

“My biggest challenge is juggling my time as a working mother and spending quality time with the children during their school break. While my kids are passionate about certain craft activities, and online workshops, it is always a challenge to capture their attention throughout the day. They are, after all, children.

“Since I’m working from the office now, I have to rely on the television for a few good hours to keep my kids entertained. Or risk the entire house becoming a chaotic mess. The good thing from the pandemic is we learn to derive joy from and be grateful for the little things. Just listing these activities makes me realise how lucky we are as not everyone may have this privilege of choice,” says Tan.