About

Hi, I’m Shirlyn.

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I’m a mum, aquatics educator, and advocate for inclusive education — but more than any title, I’m someone who believes children deserve to be understood before they’re corrected.

For over a decade, I’ve taught swimming to infants, toddlers, children with special needs, adults overcoming water phobia, and families who never thought the pool could be for them. Working in and around water has shown me something I now see everywhere: behaviour makes sense when we understand fear, confidence, regulation, and trust.

Alongside my work in aquatics, I completed my Master of Special and Inclusive Education with Distinction at the University of Newcastle. Studying inclusion more formally didn’t change what I believed — it deepened it. Children’s behaviour becomes clearer when we look at environment, nervous systems, and relationships rather than quick labels.

Today, I serve as Founding President of the Singapore Network for Inclusive Learning (SNIL), working with educators, parents, and advocates to build more thoughtful, inclusive communities.

This blog is where those threads come together.

Here, I write about:

– Reflective parenting in real, imperfect moments
– Emotional regulation, behaviour, and development
– Inclusion beyond theory
– Everyday safety and boundaries, without fear-based tactics

You won’t find quick fixes here. And I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I do believe that small shifts in how we interpret behaviour, speak to children, and hold space for difference can change everything — for them, and for us.

If you’re a parent, caregiver, or educator who wants to approach children with more clarity, respect, and inclusion, you’re welcome here.

If you’re looking specifically for swim lessons or water safety programmes, you can find my aquatics work at Swimrific.