Just like National Day, Malaysia Day is also an important day for the country and all of us proud citizens.
I’ve always enjoyed these kinds of celebrations since I was a kid. I feel especially patriotic when I see Malaysian flags fluttering everywhere, including on the roadside, on cars, and as mall decorations.
Now that I am a parent, I wanted my kids to enjoy the joy of celebrating our nation’s proud moments.
Not only that, but I also hope they comprehend the significance of this extraordinarily diverse nation, which is home to a wide range of different racial groups, languages, and religions.
My children need to understand how difficult life was for our older generations, who came from a variety of backgrounds, and how much better it is now.
Of course, I don’t want to bore them with long history lessons so I’m going to try to make it interesting.
I want my children to enjoy themselves while commemorating this important national holiday. At the same time, get them excited about Malaysia Day and the country.
Explaining What Malaysia Day Means
First and foremost, before we get into the exciting parts, I need to explain to my children what does Malaysia day means.
They might confuse the day with National Day because the celebration is pretty much the same.
According to the Official Portal of Kuala Selangor Municipal Council, Malaysia Day is celebrated on the 16th September each year to commemorate the establishment of the Malaysian federation on the same date in 1963.
It marks the joined day of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore to form Malaysia. That means, Malaysia Day is also about appreciating those who have fought hard for our country.
This is a difficult concept for children to grasp, but I explained to my children that it is about all of us being independent together.
I try to relate the situation terms to them so they can understand better.
I explained to them that it’s similar to siblings working together as a team to complete tasks such as cleaning up the toys. That is how all of the different states come together to gain independence as one country.
From there, it is simpler to delve into more history, such as what happen between National Day and Malaysia Day and why.
Now that I’ve completed the explanation and definition of Malaysia Day, it’s time for the kids to have some fun!
Here are some tips on how I enticed my children to celebrate:
1. Gave my kids their own Malaysian flags for Malaysia Day
What’s a Malaysia day celebration without Malaysian flags?
My kids have been excited to see all the flags since last week when we go to the mall or travel on the road.
They kept asking why the flags were out and if they can buy one for themselves.
So, my husband had this brilliant idea of surprising them with their own Malaysian flags. They’re just super ecstatic that they take it wherever they want.
Since my kids were already fond of the flags, I thought it would be a good idea to introduce them to the colours and design of the Malaysian flag.
They were both surprised and amused to learn the meaning of each component on the flag.
I obtained the following information from The Government of Malaysia’s Official Getaway:
- The Flag is a symbol of leadership, a symbol of honour, dignity, and sovereignty of a country.
- There are 14 red and white equal strips with the red band on top and ends with the white band at the bottom. These strips mark the membership of the 13 states and a Federal Territory namely Kedah, Pahang, Kelantan, Johor, Perak, Perlis, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Sarawak, Penang, Sabah, Malacca and Federal Territory (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya).
- The red strips indicate heroic bravery and the white strips on the other hand, mean purity.
- The yellow of the crescent and star is the Royal colour of the Malay Rulers.
- The combination of the three primary colours which are red, white, and blue represents the unity of Federal Malay states (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu) and the United Kingdom and the unity of Malaya (Tanah Melayu) with the Commonwealth countries.
2. Encourage them to join in their school’s celebration
In the last week of August, my children’s school celebrated both National Day and Malaysia Day. They came home excited, telling me about the celebration at school.
Some teachers are decorating their classrooms with a national theme, so I encouraged my kids to take part.
My son was happy to bring a large Malaysian flag for his teacher, and my daughter kept waving her little flag to school.
I also recently watched a video posted on their school’s social media and was blown away by the spirit displayed by the students.
They sang the National Anthem with gusto, and each was holding their flags during the ceremony.
I’m glad they get to celebrate National/Malaysia Day at school.
3. Introduce my kids to Malaysian national songs
Nowadays, there are a lot of Malaysian-themed songs. Since my kids enjoy listening to music, this is another way to get them excited about the national holiday.
Here is a list of songs that I introduced to my children:
- Tanggal 31
- Saya Anak Malaysia
- Jalur Gemilang
- Keranamu Malaysia
- Satu Malaysia
- Here In My Home
- Warisan
I also enjoyed this session because I was able to connect to these songs again after a long time.
At the same time, I get to tell my kids about the singer, the year the album came out, and the meaning of the songs.
4. Planning to take them for a Malaysia Day Celebration in Melaka
Besides visiting historical places, this is also a great family plan.
I am planning on bringing my kids to Melaka this year; it’s not too far away either.
I intend to make the trip most enjoyable and stress-free for my kids.
So, I have to make some preparations beforehand. These include:
- Bringing plenty of snacks and water because it could get very hot
- Packing extra diapers, towels, tissues, and baby wipes
- Having a change of clothes for everyone, kids, and parents
- Bringing an umbrella, hats, sunglasses, raincoats, sunscreen, and any other weather-related gear.
- Taking the stroller for the toddler
- A simple first aid kid would be incredibly useful in the event of a minor emergency
Planning for a successful outdoor celebration is essential, especially if there are young children present.
By the way, I’ve told my kids about this trip to Melaka for Malaysia Day.
They’re getting so excited that there’s no turning back now.
Having said that, I hope you have a wonderful Malaysia Day celebration with your children as well!
Motherhood wishes all our fellow Malaysian readers a Happy Malaysia Day!
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