Sun Hung Kai Properties believes in Building Homes with Heart and its SHKP Club also promotes the idea of Loving Homes, most recently with an 'I do it for my family' competition.
Over HK$100,000 worth of prizes are being offered to encourage people to do something nice for their family. It could be making a dream come true, kicking a bad habit or giving someone a surprise. Here we have collected a number of different perspectives on family.
"Family is the most valuable thing in life. Life is full of surprises, but we can always rely on our families. Their support gives you the confidence to overcome difficulties," says SHKP Vice Chairman & Managing Director Thomas Kwok. He inherited a strong sense of family from his parents. The Kwok brothers respect their parents and look to them as role models in life.
Reminiscing about his father, Mr Kwok said: "There's a fine line between love and spoiling, and my father got the balance always right. Even as our family's financial situation improved, he never let us spend lavishly. Instead of going to school in the big car, we had to use public transport. Our daily pocket money was just enough for lunch and bus fare. My father taught me the good habits of saving and prudent spending; if I wanted a soft drink when I was young, I had to buy it with my own pocket money."
Mr Kwok looks forward to having tea with his mother on Sundays. He described his mother's love fondly: "I had an ear infection when I was a teenager and went to Japan for an operation. My mother didn't speak any Japanese but she insisted on coming with me. For nine months she stayed with me in Japan, taking care of me and cooking for me. I was deeply touched by her love."
Mr Kwok spends time with his children no matter how busy he is. He said: "I don't socialize much and go home at 6:00 pm everyday. I answer phone calls for them like their secretary. I want my children to know that we are always there to listen and help when they have problems." Building a loving family starts with small details and it's like building a house. It takes sharing, commitment, trust and understanding from everyone.
Bernard Chan is Chairman of the Hong Kong Council of Social Services and holds other important posts in political and business. Family comes first for Mr Chan and he prides himself on being a husband and father. Mr Chan gained a new appreciation for his family after being diagnosed with a cardiac condition in college. Some people envy Mr Chan's family status and wealth, but few understand how his ailment shaped hi attitude towards life and family. He said: "When I found out I was ill, I regretted all the things I hadn't done. I thought; if I survive, I must cherish my life and the people I love." He still needs to go to the US for treatment and he takes seven types of drugs everyday to keep the disease under control.
He is an optimist who sees his illness as a blessing in disguise. "It changes one's perspective. I never thought about studying art before I got this disease, but I did. I have learned to look at life differently. For example, I don't plan to serve another term in the Legislative Council after my current one ends. People have encouraged me to run again, but I think my children are more important. If you miss being with them when they are young, you can't make up for it when they are older," he said. His children are now aged four and six.
A busy schedule doesn't stop Mr Chan from dining with his family three evenings a week, and one evening is set aside for his wife. He says: "I am glad I can make time for my family. I thought it would be difficult, with all my public obligations and Legislative Council meetings, but I do it for my family."
Lam Chiu-ying is Director of the Hong Kong Observatory. He has always been interested in the skies and his awareness of the complexities of the world makes him more tolerant towards people in general and his children. "Parents shouldn't force their standards on children. Instead they should care for their feelings and offer them support and room to grow," says Mr Lam.
When his eldest son decided to study abroad Mr Lam visited different universities in Britain, investigating their advantages and disadvantages to help his son choose. He assured his son that he would fly to Britain within 24 hours if need be to help to solve any problems. Today, thanks to their father's open-mindedness, the eldest son is an engineering lecturer and a part-time photographer and the younger son is a composer.
Parental support was important to Mr Lam's career. He became interested in weather when he was a boy scout and this interest eventually turned into a career. "My parents never forced me to follow their wishes. They gave me a lot of support and guidance, broadening my horizons," said Mr Lam. Talking about his father, who recently died, he said: "When people think about family, many think about their children, but few really remember how much their parents have done for them."
Meteorologists at the observatory try to be on hand for significant weather events like the hoisting of a number ten typhoon signal. Mr Lam had to make a difficult decision back in 1983 when he chose to go home to his wife instead of staying at work for the number ten signal. But when Mr Lam thought about the water leakage problem at his house, he chose to go home and help his wife, saying: "I realized I couldn't leave my wife alone, so I went home and stayed with her."
Mrs Tam had dreamt of being a teacher since a young age, but the birth of her son Kwan-yin in 1993 changed al that. Birth defects mean that the boy cannot speak, so she has never heard him call her mom. Mrs Tam is still as proud any other mother. The boy was born with a chromosome deficiency and doctors said it was unlikely that he would live for more than a day, but he survived.
"Kwan-yin can't see or hear and everyone, including the doctors, was prepared to see him go, but I never gave up. I held him in my arms and I knew he felt my love and support. It's a miracle that he survived," she said. The troubles didn't stop there however, as the lad developed hydrocephalus at age four and needed brain surgery. Mrs Tam was heartbroken by her son's suffering but she never gave up. "
Kwan-yin's poor health meant that Mrs Tam had to put off becoming a teacher, and after the brain problem she put thee idea aside. She said: "Teaching was my aspiration but my boy's health is more important, and I have no regrets when I see him smile."