DO NOTE BELOW ARE MY PERSONAL COMMENTS, U R FREE TO HAVE YOUR OWN POINT OF VIEW.
as a parent I feel I ought to highlight this and let parents make their own decision on whether to use this Kids Programme Organiser in future.
I was selecting for a Kids Holiday Programme for my kids for Dec 2016. After seeing many years of advertising & presentation of the programme at exhibitions of this Kids Programme - " Molly Manners", I decided to give it a try. I enrolled my kid for the 2 days intensive programme, after a few rounds of email enquiry.
During the camp,
the kids were served coffee, and remarks were given by the camp organiser (who is also the owner of the company), that this is what the hotel provided and jsut apologised for it. THere was no compensating action taken, until I question her openly that how can coffee be served? Is there any option of juices/ ribena for kids? Btw, this location is organised in a hotel.
- 1 of the food item was curry. for lunch? Curry for kids camp? This is the 1st time, I ever heard such things.
- soupy porridge for tea break? for kids camp? aren't there other food to entice an motivate kids? especially when the info of the camp is "heavy"
I wrote and email to the "organiser/ owner" asking about a few things. I particulary stated I was interested to find out about a written item that was done in class.
GUESS WHAT??
i wrote the email on 28 DEc and got a reply on the day... saying. " Thank for the email and .... :"blah blah blah" they appreciate my emai.
AND the MOST EPIC- quoted from her email "
It is a Long email you wrote and I prefer to speak on the phone or personally than answer the concerns through email. "
There was no initative stating when she would call me and as at till today I got no calls and no more response.
as a parent I do not expect perfection, but this is the worst camp that i have put my kid in. He neither enjoyed, had fun, nor was looking forward to go.
"Below is my extract of email to the owner/ organiser of " Molly Manners"
1) I did asked about having the kids of different age being grouped differently. and your reply was "They would be in the same camp, but seated separately in different groups." However, when I ask around the kids, it does not seemed to be so. Either the kids were not aware about the distinction or? cause 1 of the 11yr old was with my boy .(who is 8)
2) I have sent my boys for many camps and I do understand that sometimes due to their special dietary requirements, certain camps are not able to accommodate. It would really be nice to know when such requests are taken into account. Upon arrival during the camp, when I ask if their dietary requirements are taken into account. The response I got was a general statement but not of that my kid need ws taken into account. Taking a look at the no. of kids in the camp, it is only about 30++. Is it so tough to note if there are special requirements?
3) To hear from you, an owner telling me that, the hotel serves coffee, but you would inform the kids not to take it and just ask them to consume water and also since most brought their own water bottle. I was??? Knowing that the topic that you are going to convey to kids is going to be heavy, should not there be some small things for them to look forward too? eg drinks suitable for kids (juices/ ribena)? Thi is the 1st time in my life I have seem coffee being served for a kids programe. I believe you knew this is not acceptable and yet you had to wait for a parent to voice out, and then changes were made.
Prior to asking you, I already did ask the hotel, they informed me that whatever food and beverage served is chosen by the organiser. I'm actually not suprised, as I organise events and I know that as organisers there is an option for us to dictate what kind of food and beverages is being served.
I understood that they had porridge for tea break and food was in containers for lunch? I believe you can do better. I was even having the expectations that they would be taught dining etiquette during their meal times. However, I guess I was really wrong.
4) I looked through the materials. I do understand because of cost constraints, materials are given without colours. However, I think you can do better
- in giving out a full page drawing of the utensils for them to identify and make notes of than on a small half pager?
- writing instruments has to be be brought by kids on their own? surely the hotels had pencils? if not from orgaisers?
- paper with lines are not provided? even as adults ourselves, it is difficult to write on paper without lines.
- The boxes drawn are so small for all the information that they had to write in
- things that they do , some had no header/ title for what they were doing/ writing on the paper. I'm particularly interested as I saw a piece which I believe is his wishlist, but I cannot tell as there is no header. and until today, he tells me that that piece is his secret and I'm not supposed to see.
5) Just to let you know the feedback from some of the kids was they are bored and it was boring. It would be good if my kids get to learn life long skills/ knowledge through a camp, however, the importance for them is to have fun and learn how to interact with people. He told me that he never want to go for this camp again, which I have never heard before, for the many he has been to."
as a parent I feel I ought to highlight this and let parents make their own decision on whether to use this Kids Programme Organiser in future.
I was selecting for a Kids Holiday Programme for my kids for Dec 2016. After seeing many years of advertising & presentation of the programme at exhibitions of this Kids Programme - " Molly Manners", I decided to give it a try. I enrolled my kid for the 2 days intensive programme, after a few rounds of email enquiry.
During the camp,
the kids were served coffee, and remarks were given by the camp organiser (who is also the owner of the company), that this is what the hotel provided and jsut apologised for it. THere was no compensating action taken, until I question her openly that how can coffee be served? Is there any option of juices/ ribena for kids? Btw, this location is organised in a hotel.
- 1 of the food item was curry. for lunch? Curry for kids camp? This is the 1st time, I ever heard such things.
- soupy porridge for tea break? for kids camp? aren't there other food to entice an motivate kids? especially when the info of the camp is "heavy"
I wrote and email to the "organiser/ owner" asking about a few things. I particulary stated I was interested to find out about a written item that was done in class.
GUESS WHAT??
i wrote the email on 28 DEc and got a reply on the day... saying. " Thank for the email and .... :"blah blah blah" they appreciate my emai.
AND the MOST EPIC- quoted from her email "
It is a Long email you wrote and I prefer to speak on the phone or personally than answer the concerns through email. "
There was no initative stating when she would call me and as at till today I got no calls and no more response.
as a parent I do not expect perfection, but this is the worst camp that i have put my kid in. He neither enjoyed, had fun, nor was looking forward to go.
"Below is my extract of email to the owner/ organiser of " Molly Manners"
1) I did asked about having the kids of different age being grouped differently. and your reply was "They would be in the same camp, but seated separately in different groups." However, when I ask around the kids, it does not seemed to be so. Either the kids were not aware about the distinction or? cause 1 of the 11yr old was with my boy .(who is 8)
2) I have sent my boys for many camps and I do understand that sometimes due to their special dietary requirements, certain camps are not able to accommodate. It would really be nice to know when such requests are taken into account. Upon arrival during the camp, when I ask if their dietary requirements are taken into account. The response I got was a general statement but not of that my kid need ws taken into account. Taking a look at the no. of kids in the camp, it is only about 30++. Is it so tough to note if there are special requirements?
3) To hear from you, an owner telling me that, the hotel serves coffee, but you would inform the kids not to take it and just ask them to consume water and also since most brought their own water bottle. I was??? Knowing that the topic that you are going to convey to kids is going to be heavy, should not there be some small things for them to look forward too? eg drinks suitable for kids (juices/ ribena)? Thi is the 1st time in my life I have seem coffee being served for a kids programe. I believe you knew this is not acceptable and yet you had to wait for a parent to voice out, and then changes were made.
Prior to asking you, I already did ask the hotel, they informed me that whatever food and beverage served is chosen by the organiser. I'm actually not suprised, as I organise events and I know that as organisers there is an option for us to dictate what kind of food and beverages is being served.
I understood that they had porridge for tea break and food was in containers for lunch? I believe you can do better. I was even having the expectations that they would be taught dining etiquette during their meal times. However, I guess I was really wrong.
4) I looked through the materials. I do understand because of cost constraints, materials are given without colours. However, I think you can do better
- in giving out a full page drawing of the utensils for them to identify and make notes of than on a small half pager?
- writing instruments has to be be brought by kids on their own? surely the hotels had pencils? if not from orgaisers?
- paper with lines are not provided? even as adults ourselves, it is difficult to write on paper without lines.
- The boxes drawn are so small for all the information that they had to write in
- things that they do , some had no header/ title for what they were doing/ writing on the paper. I'm particularly interested as I saw a piece which I believe is his wishlist, but I cannot tell as there is no header. and until today, he tells me that that piece is his secret and I'm not supposed to see.
5) Just to let you know the feedback from some of the kids was they are bored and it was boring. It would be good if my kids get to learn life long skills/ knowledge through a camp, however, the importance for them is to have fun and learn how to interact with people. He told me that he never want to go for this camp again, which I have never heard before, for the many he has been to."
