(2007/11) November MTBs

ASHM,
tempting but i thot the class is fully signed up for that slot? If its one time, can consider tho ex leh.. they shld hv some disc for referrals like u mummies.. hee, Michviv, go suggest to them!

A bit hard to meet earlier like 2pm cos ZY now sleeps only once a day and that timing is her zzz time, more feasible is meeting after that.

Kittybride,
some todds are just more shy than others, and i feel we shldnt over label them at times. Perhaps they need more time to adapt to newer environment/people esp when they r seldom being exposed to. Chloe will do fine, that means u wont hv to run around after her cos she wont wanna venture too far off - think positive!
 


michviv,
Ashlyn's at Sam's early learning centre? Did u hear any reviews? where do u go to find all these updates. if its nt too much trouble, can help me check?
 
mommies,

thanks for all your kind words and encouragement!
i hope C will get used to group activities soon too coz somehow she sure knows how to be super manja with us.

not sure if she's really shy coz when we were back in my hometown, she is really garang towards my niece; who is 10 years old!! whenever she saw my niece coming over to her (either to play or kiss her), she will start to protest with her screeching scream then will start to use her hand to whack her or slap her!!! so bad, right?

and those pple she dun like, she will totally refuse to let them come near/touch/carry her! and mostly are women! she has no prob with men though... *pengz*

poissons,
playdates ah? good idea but a bit diff if i alone, with my hippo tummy and cranky tod. unless my hb is free lor - which is seldom the case lately
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catherine,
glad you have help coz previously seems like you were fully tied up with household chores, work & jovan! great too that your helper is able to cook dinner - nothing beats home cooked meal! you taught her or she oredi know how to cook simple chinese meal?

ur hb black face ah? i didn't notice... too busy with my gal but notice your jovan is really a jovial little guy - thick hair too!
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mambobb,
wah, sounds like ur co more jialat than mine. every mth force 2 wks leave ah? where got enuf to cover? we hv to utilize our own leave, else cut pay leh. then mar whole month shut down? lagi worst - no pay! but at least u still get 50%. situation seems to get worst towards Q2, i see the projections, all like RED SEA!!!

michviv,
wow, no wonder u have to do all the legwork leh. for me, i'm the gan cheong one coz HB is more 'chin chye' type, he prefers to let the kids have a happy childhood than force them to start everything too young. even for PDS, he wasn't that keen initially but i kept psycho him abt it lor. so for C's childcare, we settled for something in between, though if situation permits (if got extra $ to spare & transport available), i'd prefer to send C to those pte montessori type over the current NTUC/PAP CC lor.
but wat to do, no fish prawn oso can lah... for now! :D

missA,
yeah, i thk u hv to wait for moderator to email you but if i can still recall correctly, after 1 year of membership, can post on o/sea thread liao. how come u still cant leh?

btw, you intend to start spreeing for vitacost?
 
Kitty, imo.. No need to send to pte montessori type one.... Coz one thing with kids, they learn things fast also forget things fast...
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Most imptly is not to give them stress... Let them play... Me also learning how to do that!

My co also none the better, HQ told us to cut down cost by US$3million in all cost category for 2009 projections. I was like, "WTF" Already got nothing to cut liao... Still want us to give them magic figures....
 
kitty, I hv no time to do spree, I just want to buy things. Now have to email the spree organiser and somethimes, I forget what I bought cos lost track! Currently just spree with colleagues, combine effort to reap more savings.

k@ye, last sunday A went to SM class, she insisted sitting on the seat she sat the week before tho the teacher has shuffle the seating arrangement weekly. She actually remembers that was her seat!
 
michviv: Most prob stay at clementi with my parents before the delivery and then at telok blangah heights after delivery with my ILs. Forum is fine, cos I don't mind stealing time to go to town haha. But just think that during my confinement, it will be hard to bring him. Tat's why still considering. But I definitely want Matt to go to school during then and not let him idle around. Wow, you really did a lot of homework. I popped the right question... haha...
 
MissA, they are starting to recognise and remember things.

Claire knows which direction to walk to when we get out from the lift. Also, she will know the route to and fro bet my parents' flat and the nanny;s one.
 
ASHM: 2 yrs old is a good age to start. Me & hubby thinking of starting Ethan a little earlier cos he really tires out my father and MIL. =P Plus I think he needs newer experiences to move on to his next learning curve. You're right about the languages part, my hubby and I now worry cos Ethan has a clear preference for English over mandarin (can't be help cos both our parents can't speak chinese, all Nonya! haha) I've tried reading to him in chinese and he doesn't mind it but when I give him instructions in Chinese, it frustrates him. haha. For teaching instruction wise, you have to look at what the school offers. A bi-lingual curriculum is important to me as well and that's why I rather put Ethan in a school like LSH vs. Pat's Schoolhouse/Chiltern etc. which my parents like. You have to research your shortlist of schools near your place to know. =)

Lazykat: Join us la girl! Long time no see already. =) Eh, dun think can have discount leh. Even I don't have a special discount for introducing so many mummies to PDS. hehe. Let me try emailing the teachers and I'll let you know?

Grace: Haha. My knowledge is just limited to the schools around my place but I thought I would share the principles which I keep in mind to assess the schools so that all mummies here can apply them when you go school-hunting too! =) I've not heard much about Sam's learning centre but that does not mean that its not a good school. As long as Ashlyn learns alot and is happy, thats a good school to me! I just read about the schools from forums and reviewed their websites but I form my own opinions about the school.

Kitty: My hubby is the same. Super not keen, so I have to convince him and pay for PDS myself! I don't believe that I'm forcing Ethan to learn something he does not like, that's why trial lessons are important to see if the baby likes the class. There are more choices available now for schools so try to set aside some time to slowly find one. My personal view is that if you can afford it, don't go to NTUC/PAP kindergartens as the teachers have little value-add for your child. My hubby also had a bad experience with them so he's totally convinced now. haha.

k@ye: I totally agree. Playing = learning! =)
 
Re: Company cutting cost
I think all industries are not spared. My firm not doing any better. We are forced to take 1 mth no pay by June. Haiz, I just tell my hubby, I take the time to rest and spend more time with Matt lor. What to do? But prob is I am stil very busy lor. Sianz

Michviv, where do you stay? Sorry, if I miss your earlier posts, what are your few choices now? Not sure if I have time to research so much, considering need to come back to deliver and then confinement etc. So might hv to piggy back a bit on u mummies who have done some research.
 
Michviv, i agree with u that PAP/NTUC kindergarden quite crap one... The irony is I m sending Claire to NTUC childcare when she is 18 mths old! Hahah

I told my hubby that i will send Claire to the Catholic church kindergarden at Bedok if possible. Only problem is that we might not be able to place her there coz we re not Catholics!
 
Tinkabel: I stay at Queens@Queenstown. Will prob be sending Ethan to Little Skool House by the Vista in the middle of this year. Was between LSH by the Vista and Carpe Diem Kidz at Royal Road. I've read up on JG also, for their playnursery, its only 2.5 hours a day leh (not even half day) and its more expensive than the full day at LSH. =P I've heard good things about Moral Childcare at Tiong Bahru but I heard that they have a waitlist.

Re: Cost-cutting - my company is also the same. Cutting cost here and there. I'm not sure if they are planning to force us to take leave but no news so far (*keeps fingers crossed*) Lets hope this recession goes away soon...
 
k@ye: No la, its ok as long you have different plans for Claire's kindergarten! I'm not done reading up about Kindergartens yet. Haha. I think I'm scaring all the mummmies here with my "research". Better shut up for awhile. hehe.
 
Co Cutting Costs - My co is supposed to be closed in May / Jun'09 so its worse than those that are going through costs cutting exercise = i will be out of job by then!!
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Michviv - For now i guess i will put Ash in playgroups like JG, PDS first till he is 2 years old. We are living in east coast and maybe moving at the end of this year. So i could only do a proper research when we are at the new house
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Mandarin - I tried also speaking to Ash in Mandarin by calling his chinese name and he just ignored me totally and doesn't seem to be interested. But i will not push him for now, like what K@ye said playing = learning! So no need to stress him :p

Lazykat - Last Sat the teacher told me they have 3 slots left and there is a waiting list. Why dont you join us this Sat for a trial and see how it goes?
 
Hehe, Michviv.. i din do as much research as you lah... But i observe the difference lor.. Me attend PAP kindergarden vs my siblings who attend the church ones... Haha, can see the REAL DIFFERENCE!

As for schools, its the same also lah...
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ASHM, where u moving to?
 
grace,
u also noticed my HB's black face ah. it's one of his "PMS" days. he gives me black-face for no reason. tat's y i told u all i rather go the xmas & birthday party at kaye's house with Jovan alone. i did wan to get part time cleaner but my HB dun wan. he think part time cleaner v exp & maid is more "worth-while". DUH rite? wah u got 2 dogs? must be quite hard to maintain cleanliness.

grace/possions,
yah i did tell the helper wat she must do every morning & evening. daytime when we are at work, it's up to her leh. but so far i think she quite hardworking. everyday she will sweep & mop floor, wipe all the furniture tops & clean the toilets. alternate days, she'll wash bb clothes and keep & fold the dry ones. she has also cleaned & tidied all the stuff in the kitchen & living/dining room. i'm still waiting for HB to get the cameras.

possions,
my HB sent his car for re-painting. tat's y he din drive last sat.

k@ye,
Jovan will also sit on our tummies & bounce up & down. hahaha

michviv,
thanks for enquring abt the waterplay.

kittybride,
she worked in SG for 2yrs before, so she can cook simple chinese dishes. yah i'm glad Jovan enjoyed the playdays class. he is a jovial kid & i hope he stays tat way. his hair is getting so long. still haven bring him for haircut. grace, ur mother asked my HB whether Jovan is boy or girl leh. think it's his hair lah. ahahahaa
 
K@ye - Still looking around, always wanted to move back to town (Newton,River Valley, Queenstown, Redhill area). We cannot make up our mind now cos my mum also lives in east coast and it is a good thing to be near her so that Ash can go over with his nanny when we go to work...Guess we will seriously think about it when we get back from Paris... So many things to consider now that we have our little ones
happy.gif
 
ladies can go to :www.kaisuparents.com
for info regarding those schools and feedback
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personally went up to cherie hearts @ harbourfront and was not alittle impressed......depending on each's view.....i find that the teachers there like do things half heartedly.........esp the infant care......its all together my dear friends
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so imagine its expensive,in a enclosed commercial building with no out door playground.....and children there were like herds of animals in different zones(not rooms) all in the same about 200m2 size area.

others cant comment cos never been there before
 
michviv: thanks for your input
happy.gif
i'm looking at both kindy and cc.. my older girl is at eager beaver at clementi.. i'm hoping to get my son into nanyang kindy but he's on the wait list so chance of getting in not high..

i'm looking to see if i can find something that is nearer my place and better, if not, then by default luke will go to eager beaver too, might be easier for him to settle in since his sister is there too..still in the visiting stage.. i actually like maris stella quite a bit but they only take kids in from the year they turn 4 and i prefer to send my son in for something next year..

the other place i'm considering is chiltern house at turf city, can send child in the year they turn 3, ratio is 1:6, taught chilnese by china or taiwan teacher and mostly indian teacher for english.. has built in speech and drama..

how important do you think ratio is? in the cc my older girl is in, she is in N2, her class size is 5, max 8 to 1 teacher, this ratio will be the same til kindy, taught mandarin by china teacher and english by local teacher. when i view kindy i realise that ratio is much bigger, places like newton kindy, maris stella have a 1:12-15 ratio by kindy time..

appreciate any input you have
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Catherine,
It's true that it's more worth while to get a full time helper than a part timer. Now each time my pt helper comes, i pay her an avg of $50, which totals abt $200+ each mth. full time helper is only $100+ more. but hubby just thinks that it can be quite a hassle to have a full time one, unless u hit the jackpot and get a really good one.

weishy,
the link shld be www.kiasuparents.com
 
catherine,
i guess i noticed mainly because i met him before and he was quite friendly previously and that day he wasnt. Dont let it bother you really. I dont mean to teach u to be bad or anything, but i think u should voice out yr thoughts. communication always works best. To be honest, maid is more worthwhile if jovan is at home instead of infant care otherwise, part time cleaner is cheaper. my cleaner cost $50 each week for 4 hours. so 1 month $200 lah, maid cost i think will be around $600 after food and taxes rite. But u save on food as u got home cooked food. we eat out mostly.....yah, plus the dogs, we still need to mop mop the floor ourselves here and there cos sometimes dogs jealous and anyhow pee.

my friend set up a timetable for her maid.like mond, do this this this, tues this this this. exact timing of what time do wat chore. so it depends on u lah. faster get the camera ok. my worry is they anyhow bring pple home.

as for my mum, ahhhh paiseh ah. i didnt know she ask u. told her only 2 girls in the class... i think she missed out chloe lah. sorry ah...
and jovan really has alot of hair...she must be envying. =)
 
Grace: Moral childcare is right opposite Tiong Bahru MRT in this building 3-4 storeys which has some shops opposite TB plaza. But I think no point looking cos this year they are moving to Bukit Batok West!

ASHM: Playgroups sound like a good alternative for now till you settle where you plan to stay.

Weishy/Poissons: Yup, that is one of the websites I go to. hehe. Can also try http://preschool.sg/

fushiastar: Nanyang Kindergarten is very highly sought after but their curriculum is only in Chinese. Ok if you want a good foundation for your kids in Mandarin but I think my son will ignore everyone there. haha. I actually really like St James Kindergarten but the waiting list is really too long liao. So, I'm considering Maris Stella too. I personally attended Marymount kindergarten and have really good memories there! But hubby says too far.

In terms of teacher:child ratios, I'm ok with the acceptable ratios published my MCYS. If a childcare can offer less than that recommended, even better but there is always a tradeoff in terms of the amount you pay in fees. Of course, the lower the ratio the better. =)

Mummies if you want to know the recommended ratios. Here they are:
2-18 mths - 1:5
18-30 mths - 1:8
30mths to 3 yrs - 1:12
3-4 yrs - 1:15
4-7yrs - 1:25

So, for Maris Stella, they are already below the recommended ratios. hehe. For the best of both worlds, I'm planning to put Ethan for half day care and he will have 1:1 with his grandparents in the afternoon.
 
poissons,
full-time helper monthly is $520 (salary $350 + levy $170), so it's actually $300+ more each month compared to part-time cleaner. somemore u have to provide lodging (water & electricity), food and basic necessities (shower foam, shampoo, toothpaste, etc). so it works out to be much more exp. yah u r right abt luck to get a good maid. my maid is still ok for now, although sometimes she's quite forgetful & clumsy. but she's hardworking, has a good attitude & Jovan is happy when with her so i'm ok. i just hope she dun go astray after sometime.

grace,
last fri & this monday, Jovan stayed at home with the helper. i think she's ok to take care of Jovan alone. of course still need to install camera. i think i need to talk to HB abt this again. aiyor, no need paiseh lah. Jovan has my good looks (*vomit*) plus his long hair, no wonder ur mum mistake him for girl girl.
 
catherine, I feel the extra $ spend on a maid is worth it. I always feel sorry for myself esp at family gathering when all my SIL & BIL's maid do all the chores from washing to attending to the kids while they enjoy themselves. Poor me have to keep an eye on A, change/wash her, pat her to zzz & feed her. I feel like I am a maid.
 
MissA, dun feel sorry for urself lah... I also no maid leh... At family gathering, i also become the maid mah.

My SIL one classic example of those who over relied on maid one... She typically dun do housework, everything relied on maid to do. The maid always complain to me abt extra work to do... Then her own daughter also complained the house dirty... How can a maid cope with 2 toddlers plus housework? The house confirmed dirty one!

Also, when go out hor, her 2 kids will run amok and then she cant be bothered keeping an eye on them one... Most of the time ended up with a lot of bumps and stuff on themselves. Usually, she goes out dun bring maid but will ASSUME my ILs to keep an eye on her 2 kids.

That's y i dun like to go out with my ILs for dinner coz most of the time, i can hear my MIL shrieking loudly n plus they do a lot of "lose face" things..... Sigh...
 
On maid cost, me did a calculation before... If plus agent fee, food, electricity etc etc... It will come up to $1k per mth.
happy.gif
 
missA/k@ye,
i have the same sentiments as u gals. sometimes, i even feel tat my life is worse than a maid (b4 i got a maid). we got full-time job, go home still got to do housework, look after bb, take care of HB's needs AND on top of it all, (i dun know abt u ladies but) i have been paying for 90% of household expenses for the past yr. somemore, my parents are not looking after Jovan and there's no extra pair of hands at home at all. if u have a unhelpful HB who is full of criticism, it makes matter worse. i was just chit-chatting to my colleagues abt having maids. IMO, a full-time working mother's life is worse than a maid if u dun have a maid. i also calculated the expenses for the maid (salary+levy+food+others) to be abt $1k per month, but if i wan my life back, i gotta sacrifice $.
 
catherine, I hope you are not paying for the maid out of your own pockets. Why dun you get a fix allowance from hubby to defray the expenses? I also pay quite a lot of household expenses til I loss track. No time to keep track and tabulate for hubby to see how little he contribute. However he also put in his share sometimes but I feel majority is from me but he takes care of car, petrol, road tax, property tax, utilities, cable TV/broadband etc.
 
MissA, K@ye,
i feel sorry for the kids if the parents leave all the parenting work to the maid even tho they can do it themselves. I see it as bonding time as we change, feed our todds, of course when we get too busy, its always gd to hv another paid of helping hands.

Michviv,
one time trial i dun mind. Let me know if this Sat can, thanks!
 
missA:
aiyo... missA, don't envy hor. I also change maid 3 times already. I believe I also shared with you the other time on my maid issues. If managed to find good maid still ok, if not, it's a nightmare.

Moreover, I only let my maid do all the mundane tasks so that I can have more time with kiddo, so I am also like a part-time maid to my kids.
happy.gif
I think I will do it with love but not the maid.

Grace:
I also have 2 dogs. So can understand what you mean about cleaning. But they have been with me for very long, so they are like kids to me. So my friends always tell me I have 3 kids now and will be having 4 kids soon.
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ASHM:
Hmmm... are u pregnant? So the result is out? If yes, congrats!!
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Catherine, judging from what u say hor... U must really get ur hubby to pay leh... Warrao, in this kind of times hor, how can u cope with paying most of the things urself?
 
St James Kindergarden,
Yeh, I like the school too, my niece attended from pre-nursery and juz graduated last yr and I can see the difference in her from my cousin's kids who attended PAP. But the downside is they are expensive and location is not that ideal too (at Dempsey). G is in their wait list for pre-nursery but he's too far back, but nursery will stand a good chance, thereafter will put him in the kinder...now saving moolahs for his school fees :p

Playdays,
Mummies, are our todds supposed to get a free tee from the school or something? I rem Grace told me she din like the colours they had when she went to make payment so she didn't get one at that time..
 
missA/k@ye,
for the past yr, my HB only take care of car, petrol, road tax & cable TV/broadband. i pay for everything else until i cant tahan. i talked to him & showed him my expenses record. now he has agreed to share the household expenses. but no action yet coz just started this "scheme". waiting to see if he will keep his promise.

lazykat/rachel,
i also dun believe in leaving the parenting work to the maid. it's v sad when the kid becomes closer to the maid than the mother. i think my heart will sink if tat happens. so when i'm home, i still spend time with Jovan while the maid does the housework.
 
ASHM:no la cannot afford to quit le......anyway i get one yr of "rest" just go office and work simple tasks(like photocoping etc...nothing major) but i still get my full salary :p

andrew still havent got a job here in hkg yet sue to his visa thingy la....so i pay fro everyhting now :p so i dare not think of all these now.cant be a tai tai.......

catherine:think havign a helper has its pros and cons...if u get a good one oki if not headache for u.......fro mine so far oki and i get to do my own stuffs.she's the one teachign hayley to read now :p
lazy mommy mah me
 
catherine, ur hubby's list & mine the same haha. that's why I suggest you get a fix contribution from him. That's what I did to him, he will transfer to our joint acct every mth
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Catherine,
Hope the new scheme works better. For us, we have been practising putting in monthly contribution to our joint, so household expenses will be deducted from there..fair and square...but whatever he spent on car will come out from his pocket lah..cos' it's his 2nd wife mah..haha. As for maid expenses, oh yah hor..i didn't think of that, so pt time helper is still cheaper. I also share same sentiments with you, we full time working mum are no much better than maid. It's so easy for the daddies to just call home and say they are coming home late due to work or personal commitments, for me, I find it guilty even had to go for a 2hr dinner with friends. Told my mum that in my next life, i want to be a MAN..
 
Rachel/Catherine: Same here, we only let my helper do the household chores. Anything and everything to do with the kid, we usually do it ourselves. Just at times when i need to cook for E, i'll ask for her help. I went in and out of the kitchen frequently to check initially, but nw i trust her more.

Have to observe the kid's behaviour when he/she sees the helper. My sis's ex-helper slapped my nephew and my sis saw it with her own eyes. She sent her bk to the agency immediately. She claimed that it was her first time but my sis told her she installed CCTV at home and asked her to own up hw many times she did this to my nephew, only then she told her "quite a few times". So far my boy always smile and likes to play with my helper, so i'm glad.

Of course my MIL will complain once in awhile abt her, but i told myself there's no perfect helper, even if i were to do everything myself, there will also be flaws. If i dun have helper, the one who kenna my MIL complain could be me. ha ha...Sometimes, really have to open and close one eye.
 
missA:about the trip u may wanna chk out the tickets first,in japan their train stations 99% has got no escalator so its fleets of stairs and stairs.
we're thinking of DISNEYLAND<SEAWORLD<HELLO KITTY LAND/TEMPLE and one day free and easy, so total is 4 days...make it 5 days la.most places travelling time by train would be about an hour or more from hotel.hotels from 4 stars only and about roughly sgd $200 each night.
u hv msn maybe u wanna chat with me about it?

all children will be only be woith mommy...this trip no daddy le so.....ur hubby will get bpored or not?

[email protected]
 


Okie, my household scheme. Hubby paid for all the utilities, broadband, Claire's expenses, i think almost all lah. But the PT helper, i paid 50% of it.... And other small things like groceries and stuff, i paid lor.. think property tax, also paid by me!

Ya, i also feel very guilty for taking some personal time to myself w/o looking after Claire.
 
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