(2011/03) Mar 2011


i got those small lunch bags when i went bkk..

bought alot of those small gifts also, to use when birthday la teachers day la..



u know when u wanna find, always cannot find end up buy rubbish



i remember teachers told me before, they eat cake until scared so i tried not to buy cake

 
i made chocolate coated mashmellow after my cupcuke pop plan failed. lol



i stil thinkin to go bkk or not. but my main motive is to get bakeware. those also need to bargain mah?



set to bk hkg tix on tiger, then after enterin info, then add tis m tat charge, end up, i decided to wait for other offers? there goes my 'holiday plans'... sigh

 
Fel, I think this mth receive slightly later? For the past 3 times usually before birth date, but this month I only received today, on his exact date of 18 mths.



Everyone sending their kids to PG in CC? Anybody going to start them only at pre-nursery (is this considered PG? or at 3 yrs old?)? Do you all think PCF is good enough?

 
The new PCFs seem pretty good but they don't teach second language till nursery, they don't teach it in playgroup (3yrs) which to me is a disadvantage.

 
JAJ- eh. Mine was exact 18 months yesterday also nth.. I think I just slowly wait lo.. Haha





Don't quite get what u mean for the cc part?

 
fel, you haven't receive? Weird... maybe coming soon... They never late one leh, except this month...



I think I know liao.. CC is CC, those 3 hrs class are another type (pre-school) like kindergarten. I am asking if there is anyone sending their toddlers to only few hrs class starting from pre-nursery, not full/part time CC.



Coz I may withdraw Javier from CC and send him to pre-nursery in 2014 if my mum wants to look after him next year.

 
JAJ: if i didnt remember wrongly last time PCF starts with Nursery i.e 4 years old. but now perhaps got younger classes?

3 hourly class are called playgroup usually, those private class one usually 2-3 hours, but are private ones like talentplus, star something, apple tree etc.



PCF which is by government one (PAY & PAY), i think 2-3 hours, if i am not wrong, they will start to teach chinese when they reach K1/2?

but be prepared, usually the class got alot of malays and indians.



u can source around your side whether got those playgroup type? then when K1/K2 i.e. 5 years old, can enrol in PCF, cos i think they have guidelines to prepare them for primary school.



but from what i know, now PCF got premium range, i.e they do study for 4-6 hours straight, cos 2-3 hours class is not sufficient for them to really prepare for primary school.



eh...and price also not that cheap hor.

 
JAJ: I'm sending my toddler to half-day pre-school 3 hours in the morning, but they also have full-day program. Even my older one is going for morning pre-school, not full-day. I personally prefer not to send to PCF (if parents can afford).

 
JAJ

my #1 has been attending pre-school 3hrs a day since 2.5yrs old..

sorry, but i don like PCF...

i rather keep them at home than go PCF..

I heard that abt stories that parents will still send their kids even when they sick, cos they cant take leave...

they dont really keep the place clean rite??



there are a few playgroup other than PAP..

u can check out appletree or Adroit edu.. quite reasonable prices...

 
i think PCF now have alot of ah tiong, malays and indians (no offence), cos they can afford the $100+ school fees per month u know.



but those private run pre-schools has lesser of them, but of cos the price doesnt come cheap. some almost same price with cc.



another way is u can still send them to cc, but send late and fetch early. after the class, some cc have their own program like letterland, kumons etc.

 
smiggleprince: about sending the kids to school despite sick is very hard to avoid.

like some kids, they cough and flu every month, then every month few days dont send?



like today kyler had abit of cough, i should dont send him? i cant afford u know, cos i had already taken 2 days leave cos cc is closed on thurs & fri.



for u, its different case, u have a helper, u can afford to keep him at home. i do not have a helper and i cant afford to keep him away when he is just having cough.



but of cos, if having serious case like lao sai, fever, hv to keep at home la.

so sick and dont send to cc is very wide. must see how sick the child is.

and even if u dont do it, others still do it? so??

 
Thanks for your reply, pooh bear, smiggleprince, 2Ks.



2Ks, it's called pre-nursery for 3 yrs old, then 4 yrs old is Nursery, follow by K1 and K2. Maybe the school I checked one call it this way. Yes, only 2.5-3 hrs a day kind.



Pooh Bear/Smiggleprince, I am doing some homework on pre-school now and I also read alot of rants about PCF leh... So I am seriously considering for pte pre-school which I can afford. Now pte pre-school fee minimum is $750, and up to $1k+ kind for 1 term (10 weeks, 2.5 mths). I heard PCF only sparkletots can make it. The rest is heng sway, depending on the teachers there. Of course also on the school fee. Those super cheap one normally are those not so comprehensive in curriculum. Those more ex one have maybe special programmes or what.



2Ks, I also agreed that PCF have more ah tiong, malays n indians coz the school fee is cheaper, of course they can only afford to hire lesser salary teachers. Bo bian one lah. Initially I told u my plan is not to withdraw Javier from CC even if my mum wanna look after mei mei, but she prefers to look after both as it is more convenient for her than to go fetch Javier every evening carrying mei mei along. She scares rain, etc more troublesome. Plus the CC is not say very near to her house, need to take bus/LRT one. If i wanna insist let Javier continues in CC, she rather I put both kids to IFC/CC. Hence, I have to respect her idea and give in to her if she really wanna quit her job to help me loh. That is why I am now looking at pre-nursery to register Javier in april 2013 for admission in 2014 if everything goes well.



On the sick still send to CC, I think only mothers who send their kids to CC will understand sometimes is really bo bian have to send small illness child to CC coz we only have 6 days CC leh, infant especially easily fall sick n confirm more than 6 days in a year, where got enough leave to take? If little illnesses must also keep them at home, I think all working mums might as well be SAHM to look after themselves at hm. If we have help, we won't send our kids to CC le. 6 days CC really not enough coz CC has many closure too, like spring clean, PH, teachers' training. We have to set aside leaves for all these closure, aside of kids falling ill (fever, diarrhea, HFMD, etc).

 
JAJ: last time i used to teach in PAP before leh (unbelievable rite, cos i was the relief teacher for 6 months), but then that time dont have pre-nursery yet, only nursery.

And until now i cant forget the scene okay. the 1st few days of school, the crying kids, the peeing kids, the kid that hug the door handle and refuse to let go. all kinds...

but that time, the parents are more sui bian, not so particular like now. lol.



eh...not all PCF are bad la, more or less they are controlled still, so should still have abit of standard?



eh...then u no choice lor, see what yr mum prefer ba?

 
PCF - PG is 2 hours and got snack break incl... yawn. N - 3 hrs K1 & 2 - 4hrs. My daughter likes it there a lot and she seems to be learning faster, they will incl, mandarin next year. So now I just speak to her in my half past 3 (not even 6) mandarin and hope for the best. I'm sending the mei mei to Talent Group Plus at the nearby RC in Jan next year since it's just a few blocks away from my place for the year it's for kids between 18mths and 3.5 years... I'm going for the open house on 16 Sept and might start earlier but I doubt it. It's really for her to mix and play with kids her own age.

 
annie, my take is also to respect your mum's wishes lor, since she is willing to look after your kids then follow her ba!

I always tell myself... if i wana her to look after, i will have to follow her 'wishes' lor!

But hor, you put Javier into pre nursery, your mum will still have to pick him up, what if it's raining or when Mei mei is sick??

 
JAJ,

it's nice of your mum offer to take care both ?

jz a question, is she the one to pick up J currently ? How about she take care mei mei and you can pick up J after work ?



On the PCF/Talent Plus,

Both my block and next block have but frankly personally, i won't send my kids there. Personally preference ba .. dunno how much they can learn from the 2-3 hrs session (with tea brk included, toilet break ...) some more no Chinese till K1/K2(i very pro chinese learning) I rather send them for weekly Kumon/Chinese class which i feel they could learn more even though less hours ? Or u teach yourself lo ? which i have no time at all now.

 
sinmey: can u come teach kyler his chinese?? LOL

he is speaking english accent chinese leh...

super the slang...



actually for me, i think if got younger at home, the elder should go those longer timing classes.

otherwise the taking care one practically dont have time to do other things.

its like 2 hours, wanna go where also buay sai. like go home rest awhile got to go pick again.

this is my own opinion la.

to me 2 hours is not enough, they wouldnt learn much or i should say mingle much.

tea break already take up 1/2 hour

 
talking about teaching...yday i off the tv after finishing the chores and i told kyler, lets do some writing.

u know he do what, he told me "BUT mama, i am tired u know, i am very tired" then he pretend to lie down on the sofa..



nowadays kids alot of pattern hor

 
yaya Sinmey...

perhaps we can send our kids to your place to learn Chinese?



2Ks, nice what, speak Chinese with Ang Mo accent is nice, I like!! next time hope CHloe can find a CHinese with ang mo speaking accents.. hahah then this mother will always invite them for dinner hahaah!



2 hrs is a long time for the kids to focus leh! Sometimes I do pity them... so young kena have to sit thru so many lessons alr. HOw to enjoy their childhood but hor if i dun do it (coz I can't teach them on my own), I will cause them to lose out too right? Dilemma!

 
tres: its not nice when your kid still speak english accent chinese during oral test ok! LOL

chinese is freaking hard to teach, for english much easier, just teach them phonics



well, that the real world lor. if u dont teach they cant catch up leh, especially when they go P1, then how?

i browse P1 work before...omg ok..

sigh!

thats why no matter what, sunday is NO SCHOOL NO LEARNING only PLAY PLAY AND PLAY for him.

 
2Ks, as long as the message gets across to teacher / tester, I'm happy!



Anyways, CHloe PG's centre mgr was talking to me abt Pri 1 schoolwork! She was saying she can;t cope teaching her daughter Maths for Pri 1, she is a freaking teacher lor!!! She says it is like problem sums.. so the kids will good foundation of English & MAths.. Gosh!!! Tell me how????

 
tres, the pte school I am looking at will have school bus, my mum just need to wait downstair her block. I am also looking at PCF near my mum house, just walking distance, not too far. But I worry PCF standard after hearing many "NOs".



Sinmey, I can't go fetch Jav on time one coz I knock off at 6pm, working at CBD area is super heavy traffice back home. Need at least 1 hr to get home, by the time I reach Bukit Panjang (BP, very far!!!) IFC already closed. That is why now my mum helps to fetch Jav everyday.



I am not worried about my mum handling 1 baby + 1 toddler coz she used to be a very experience baby sitter who looked after 3 babies+toddlers for one period. She's very fast hands/fast legs super mom and she has been working non stop for many years, so I have strong confident in her ability to look after two well. If she has no confident about that she won't suggest that idea to me le. Maybe my mum is still considered young (50+ yrs old), so still can handle ba.

 
2Ks/Tres,

I pro Chinese learning .. but not good at teaching leh .. I also send her to class .. haha... But i speak mandarin to her la... and i would say she has a very good class teacher from China. Sometime i also surprise by her word like, 真是受不了 Shay, 我很棒对吗..

 
JAJ, I am sending ver to 2hrs PG next Jan. But nt at bp n it is at masiling which is near my mil hse. E sch fee per mth is $165, which I think still affordable. They teach eng n Chinese in class. Nicole is from there so I think e standard still not bad. I Nv tried PCF before but I heard e standard of teachers is better already cos minimum requirement is diploma Nw.

 
hi mummies,



i am new in this thread and saw that your topic is on preschool. I would like to find out if any of you know if the YMCA school at Blk 123 Simei is good? Or do you know if any of the preschool in Simei is good? I am thinking to put my kid to few hours or half a day playgroup and go into Nursery and kindergarden with that school? Hope you could advise me. Thanks

 
Actually for 2 years old, 2 hours is enough la.. Just the feel of go school nia

Cos it's just play la

But k1/2 is important to me la..

 
so yesterday's topic is on schooling..



i also now headache sia. maybe i should delay putting J to cc.. but i dunno how to sound it out to mil. cos she has the impression that J is going school in dec. maybe ask hb to tell her that we are delaying her to go school till she is 2. or alternatively, my mum to look after but my mil being sensitive, if she finds out that is my mum looking after and not sending J to school, i dunno what will be her reaction.

 
ah, Annie, then good lah! If got school bus then it's convenient , just a walk downstairs nia!



Yes, 50+ is considered young!

Funny leh, my mum use to be a babysitter, she also handle 2 toddlers w/o maid before but this time around, she requested for helper leh!!! so bo pian lor... her wish (within my reach) is my command lor!



I agree w you, 2Ks, at this age, let them gop schoool n play n interact is impt. They have a lifetime to learn new things.... so if can delay the 'real' learning.. I will ba!



hmm... PCF really that bad ah! I have no research as yet but i can foresee that I will have to put Chloe is PCF ba, coz there are only PCF near my mum's. LEt me start my homework i guess!



pardon my ignorance, at what age then they can go into PCF? Nursery which will be 21 months is it??

 
blurjen, thanks for sharing the info. But Marsiling too far for me lah... Actually I feel abit sad to have to withdraw him from CC leh, weird feeling I have right? Maybe I see him learn alot of things from CC, so feeling abit emo to think that I need to withdraw him maybe next year. Like he will miss out some learning. [IMG=http://www.singaporemotherhood.com/forumboard/clipart/sad.gif] But bo bian, have to respect my mum's decision if she wanna help me look after them. Alot of things to consider for after mei mei comes out, so have to weigh what is more important.



Tres, I think your mum knows you can afford her a helper, so don't waste it. hahaha... My mum knows is siong for me to have 2 already so not asking for much. She actually suggests I hire a maid to look after the two but I don't like the idea of no ppl to monitor the maid but just depending on a CCTV.



playgroup/pre-nursery is 30 months to 3 yrs old to enter? I'll be registering Jav in Apr 2013 for admission in Jan 2014 for pre-nursery (he will be 33 mths by then)

 
Preschool

To me, i just have to work hard till primary school..

I will jsut pay the fees to let them have a better environment..



2K

last time my #1 go to pre-school cost abt $400 for 3 days a week only..

Yes, i do keep him at home when he is sick,cos i have a helper..

but its also a waste of $$$ on my end..

imagine he only goes to sch like 3 times in a mth..



sorry, but i heard too much stories abt PCF...



bunnymum

there is not much in simei..

there is one,but i don rem the name..

 
hhahaha Annie,

i think i spoil market for her lor, I use to have a maid when CHloe is born mah! now that the helper left so she thinks i will be able to afford lor.. but things will be so different, when #2 comes along? extra stuff / $$ needed... sigh! dunno how!

 
blurjen, I think smiling star at BP is a CC, not those 2hrs playgroup centre. If no school bus, then my mum have to send there and fetch back, is what she doesn't want, just like I continue him at CC (only fetch as I send in the morning). So if I wanna find BP, I must make sure it is near her house so that she just need to walk a short distance. Otherwise, is no difference that I put him in CC at BP. And if I want to find playgroup walking distance from her her, is only PCF le. I think I will put him into pte pre-nursery with school bus available if I can use CDA to pay (cost is affordable after using CDA).



Tres, I think you can still afford lah.. haha.. just lesser shopping for yourself n maybe no new chanel bag liao?

 
yup, have to sacrifice the bags and holidays liao!!!

well I guess that's part of motherhood! Anyways, I dun know how to travel with 2 young kiddos unless I bring either parents along! hahah!

 
Tres,

When u r desperate to travel (like me), you are sure can handle two with u ... haha. But of course not as flex as couple or girl's trip la. But still, better than nothing for me.

 
tres, I think you can as long as you have the passion to travel n shop! You will die die make it. Just bring along true helpers sure can go travelling even with 2! I will go, I not scare one. *super confident* hahahaha....

 
Wanna ask



Where to get those crayons, painting stuff for our little toddler to play with?



What brand is good?



I think im such a bad mummy... Didnt get any for Eden... and i need to start reading to him more... =(

 
thanks ladies.. let's do a check in the next few months first!

We will all jaiyou together! haha

Maybe we should plan to have a trip with ALL the kids ten put them into a room (w activities) of coz !

Then we can R&R on our own! hahahahah *dreaming*



Fel, Crayola i guess, kids friendly mah!

DUn worry, me too, I need to start to read nightly to Chloe too!

 
haha.. i let J read on her own and at most just sit with her and tell her what is this / that. i tried reading bedtime stories but this ger see books nia like see gold so it excites her when i take a book to read (meant to let her sleep). so i stopped reading bed time storeies. i cant read to her properly without her snatching to flip the page or snatch from me.

 
fel: me using crayona, cos easy to wash off...



but talking about playing, i feel like i short change kiefer leh.

kyler play paints play alot of things, but kiefer like nothing..

no wonder my hub always say i pian xin!

 

fel: i like the paint tub, i use 2 years still using LOL, and havent dry yet

the water colours paint and small tubs paints not recommended for their age.



i usually use mahjong paper or unwanted plans paper for him to paint on

 

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