Any Mommies in mid-late 30s or over 40 with small children?

Tamarind
ur boy can really draw well and rich in creative idea !

yawn yawn,
I like ur point of view on school
"My point is trust your instinct & use your judgement. Don't get overly influence by others. What is a good school in others' opinion may not be a suitable school for your kids."
 


Hi Tam,

Thanks for the link....I will check out the book. I went to Popular to buy a Globe for my daughter. She is very fascinated by the no. of countries she can find on the Globe.

Hi Junemom,

Tao Nan - This is one of the hottest sch in the East. If you have plan B in mind. No harm trying your luck at Phase 2C.

Hi Yawn,

My viewpoint on school - besides instinct and judgement, we also have to gauge the capability of our children before deciding to put in in those "prestigious" schools....end up both parents and children suffer.
 
helooo ladies!!!

I'm finally back home! After 1.5 mths visiting the family in Msia and Spore, the kids are back home to enjoy the rest of the summer holidays!

I've discovered quite a few fun places in Spore...although I have to say, almost all are quite expensive. The most expensive place was Amazonia at Great World City. 4 of us went and it was over $90!!!! That's just the basic...we didn't opt for any extras....wow....crazy price.

The new waterplay area at Sentosa was good too, but again, rather pricey for the weekend.

The best was Jurong West swimming pool...huge slide, lazy river, clean pool, clean showers...great value for money...but we went on a school day though...so, no crowds!!!

But I have to agree, the trains are really packed, compared to 2 years ago. The standard of food at a number of food courts has also gone down. I don't get the taste that I remember it to be.

But the overall sense I get was that a lot of pple seem to be have a higher standard of living. I saw a lot more BMWs, Audis, SUVs. Mortgage rates are low. So it does seem like a lot of pple are having a good life...I mean, that's from what I observe going around Spore.
 
hi hi
jus dropping by to say hello!

p1
jus registered my gal in hubby sch. reason: convenient! heehee hubby n me are pragmatics
our take: can study, any sch also can; cannot study, kids will suffer in "branded" schs. let us not kill our kids' love for learning so young. do read the book "The Hurried Child"
agree with Tam that reading is very very very important and as parents we MUST be role models. hubby not a reader by nature but recently he has also been reading the books i bought. heeheehee feel a sense of achievement!
 
Hi all, thanks for the advice.
Well, no plan B but more like whatever that is ok is fine. Problem is this area seems to be having hot schools around, which makes whichever that i choose, i will still face the same prob.

Hahaha.. my boy has the same prob.."Momma,pls speak English!!!"
 
mumusings,
Thanks for your compliments about my boy's comics.
I find it strange that some people are so free to post nasty comments in blogs. I wonder why they enjoy wasting their time this way ?

sharon,
Thanks for your compliments.

snowball,
The globe may inspire your daughter to travel around the world when she grows up
happy.gif
 
yawn,
I don't think those top schools dare to openly announce that students who fail will be expelled. They probably quietly tell the parents of those kids. So you need to know the right people.
 
helen,
A child who can read very well will have no problem in school. In fact, some parents complain that their kids do not understand what the teacher is teaching, that is why tuition is required. My personal experience is that some students are very weak in languages and they don't understand what the teachers are saying. Sometimes I feel like I am speaking an alien language to them. For those students who are good in languages, they can understand the concept very quickly.
 
Hi redvelvet,
Actually cars and houses are ridiculously expensive in Singapore. I am now planning my retirement in Canada. If I sell my 130 sq m apartment, I can buy a big landed property with a big garden and 2 cars in Canada outside the major cities. Then I will find a job as a babysitter there and earn $2000 a month.
COE is now $68000 which is ridiculous because a brand new car in USA costs less than USD20,000.
In Singapore, people are spending large parts of their salaries to pay for car loans, housing loans etc. I know people who drive cars and then complain like hell when the drinks at coffee shops are increased by 10 cents. There are also people who drive BMWs/Mercedes to go and collect free textbooks meant to be given to the poor.
 
tamarind

My hubby's colleague gave up his PR in canada recently. His colleague said difficult to find a job there.

I think you need to apply before a certain age. So cannot wait till close to retirement age then apply. Problem is once approved, need to start clocking hours in the country you obtained PR but there is no income stream while you're in that country & lost of income in Singapore while you're physically out of Singapore. That's why a lot of people gave up their PR
 
Hi Tam,

My DD1 will be inspired to travel round the world. But, I have to tell her, she will have to earn enough $$$ to support her "dream" as I cannot afford to :p

Hi Helen,

My hb also has same thinking. To him, going to any Pri Sch is ok as he believe that the child will perform if he/ she can study, anywhere they go also can study. If cannot study kind, whatever good school also cannot do the job.

COE - The COE prices are going crazy....think it will continue to climb and cross the $100k mark soon. There are so many breakdowns on the roads nowadays. Probably due to more aged vehicles and lesser mte done.
 
yawn,
I plan to retire in Canada, hopefully I will have enough savings so no income is needed.
I will buy a big house close to the US border. So when my visa is about to expire, I will just drive across to USA and go back again. Just like all those Malaysians working in Singapore who regularly cross over to JB and back. No need to apply for PR and don't need to work. Just go shopping in Walmart, Target, Nordstrom, etc everyday.

snowball,
I will also tell my kids that they need to use their own money if they want to travel the world.

Actually there are many more effective ways to control the car population other than the COE. COE is a very clever way for the gahmen to earn millions.
For example, only families with 2 kids or more can own a car without paying COE. This is also a good way to boost birth rate.
 
Hi Tam,
It's funny how ppl can stoop to wishing me diarrhoea on a food blog just because I don't like watching football. Lots of childish ppl around and I wont hold it against them. Just found it amusing a grownup man will post this on a lady's blog.

Gov can encourage more births if baby essentials are cheaper and there's some sort of half-yearly bonus instead of one lump sum. TEACH people how to save money on unnecessary items like expensive decor/cots/toys and have workshops to share babycare tips. Subsidise the FIRST breastpump per household and also medical fees for kids under 5 years old. FREE education up to Primary 5 OR free textbooks. This will greatly reduce the enormous burden for families, especially if you want ppl to havae more than 1 kid.

Households with more than 3 kids will have priority for HDB allotment for 5 room flat + discount/lower interest rate. Also FREE entry for museums and educational places for kids like in the UK. No reason why the zoos etc won't thrive if they do something about admission fees and packages.

Maybe these will make those ladies who like to have many kids feel more secure even if they are stayhome moms?
 
mumusings,
I totally agree with you.
My ideas for boosting birth rate:
1)  Families with kids can buy another HDB flat at subsidized price which can be rented out for passive income
2) Working mothers to be paid their last drawn salary every month until kids reach 18 years old, so we can afford to stay at home to look after kids

The gov collects more than $50 million in maid levy alone every month,  plus the billions they earn from casinos,  they definitely have enough money to pay. I always think that a mother is the best person to look after her own kids. It is meaningless to build more childcare centers, these facilities can never replace a mother's love.
 
Hi all,

News#1
Another case of morals gone wrong. U read abt the news on the NUS law professor Tey (Oxford grad) in the sex-for grades scandal? Have heard rumours of ppl who 'flirt' with lecturers but never seen it appear in the form of crime/news. Guess these girls better think carefully before they sell their bodies for and A-grade/job/interview/tips. Also for the men to know that they cannot get away with the sleaze. The lecturer is married to a Jap wife with a teenager. Terrible! http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/news/1216414/NUS_law_prof_in_sex_for_grades_case_not_suspended.html

News #2:
Female teacher in her 20s at a top school having an affair with student??!! http://www.edvantage.com.sg/edvantage/news/news/1215148/Former_teacher_under_probe_for_sex_with_male_student.html
 
tamarind
my personal experience: was not very gd in english, so could not understand qn hence cannot answer the qn. so mastering english n chinese is indeed very impt.

retiring
i love Canada too! love the nature and simple life there. but don't think will retire out of singapore cos siblings all here. but who knows? heehee mayb we can all become babysitters next time. heeheehee

bw i have decided to "uproot" both my gals from the present childcare and "plant" them in another which does not "hurry" my kids to grow up. i know i may sound crazy but my k2 gal is going to a childcare without k2 class. hence she will be attending k1 with her younger sis. told the supervisor it is ok for my elder gal not to have any more lesson. I think she has learnt enough for the time being. when she goes to P1, stress and work will come naturally. what she needs now is "play time". i must be crazy right? cos most parents will be busy sending their k2 kids for p1 preparatory classes.
 
Tamarind,

Thanks for your recommendation. I shall try to find 四五快读 and 基础汉字 the next time I am at Popular.
Today I bumped into a Chinese language teacher at my son’s CC. She teaches K2 but sometimes take over the class in the afternoons. She said my boy is only 1 of 2 kids from his N1 class who can converse effortlessly with her in Chinese. She has no idea how she made my day! I am so heartened to know that my efforts have not been in vain. That even though he seemed reluctant to converse with me in Chinese, he was indirectly already learning the language….heheh

Junemom,

We are hoping to be able to register for the nearest Primary school to our place, for practical reasons. Unfortunately, it also happens to be a super popular school so very sian.

Helen,

I applaud your courage to resist conforming and to do what your instincts tell you is the best for your child. I hope to be brave like you, if/when challenged this way.
You’re not crazy one bit!

Tam/mumusings,

Bills to collect money are passed easily. Bills to give out money will be debated to the high heavens and even if passed, a mere trickle…

Counting down to 1 week before our big trip to the UK. I think we must be seriously nuts to fly with 1 toddler and 2 infant/toddlers to London, of all time smack in middle of Olympics. I am very stressed honestly, but at the same time, I tell myself, even in the worse of conditions, I must ensure my kids enjoy their time there. It means a lot to their daddy that they get to see and enjoy the English summer and countryside – so that they can understand that was how Daddy grew up.
Having said that, I would appreciate any tips on flying long haul and baby/toddler jetlag from mummies here.
 
retirement

I will retire wherever my kids choose to go in the future. Doesn't really matter where.

If I get to choose, I think I kind of like Seattle. Although it's a city, it's rather slow paced & quiet. And Seattle is very near to Vancouver so can go to & fro between these 2. Been to Vancouver too, also quite scenic. And there are a lot of asians (mostly from Hong Kong I think) in Seattle and even more so in Vancouver. When I went shopping at GAP in Seattle, the staff asked for my social security number to qualify for some store discount, he simply assume I'm a local too, haha!

Switzerland & France countryside are super nice too. I think can definitely live longer if breathe in fresh air there everyday

Then again, theoretically speaking, I already retired long ago when I was 30 years old
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Hi Gerbera,
Have an enjoyable trip! Bring items you know that will occupy time (eg drawing kits, iPad games etc). Take lots of Vit C/Zinc so that you stay in good health --- most important!

Hi Yawn,
Hahaha... yes, I retired at 31 too
happy.gif
Wah sounds very luxe right?
 
Hi Mummies
Been having a stuffy nose for some days…


Pink gerbera
Is your hb Singaporean or British?

Can’t really rember how we coped, except with loads of help! (mil, mom, maid)
Then again, I do think that looking after two gals is easier than after 1 boy. ..haha…
Must also be tkful that my mil is still coaching the girls and monitoring their work.
In terms of spelling and stuff, I get my kids to test each other. J will read out the words, and the gals will write down, and he is allowed to mark their work.


Snowball
How’s the status for 2B so far?
My colleague’s also a bit nervous as he is in 2C.


Tam
Haaa…. I understand you walk and stand a lot everyday on the job … so it’s good to get comfy shoes.

I bought Clarks and Naturalizer sandals… really cheap - USD38-40 only, and had a friend who helped bring them back. Yes, the choices in US are so varied! and prices are reasonable (even with shipping). I have not bought any shoes here eversince. A normal pair of heels nowadays can cost SGD130! here at the stores. Everything is so expensive in Singapore!

I agree that it’s v good that kids are able to read v well.

Ask for your advice: if they cannot read a Chinese book, should I read through once with them and they listen first? Or should I make them read and I help them with the words as we go along? It’s quite difficult to help my gals rember some of the Chinese words – how to help them?

Yawn
I use face masks. Mine are from Shiseido, Kose, Watson’s, Korea (Face Shop? given to me)
I usu put them in the fridge. But I stimes forget to use regularly…keke..
I don’t subscribe to sleeping with them on… a bit difficult leh.

Redvelvet
I find that indoor playgrounds are so expensive… plus most of them look so dark and dirty… (no sunlight inside = lots of germs.)

There is one that we like in KL which is at The Gardens Shopping Mall… it’s v bright and spacious and there is space for parents to sit around. That cost M$100 for 3 children.
 
tam
Families are facing financial strain and I'm not talking about spending on enrichment classes. The cost of living has gone up so much, and our salaries have not been adjusted. Inflation has gone up. Things are so expensive.
For working couples, it is tough.
I also find there is not enuf time w/ the kids.
I don't work late, I can't imagine mothers who have to work late everyday and hardly see their children.

Child care is a big issue, for some of my colleagues, they really have no help. It's v tough to put a NB in infant care but some ppl really have no choice as hving a maid with a NB is also a no-no...
 
Hi Stylo,

Naturalizer/Ecco/Geox shoes are so expensive here! Simple pair of sandals is priced at S$189. Crazy!

The price of kid's products are also high, especially diapers. Same thing in Malaysia is RM 16 vs S$18 here. How is it another country (seemingly not as affluent) can keep things conducive for childbirth? In UK kids stuff are not taxed. Mothercare is so affordable for the good quality assured. Milk bottles are 3 times more expensive than USA (Medela for example, S$2 for a spare bottle vs S$15.90 here). No wonder so many ppl rather order online and wait a month for goodies than get fleeced at departmental stores.

I'm stayhome and already feel tired. Can imagine working moms who have to fetch kids here and there + maid salary/tax + car/home loan + childcare/enrichment/pocketmoney + bills. Not possible to save unless total income is above $6000, living in HDB with minimal cash top-up.

I'm just grateful that CPF minimum is already met and so with the interest rate, I shouldn't need to top up to get back my money when I grow old. So much better to live in a HDB than be subjected to escalating conservancy fees (for condominium) and loans to service.
 
stylobb

Me lor, when I was working, I often work till midnight!! and MIL babysit dd1 for me in her own house so I hardly had the time to visit my baby. And during peak period, I work over weekends too. Really crazy hours. I tried looking for roles with shorter hours but after months of searching still no luck in that. In my line of work, OT is expected.

My dd1 refused to let me carry her whenever I visit her. She probably wondered who is this strange auntie who insisted on carrying her. So heartbreaking, sob sob. If I didn't quit my job, I would never consider a 2nd child.

To me, staying at home is not an option, it's a MUST. I don't want to be a stranger to my kids...
 
mumusings

I used to buy S26 in bulk from sheng siong, so much cheaper than NTUC. Hunting for the cheapest milk powder and diapers was my favourite passtime when my kids were still toddlers, hehe

Now my favourite pastime is stretching my dollar. Go shopping during GSS or expo sale, pick up good bargains. There are some unbelievable good buy like addidas shoes at $40 to $60.

Don't have to go short on quality to save money, just have to sniff out the best deal. And whenever I grab a good deal at sale, got 成就感 leh, cheap thrill lah, haha!
 
The last 2 days I went expo twice. Thursday went Robinson sale. Friday went World of Sports sale. Sale so so only, didn't manage to cover half my shopping list.

My all time favourite is still the annual Addidas sale, wonderful bargain!
 
Hi Yawn,

My hb found a pair of limited edition adidas shoes at one of the shops at Suntec before the CNY. Was 70% off at $36. Doesn't make sense to go for the 'latest' so long as cut/fit suits. He's also ever found a leather pair of Puma for $59 at expo sale. I can't find stuff I like for myself 'cos I've put on weight
sad.gif
 
pink gerbera

thanks for your encouragement!

Shoes
clarks shoes are comfy but very limited in styles and costly too! if i can wear track shoes to work everyday, it would be great!
 
Hi Tam and moms with messy boys,

Need some advice. Kid has figured out how to write various alphabets and numbers BUT is still messy. How do you deal with messy boys? Reward system and whatever known methods don't work on this chap because he's naturally imaginative + destructive.

Sample of the latest:
7347128.jpg


Whole page: http://mumusings.blogspot.sg/2012/07/writing-check-out-zeds.html

While I'm glad to see that he's grasped the sound/concept of the letter 'Z' through his very buzzy writing, I'm at a stalemate here 'cos he's so keen to write things his way and mess up the page.
 
Hey mommies who have weight gain issues

I did 2 hours of cardio exercise this morning, aerobics follow by kickboxing. Very shiong but shiok!

My friend said she won't 'torture' herself through this sort of intensive exercise. She suggested climbing stairs or just go for stroll. Huh??
Sigh... slim people won't understand leh

I've been going to gym for months with no results. Diet doesn't work either. I'm almost contemplating slimming centers but my prior experience with one center in 2004 shown no results so I'm not sure I should re-visit that route

My gym trainer said need to add more cardio. Going to such exercises classes (on top of gym) is good in the sense that with so many people panting together, I won't give up so quickly mah. In gym, I usually stopped after 2 quick rounds of cardio when I felt tired.

Desperate time call for desperate measures, haha!
 
Hi Yawn,

Stair climbing isn't advisable for ppl with weak joints. I gained more weight when I did aerobics, tae-bo and aqua-aerobics one year with my sis (long time ago). Made me so giddy and hungry that I ate even more than ever. She also gained weight 'cos we had no choice but to pig out after evening sessions.

Yoga, Pilates made me sick (all the breathing in and out) with gastric flu. Good thing trial lessons so FOC.

The only thing/salon that worked for me was twice/thrice weekly treatments at Marie France. Seriously expensive but I like it that I simply need to check into the salon on time for 2 to 3 hours. I was down to 54 kg from 60kg within a month and could see my weight falling by 0.5kg every few days on its own even though I cut down to weekly treatments. Managed to mantain weight at 49kg - 51kg after for a few years until I had a kid. It's likely just fluid retention, slow metabolism and poor blood circulation.

If not for the fact that I have no income now, I will definitely go sign up for at least 20 sessions to kickstart the process of eliminating my spare tyre!

Anyway, the advice for me is to lose weight first before exercising to tone the legs/arms etc. As I have spine/knee injuries before, most rigorous forms of exercising are no-no for me.
 
yawn/mumusings
I think regular exercise is still the best but maybe at our age, we can't shed off the extra kgs as easy! I'm having problems too... been trying to rid of 2 kgs w/ no avail...sigh.. .
One thing is to cut down on carbo...
I can't walk up the stairs as my knees hurt..keke... Overall, not so fit this year leh...
When I run, the side of my feet hurts.. (near the toe area)...

yawn
But I find it just as challenging to stay home to look after kids... keke... my voice volume is v loud....
 
Mumusings,

Thanks! Will try my best not to be overstressed. Last trip was when we only had #1 and he was 8 months old. We went during winter! The flight there was great except SIA very strict about no babies in bassinet rule when fasten seat belt sign is on and for some reason, I find SIA pilots very trigger happy with the seat belt sign button! Anyway, DS did not eat/drink much during the whole he was time and got cold bug towards the end of our trip. So flight back was a nightmare – that’s why I told hubby, no trip back to UK during winter until kids are older. Its just way to cold to enjoy ourselves.
This time, I just tell myself, take one thing at a time, if they didn’t want to eat well so be it lah for 2 weeks and we will ‘bu’ when we are back.

Very ‘creative’ way of writing ‘Z’. You know, at least you can’t say he is lazy as it actually takes more effort to squiggle the Z than just 1 stroke. Perhaps its just a phase and he is just very individualistic about his way of doing things.

styloBB,

My hubby is British. He is very proud of all things Britannia….haha.
Yes, I can see the difference between my boys and my girl. The boys are monkeys and they are a bad influence to their sister. She was quite tame when she was younger but now, start to behave tomboyish too – no choice, everyday facing 2 brothers. Right now, we only have our maid to help and we try to be as hands on as possible so she doesn’t really do take care of the kids, I am so tired during the weekends. I also find my voice volume getting louder and louder.
I hate to admit this but on Mondays, I am actually relieve to go back to office and have some adult company…very bad of me, right?

Yawn2,

I also wish to lose weight. But right now between work and kids, I don’t even have enough time to sleep or do anything for myself. I did think about myself skipping lunch and going to my condo gym during my lunch hour. Not disciplined enough at all…just want to veg and do nothing if even have 1 pocket of time.
Only way is through control diet but also hard when working outside. All the food very unhealthy.
 
Helen,
I think you are doing the right thing. Yes you are right that most parents are worried about preparing their kids for P1. Actually the only thing we need to do is to ensure that kids can read well in 2 languages, then they will have no problems in primary school. It is not necessary to make kids do many hours of maths worksheets or writing before P1.

pink gerbera,
You have done very well in teaching your boy to converse in Chinese
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It is extremely rare to find young kids who can converse effortlessly in 2 languages nowadays.
This is also the best time to teach Chinese character recognition. If you can persist to teach 30 minutes a day, your kids can be reading long novels in Chinese by P1. I do not advocate over teaching kids, but it takes a very long time to learn to be very good in languages, so it is best to start from a young age, so that the child only needs to spend a short time learning every day. Many parents panic only when their kids are at P4, and start to force their kids to learn Chinese for many hours a day, and end up killing their interest in the language.

Your hubby is settling in Singapore with you, or will your family go back to UK one day ? Enjoy your trip in UK.
 
mumusings,
Your son is very creative ! Sometimes I suspect that boys are purposely being messy because it is fun. I never criticize my boy's handwriting, I ignore him when he is messy. I praise him whenever he writes neatly. I think his teachers in school also do the same. Now at P2, his handwriting is very neat in both English and Chinese.
 
styloBB,
Fitflops are selling at $139 here, as low as US55 on zappos.com. I also love the customer service, they are so super nice.

A good pair of shoes can really change my life !

It is best to let your kids read every word out loud, then help them if there are any words they do not know. This is because there may be many words which they cannot read on one page, it will be difficult for them to remember if you read through once.
It is more important to find good teaching resources which repeat the commonly used words over and over again so that kids can build up their confidence in reading.
 
Hi Gerbera,

Thanks. I do hope it's just a phase. He's so very messy. The good thing is that some days he volunteers to colour/write non-stop for an hour. He can count on his own but when anyone asks him to count, he likely will say "1,2,6,7,9 10...". Hope to work on consistency. He can translate words (Chinese/English) and speak using tenses (common verbs) meanwhile. Hope to start proper on phonics soon. I take it that by enlivening his writing of alphabets, he's clear on the sound each letter makes?

Yesterday, kid said to me: "I not tragic."!!! He must have picked up the word when I chastised him one day when he was whimpering over a small matter "don't make yourself sound tragical when you're at fault". Since this fellow has superb memory, I think I should simply use adult-level English at home. Even if he can't spell, at least ensure that he picks up a decent range of vocabulary for conversational purpose.

Have a great trip to UK. Weather should be great
happy.gif
London and/or outskirts? I love the steak-mushroom pies, home-made sausages (eg. Cumberland sausage) and jam-filled doughnuts in UK!
 
Hi Tam,

Really need help soon 'cos he's purposely not responding when we do phonics. He enjoys the Leapfrog videos (word factory portion on cat/fat/bat etc) but I don't know if it's actually sunk in. When we were kids, teachers used pure English/Mandarin to teach. No-nonsense/boring but at least children picked up proper basic grammar/spelling.

These days, many teachers speak Singlish or slang and I don't wish to comment on PRC's standard of teaching/conversing 'cos I have one PAP kindy near my place which we walk pass daily. I don't know which is worse, not going to school OR going to school but picking up sub-standard for various subjects.

One of my (relief-teaching) students typical of teenager speaking said: "I was like sleeping". You know how they add "like" before every verb in a sentence. "I was like bored... We were like resting by the benches..." I couldn't tahan and asked her "So were you asleep or were you using a metaphor?" She still replied: "I was like sleeping" and rhen suddenly realised what I was saying and quickly changed to "Ooops sorry, I meant to say that I was sleeping" All these junk American expressions have really eaten their way here, thanks to crappy TV programmes sitcoms.
 
Tam

thanks for your reassurance. my elder one came back with penmanship for chinese and she complained that her fingers are hurting from too much writing ! when i checked her fingers, one of it has a bump(sign of holding a pencil and writing too long!)i do not advocate writing lines after lines. what is the point if the child keeps writing the wrong thing over and over again? aren't we reinforcing the wrong word/s? i cancelled the extra boxes she is supposed to write and wrote a note to the Chinese tr. My gal is so afraid the tr will scold her. I told her not to worry as I have written in the note for the tr to call me if she needs to clarify.
When I was in China Wuhan visiting their schools, they do not advocate writing the same word for more than 5 times! When I came back, I tried the same method. guess what? Instead of getting a few lines of wavy worms, most kids are happy to write 3 beautiful characters for me! I was overjoyed and the kids enjoyed writing! quantity is not equal to quality!can't understand why are we punishing our kids when we want them to learn well?no wonder they hate chinese
 
hi,
I need recommendations for an honest and reliable local courier service. Basic service requirement would be to pick up at same location each time, and to be able to deliver islandwide.

I've not used any previously. I've read a lot of varied comments on Ta-Q-Bin, but no experience with them.

My parents/sister used to help with the packages...either to personally deliver them or bring the packages to the Post Office. But I think it's getting a little too much for them to handle. A reliable courier service is much appreciated.

Thanks so much everyone!!
 
mumusings,
My hubby told me that he learned phonics by watching Sesame Street. Your son will learn basic phonics by watching Leapfrog DVDs.
My advise is to focus only on reading before the age of 7. Leave writing materials around and let kids write when they feel a need to do so. I make sure that my kids read out loud to me for 15 to 30 minutes a day from books everyday, and that is more than enough to prepare them for primary school.

I think you said before that your boy has good motor skills. Just continue to develop his fine motor skills through play. He will write neatly when he wants to or have to. Primary school teachers have a good way of making kids write neatly.

You are right that the English standards of PAP teachers are not good. I have heard of parents who are willing to pay $1600 a month to put their kids in Eton, Pat's Schoolhouse etc just because the teachers speak perfect English.

Last year I taught about 75 students studying the Early Childhood diploma and most of these students will eventually work as PAP teachers. Honestly, I am quite worried for the children they are going to teach, and it is not only about English standards. I was frustrated with their learning attitude.


Helen,
I also worked in Wuhan for 7 weeks in 2010, but I was teaching in a university. I wanted to visit a primary school there but had no contacts, really envy you for having the chance to do so.
I am happy to know that schools in China do not advocate writing the same words repeatedly. The fact is that even if kids do so everyday, and even if a child gets 100 marks for ting xie every time, it does not mean that she knows how to write good compositions.

A child must have read enough Chinese books in order to write well. Unfortunately, many parents in Singapore still do not understand this. One famous blogger with a GEP daughter famously proclaimed that her gifted daughter is not good in Chinese, and her conclusion is that Chinese is difficult to learn. This is very wrong. If she has made her daughter read one Chinese book for every English book that she read, since 3 years old, then there is no reason why a gifted child canno do well in Chinese. The problem is not because Chinese is difficult, but because parents do not understand how it should be learned.

If kids have been reading Chinese story books regularly, then they don't even need to spend time learning Chinese in primary school.
 
Hi tamarind,

I hv read yr postings on reading Chinese and English books to learn these 2 languages. I hv also read up yr blog which i find it useful in teaching language. Just like other parents, I also thought doing assessment books helps in improving English or Chinese. When I read yr postings here, I know I use the wrong method. You were right abt reading cos I am one good example. I am poor in both languages cos I hv never read a lot of books when I was young esp Chinese books. I don't like to read Chinese books cos I find it difficult to finish one book.

If a child didn't start reading from a young age, would it be too late to start at 7 yrs old? Pls advise. Thank you.
 
Tamarind
yup getting 100 for tingxie does not mean much. sometimes it is just temporary memory we r testing. the child gets 100 to please parent etc, after that he/sheforgets everything.

to me, if a child can use the word to make a sentence, he/she has learnt; if not, learning has not taken place.

Moorspa
sorry to interfere at this juncture. you can try reading to the child first, instead of getting the child to read by himself/herself. when the child interest in reading starts to "blossom",he/she will "fight" to read the story. when my elder gal is young, i read to her everynight. now she will want to read to me. but the younger gal refuses to let jiejie read so sometimes i have to read to one first then listen to the other.

never too late to start reading yourself. as parents we need to model. forcing a child to read while we watch tv, use ipad will never work. told so many parents but so far no one parent can achieve heeheehee..
 
Hi Helen,

It's ok, any advice is appreciated. I'll start reading to my kids, to set an example myself. You are right, kids will follow what parents do. Thanks a lot.
 

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