Any Mums with Only One Child Age 4 & Above?

Sharon,
Your child is 6 this year ? Ask around and try to get a school less than 2km if you have no links (Phase 2C).

Mrs Shim,
I will put my girl in Arise when she's 4. That is, if the principal is still the same lady.
 


Hi mummies,

Sorry to interupt your chat. I have questions that only mothers with older kids can help. So, please kindly share with me on the following. Thanks in advance.

My 3+ years old niece is currently attending a church nursery class. A few months ago, the teacher told my sister that my niece wasn't good at coloring and advised her to enrol my niece for some private drawing lessons. Just last week, the teacher spoke with my sister abt my niece's weakness in Chinese. Apparently my niece can't speak Mandarin (perhaps she didn't want to) and can't recognize any chinese characters so far. (But she has no problems with understanding and singing in Mandarin, in fact she can recite the San Zi Jing) So, we speculate that the teacher is "asking" my sister to send my niece for some chinese enrichment classes.

I'm a bit confused. What can we expect from the nursery schools - Nursery 1 & Nursery 2, i.e what does the N1 & N2 teach? Are 3 years old kids expected to know things such as coloring, writing, reading (English & Chinese), numbers etc before attending the nursery schools? Is it a trend for kids to attend both Nursery schools and enrichment classes at the same time? Would it be better if my niece attended the enrichemnt classes instead of nursery schools then?

Btw, my niece is a end december kid. She's actually 3+ years old but attending the Nursery class meant for 4 years old. My sister is contemplating to take her out of the class and enrol her again next year. Should she look for another preschool? Some have advised to place my niece in full day childcare. What are your views?
 
Hi Janet, my gal is in K1 but my nephew will be 6 soon! My sis is thinking to enrol him in Fuhua which i too would like my gal to be in the same sch as him!
 
Hi Serenade, actually not necessary to enrol her in any enrichment classes now! I believe she will pick up the 'skills' when she is in K1.

Like my gal, she didn't know how to speak Mandarin or understand Chinese when she was in N1 or N2, but when she is in K1, she seems to 'improve' tremendously! Which also include colouring & drawing!

However i do let her attends phonics when she was in N2 for her to socialise with new friends! Though learning wasn't my main objective to send her to this class but i do see she learnt something from it which i'm very glad!
happy.gif
 
Hi Serenade,
Maybe I be kaypoh since I'm online now. My son's Mandarin is terrible. He can't speak well and his teacher has recommended that we speak to him more Mandarin at home, read Chinese story books and watch programs. He didn't attend any pre-nursery classes or enrichment before nursery class. Actually he has improved somewhat. Before nursery, he hated Mandarin but now he sings Mandarin songs taught in school. He's going to P1 next year and I am worried. But yet, can't push him too much.

My girl is also a year-end kid. So, I will only send her to nursery class at term 3 or she will be far behind compared to her peers who are born earlier. Anyway, girls will mature faster. So, don't worry too much. This advice was given by my friend.
 
Hi Serenade,

I am speaking from my personal experiences with my girl who is aslo End Dec kid, and whose Mandarin was terrible initially but is showing progress now.

Frnakly, I am surprise that the pre-school teachers asked your sister to sign your niece up for drawing and Chinese enrichment classes. Your niece is only 3 1/2 years, she should be learning all these basics in her nursery.There shouldn't be any need to to for such enrichment classes at this stage. Is her class too big that the teacher cannot afford to spend more time,give your niece more attention when she needs help?

I would say my girl's pre-school teacher did a wonderful job of reading and making her read a whole series of Chinese books.Besides, I started a Speak Mandarin Days for my girl at home, every Mon,Wed,Fri, we will speak to her in Mandarin at home.

She may not be as fluent as those who are from Mandarin Speaking homes, but at least she doesn't ignore people who spoke to her in Mandarin, like she did before.

Ask your sister to look around for other pre-schools and compare their curriculum,styles,systems.

I agree that Phonics is important, preferably they should start latest from nursery, if not playgroup.My girl started phonics when she's two.

Hanyu Pinyin is better to defer until after they have learned English phonics to avoid confusing them.
 
Hi Van,
I am kiasu. Thought of sending my son for Hanyu Pinyin enrichment class in his school but a lot of my friends also told me to defer that and build up his foundation in English phonics instead. So, I signed up for English phonics and his favourite art for term 3. As for Hanyu Pinyin, it will be taught in Primary 1. Maybe, I will start my daughter on phonics when she's 2.
 
Janet,
I thought Hanyu Pinyin is taught in K2? My girl is learning Hanyu Pinyin in her K2 class. On top of that, her school aslo give Chinese Speech and Drama lessons weekly since K1,taught by her Chinese teacher from China. She has learned some Tang Shi(poems) so far, and acted out some dramas.

It is good to start phonics when your girl is 2.
 
Van,
My son's Chinese teacher told me she will not be teaching Hanyu Pinyin in K2 as the kids are trying to build up their foundation in English phonics. Teaching them h.pinyin will confuse them.
 
Hi all,

Thanks for your encouraging views. I'll surely convey your experiences and views to my sister. As Van has suggested, perhaps my niece needs a different type of nursery environment that encourages and allows her to learn.

Seriously, I was beginning to worry for my 3 years old (just turned 3) son who knows nothing abt Chinese. I was actually thinking of pushing him in Chinese. But after reading your views, I agree that things just can't be rushed.

Btw, may I know what type of phonics do the kids learn at 2 years old? all the 44 odd letter sounds? How abt blending? Do kids find it easy to blend words?

Thanks a great deal for your help!
 
Hi Serenadea and Janet,

For 2 yrs old, they only teach the sounds of A to z,my dd's school uses songs, so she could remember better,then proceeds with vowels,consonants etc.

By K1, they will be learning the blends.By K2, ,most would be able to read on their own,that's when they start to learn Chinese Hanyu Pinyin.
 
KC,
I stay in CCK too. My girl is in MMI at Phoenix Walk.Which pre-school is your son currently in?

MMI has phonics enrichment class at Rail Mall.I recommended a friend there, she is satisified with her son's progress so far.
 
Van,
My son is in a church nursery near to my house. He enjoys the lesson, teacher and friends there. I am just sourcing out whether there are any good enrichment class like Phonics for him to attend. I heard there is a Jan & Elly at Rail Mail there, not bad, dont know is it the one u are talking about.
By the way, anyone got good comments on I-Can-Read Program? There is few branches around...
 
KC,
The same friend who put her son at MMI Rail Mall's phonics class has nieces who attended Jan & Elly.She prefers MMI.

Have two friends who attended I-Can-Read at Woodlands,pulled out half-way.Both commended that it's too stressful for their children.
 
Van,
I-Can-Read is too stressful? I went there to take a look last wweekend and many children there leh. There happened to be a class for my son's level that day and only 3 kids...The max. they take is 8. No chance to sit in...thus enrol a trial class for my son next week. Probably i will sit in and see how the class is before signing up.
Quite headache, I really having hard time to find any good school in West area.
U have msn...wanna chat online...
 
hi all,
New to this thread. I have a girl coming to 4 this year, also just had a newborn.
Those mummies with this kind of age gap can share some experiences? My girl is such a sweet n loving girl before the little one came along this month. I have been going through hell from the first one. She shouts and throws big tantrums immediately after waking up despite efforts to please her in every way... I am on verge of breaking down... even spanked her this morning cos she just picks on everything.. from the way her bread is being folded to the color of her milk etc. so difficult to get her to the toilet to get ready for school... sigh!
Is it like that? Do most children kick up a big fuss? (the so called sibling rivalry). but she is extremely loving towards the sister.. Hope to hear from mummies here...
 
Hi motheragain,
I have 2 kids also born 4 years apart (almost 5). My son is quite receptive to having a sister, but not exactly used to sharing his 'throne' with a 'queen bee' now. In the beginning, I found it hard to cope and scolded him often. My mum advised me not to do that as he will get neglected and feel unloved.

On the whole, he loves his sister a lot. But wants lots of attention from the adults at home. Well, at least your older girl is loving towards her sister. I heard of some who hated the thought of their mother pregnant.
 
hi Janet,
Glad to hear from your experience. Last night, I changed my strategy in dealing with my older girl. I bathed her,suggested that it was time for bedtime story n milk just like 'old times'. She seem ok. Don't know if it was due to the spanking in that morning... but she is afraid that I am always angry with her.. but actually it was just that I wanted her to be on her own for a while when I am attending to the younger one...sigh.. it must be hard on her too..
 
Motheragain,
It's not going to be an easy time for both your girl and you to adjust. Very natural your girl will feel neglected and to a certain degree, she will be. So you might need someone around to look after the newborn while you attend to the older one. It will take time. My son still insists I sleep beside him at night. Then my girl also wants me to sleep beside her.
 
Hi Janet & motheragain,

It's really nice to hear about your experience.

All along, I thought life would be much easier if I have the second baby later. At times, I find it hard to give them equal time & attention. They are two years apart. But after reading your experience, I think there's never really a good time to have a second baby.

Guess I would have to be more patient with my kids.
 
Serenade,
You are right, there is really no perfect time for the 2nd or 3rd kid. There will always be sibling rivalry but it depends how well the first one adjusts to having a sibling. Fortunately, my boy is quite ok overall.
 
Janet,

Same here. Though he gets jealous and bullies his sister, he still loves her very much. Once we were packing to leave the hotel, he pointed to my then 1+ mth old gal and told my mom to "carry" her. Nowadays, he lugs her around and keeps saying "I'm a big brother. I must look after meimei".
happy.gif
 
Serenade,
My son plays his 'gor gor' role very well. He will always want to buy her a toy, AFTER he has chosen his. But he knows his sister loves Elmo and Barney, and thus will show her pictures of these characters when he sees them in the magazines or newspapers.
 
Hi Janet,

I always thought that an elder gal will take care of the younger ones better. But looks like I'm wrong. Boys can be wonderful elder brothers too.
 
Serenade,
Some girls will take care of their younger siblings. It all depends on the character. My son is a good 'gor gor' but he still must be Number 1.
 
Hi all,
My oldest girl is 3 years old, so I guess I don't qualify for this thread hehehe

I am just curious to know, I heard from another forum that kids are expected to know how to read and write before they enter kindergarten. Is this true ? How much reading and writing does your kid know at 4 years old ?
 
Tamarind

Not true. Now they emphasize more on reading and learning rather than writing. They only have minimal writing in nursery. Most of the time for nursery, they will be learning the abc and 123 thru songs. Even for k1 and k2 they do not have much writing as compare to 4 years ago due to a change in teaching method.
 
Tamarind,
That's not really true. I taught my son 1-2-3 and A-B-C but he doesn't know how to read and write before he went to nursery at 4. BTW, he only started to talk in sentences when he was 3. I was worried sending him to school because didn't know if the teachers will understand him either. But he did well in nursery.

Even at K2, the emphasis now is not on writing but to use their brains to think and compose simple (even though broken) sentences. Kids can write very well but they don't use their brains when they are just told to write.
 
Hi all,
nice to find this thread... bec. i kind of feel left out too because most of the other mommies seem to have younger babies !!
my little angel is turning 4 this year and is attending full day child-care...
can somebody enlighten me when is the best age to start phonics for her ??? any recommendation ?? planning to send her to some enrichment classes leh.....
 
hi,
My daughter's nursery class has started on phonics liao. They did it in a very interesting manner. Some of the things that she brought back after the school term ended was quite amazing to me. they actually learnt a lot of things in school, but not the way we would have taught them i guess... Enrichment schools do have a place, but unless u have all the time to fetch them to and fro.. or they really have learning difficulty... they will thrive on their own.. sometimes i thought i should be kia su, sometimes i thought that they are such poor things... sigh.. wat a delima...
 
hi,
my daughter child-care also has phonics... but i abit kia-su leh...
she simply memorising all the words that we taught her ..
is there any enrichment classes during the weekends ???
 
hi alicia,
If your daughter's childcare already has phonics,why not send her to speech and drama,if you really want to send her to some enrichment classes? My girl attended Julia Gabriel's.Just switched to Sp & D with literacy (writing) this year.
 
Hi Van,
Actually, my concern is reading... was told that children who do well in phonics will be able to read better...
Where is Julia Gabriel ? Location ? How old is ur daughter ?
my gal is attending ballet classes already, so thought of sending her to something different..
 
Hi alicia,
My dd is 5+ now. It's true,phonics is essential for learning to read,also helps in learning spelling. My dd is able is able to read on her own since 4+.

Julia Gabriel is located in Forum,Orchard.And there is one more branch at Evans Road.Heard that Lorna Wiston(there is one at Forum) is also very good.

How about Music classes? Yamaha's is good.
 
Tamarind,
Don't worry too much. I didn't send my son to any enrichment classes before he started nursery at 4 & I don't plan to send my 18 month old girl either. It's easy to get caught up with the 'enrichment class race' when you read certain forums.
 
hey tamarind/janet/mrs shim, kekeke... happen to see your posts here .. kekeke.. any chance u all want to bring yr elder kids to see the cartoonist live show at indoor stadium? i have 4 tickets to let go urgently leh... this fri 16th june 3pm show.. if keen, PM me! thanks!
 
Van,
I heard the Julia Gabriel near the Turf Club is not as good as Forum. Next term, I'm letting my boy take Phonics enrichment lessons at his school. Understand it's impt to build up his phonics before learning hanyu pinyin in P1.

Elmobbger,
Sorry this Fri is my dad's birthday. So we will be having lunch & some shopping.
 
Janet,
My dd has been taking Speech and Drama (1 hr prog) for about 2 yrs in JG Forum,switched to Edudrama (1 1/2 hr prog,incl creative writing) since beginning of this year.Not aware that there is JG near Turf Club,but didn't hear any complaint from my neigbour,whose daughter attended Evans Road JG.
 
Van,
My aunt sent her son to the one near Turf Club because Forum one is full. Kids have so many types of enrichment lessons now, really not easy if living on just one sole breadwinner.
 

Hey, I have a 4 yr old girl nw in nursery. But, 2nd one is coming soon EDD 5 nov. Still dunno the gender yet.

Btw, Im thinking of sending my daughter for art classes as this is her interest. Any recommendation as Im staying at East side.
 
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