How is Brayden?

We all love his cheekiness to the MAX!

Little did I know home learning can make a significant difference from a school environment. I am shy to admit that I am neglecting him quite a bit these days with home coaching, to my surprise, he still picks up whatever small things we have been doing together! That's the beauty of spending time at home.

He can now distinguish between a fire figher and a policeman. Whatever milestone, whether is it ahead or behind his peers, it didn't really bother me at this stage, so long he learns and enjoys learning. This is all I asked for.

I didn't want him to be a couch potato, however there are many things he learned while watching educational programs. What I need to do is ensuring he tunes into the right programs.

There are many photos I posted on Facebook and a tad lazy to transfer them.

We also caught the NDP preview, shall take some time to upload the pictures by this week and post them up. There are simply too many!

How Much Preparation is Enough for P1?

We are sending her for Chinese, English, K2 integrated program in prepartion for P1.

Besides these, I bought her assessments - English, Chinese, Math, Science upon her request. Am I doing enough?

Whenever I come across some parents who are no less kiasu than me, they will tell me they send the kids to tuition classes, blah...blah blah...somehow, I feel Ethyl is pretty much a kid who picks up concepts pretty fast and understands well. Am I doing too much?

She always comes to me complaining, "Mommy I am so bored, I don't know what to do!" This happens when she just finish her assessments on a total about 30 pages and completed in less than 15 minutes.

I gave her whatever I can, ask her to do her favurite painting, drawing, coloring, play pretending, or even tv watching, yet she still finds bored.

Class teachers feedback to me is she is pretty outstanding in her class. I told her, I may just send her to 3 academic focused classes, once every week. Other than those, she will get her art and swimming. She came back pouting and said, too few classes for her *I almost fainted* I also intend o send her for drum lessons which she requested, but the class has yet to start.

Stress is not something she feels at this moment. Because of her learning ability, I am a little lag in pushing her. I just hope she will enjoy her school and retain that enthusiasm for learning.

After saying so much, I guess preparation is a little ambiguous in this sense. Preparation not only is about academic excellence, survival skills are as important.

Learning to count money correctly, checking her school time table, preparing her school bag, ordering the correct food and complete eating in a shorter time are vital survival skills.

With bigger class compared to kindy, the part whereby she manages her emotions, friendships and her responsibilities towards her belongings are equally important.

Here, I play a role whereby I need to teach her how to strike a good balance, be her mentor, her friend in need, her Mommy where she can pour her woes to and a playmate when she needs one.

I hope she will enjoy her school days and we will be smooth in the transition.

I'm on a Roller Coaster Ride (again!)

Two days before, I looked at Ethyl's face and watching her with much attention. I know time flies past especially the time when I am basking in motherhood bliss. None-the-less, a part of me do hope the kids to grow up fast, while the other part of me is secretly hoping time would just halt and let me enjoy them longer.

It was like yesterday that I held Ethyl in my arms, nursing her and bonding with her in our room, in our hall of our first matrimonial flat. I loved watching her suckling and satisfied after dining on me and the fulfillment I get to be able to breastfeed her.

Soon, she flipped, crawled, cut her first tooth, took her first steps etc.

The days of her being a toddler, I brought her out shopping alone, dining at different cafes, restaurants and walking along the stretch of Orchard Road while Hubby was busy at work. All these are memorable and meaningful to me. Our first born, garners all the attention and love from me.

As I reminise those days, reality brought me back. I still love her, but the way I show it is slightly different. I am a little more demanding nowadays as I hope to incalcate the right values and mannerism in her everyday life.

Today, as I register her for P1, my heart undergone another tedious round of tension test. As we registered Ethyl, it was so natural that my eyes felt warm. I lost appetite after that.

As I approached the registration room, my heart thuds faster, probably my BP shot up to a new height then. I am anxious, no doubts as there are only 60 seats left for us. But the main reason behind it is because I suddenly couldn't accept the fact that my Ethyl is going to P1 next year.

As much as I wish time would wait, which is impossible; all I had to is simply enjoy her every moment I have. Having her chatting with me, requesting for my hugs and kisses, showing a little jealousy sometimes and smelling her hair whenever she lies next to me!

Yes, I am an emotional Mommy...I know that very well! I just hope the registration doesn't give us a tough time.

Mom, is this a sacrifice?

Ethyl asked when her classmates and herself are discussing about their stay-at-home-moms. There are only 3 girls in her class, coincidentally, all Moms are SAHM.

Probably during discussions someone mentioned about scarifice, hence she popped this question to me.

Why am I doing my best I can for my kids? Simply because I put myself in their shoes; I don't get enough of such attention from my Mom.

Sad ya?

2 weeks ago, I actually laid on the bed thinking to myself, what are the important transisitons that Mom accompanied me? Hmm...it took me more than 20 minutes to remember ONE - my first days in P1. As I was typing, I suddenly remembered, When I was in P3, the orientation when we changed to a new school.

So, what is sacrifice? I told her, I am just doing my best for her. Creating an environment that hopefully both herself and Brayden will thrive in my care. Simply because they are my kids, and I do not that this as a sacrifice.

No words exchanged, just a hug from her after hearing what I said.

She is growing up so fast...she will soon be in P1. I hope she will understand the efforts I put in in time to come.

Nurturing a Picasso?

Highly unlikely, however since she has been saying she loves to draw and do art, why not just let her have some enrichments that is non-academic and fun?

I tried persuading Hubby to let her go for this enrichment since day 1 I saw Global art starting an outlet at ehub! downtown east. He was, as usual giving me all sorts of excuses saying she has too many enrichments, she can't cope blah blah blah.

Nevertheless, Ethyl never gave up reminding us (especially me) that she loves to draw, she would love to color nicely like other kids do. For myself, I am very very weak in this aspect, thus I really would love to see her doing well in art.

My decision was made then. She shall join them. Having said that, this decision came when I was about to quit my job and start my business. So many uncertainties and I really am not sure if I should just enrol her.

It took me about 2 months to decide. I tried to discuss with Hubby to let her join, he was reluctant. All the time, I would simply imform him about my decision on the classes to enrol for Ethyl as I am the one paying. This time, I hope he can help lighten my load. As you can see, he is indecisive when he is told to pay.

Never mind, it's for the good of our daughter, so I shall just pay for it since it doesn't cost an arm or a leg.

Seeing her artwork from the first lesson and how much she enjoyed her lesson, whatever I had to accomodate is worthwhile!

A Time When I Need Help

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions! There are moments in life we need to make decisions be it big or small. This time, besides her kindy, Ialso made other adjustments.

Firstly, I stopped her swimming lessons. I realise the previous swim school has been adding new students to the class and Ethyl, one of the better swimmer is always delayed because the coach has to focus on the newbies. Better arrangement could have been made and the school should make it a point to group students according to their progress.

I have since stopped her when her last term ended in June. Today, she starts her swimming with a new swim school. This is held very near our place, at least I can send her there in the evenings and one of our weekend is free from activities.


For the first lesson, the coach noticed her potential and teaches her seperately. Not that Ethyl is a good swimmer, at least she doesn't have water phobia and that makes her learning curve smoother.

Next, she will start her art lesson with Globalart as well. I seriously hope those fanciful drawings they showcased are not just for show. I really hope she can learn drawing, coloring and establish an interest in art that I lack.

Hubby just threw me a bomb asking me to homeschool Ethyl from home. Ethyl herself also requested I homeschool her from home. I have been doing it, non-religiously I would say. It is always impromptu whenever I coach her from home, however I made it a point, we do it at least 3 times a week.

Considering the unhappiness I face with the school, further chats with parents confirms my doubts are not unfounded.

Homeschooling takes alot of discipline. I have some time to think about it before school ends. Let's see...

Where is the school for us?

Tell me I am too fussy and particular. Shouldn't I be especially when it comes to pre-school education for the kids?

The current school Ethyl goes to, I found them pretty disorganized for a while, but kept quiet about it till I really couldn't take their nonsense today! How can they shift lesson timing and didn't inform me (I am not sure about other parents), only when Mom went at 12pm to bring Ethyl lunch, then she was told there is such a change?

Is this acceptable to you? The Principal said to Mom, they forgot. Well, this is pretty unacceptable to me from my point of view.

Brayden had an incident whereby his wound (at the back of his head where the operation was) was bleeding after school not long after he joined. I checked with the teachers and principal, apparently no one knew about it. I asked if he hurt himself, they were not sure either. As Brayden is also a very active child, I do not want to shift the blame nor point the finger and be someone so unreasonable, I close one eye since it isn't something to major. I also made a point to remind the teachers to keep a watch out especially the back of his head.

Next, his water bottle went missing. A brand new bottle. Follwed by he was scratched blah blah blah...no one could give me a good answer when I texted them to ask about the incidents. I know kids tend to play a little rougher...but as teachers, shouldn't they try to keep a watchful eye over the kids, especially those in playgroup?

Today's "miscommunication" is the last straw. I had enough of such disorganized pre-school. My decision to pull Brayden out and see how things goes seems pretty right.

Academic, though important, the environment, teachers'committment and the overall general health and cleanliness is equally important. I have seen them going into their classes without health checks. I have seen them ending their classes about 20 minutes before they are due for dismissal.

At the beginning of this term, I noticed a few new faces as well as some students withdrew from the school. One parent shared with me on how she felt about the school and decided to withdraw probably next year. She reaffirms my doubts on a few matters. Is the school over promising? In both our opinion, yes!

I went to the other school today when we passed by the PD's clinic. I walked in with Brayden to check out the school. The principal seems kind, how they conduct their classes also seems so similiar to Ethyl's MMI at ten mile junction. I quite like it. The focus on their curriculum is also ideal. At least I don't see self-praising and hardselling there.

A discussion with Hubby is needed. Though he is seldom involved in such matters, at least I would orefer he understands why I feel a school for them is so important.