1st Time...

Education
its true the kids look to us for all sorts of things. and the way we respond to them will determine how they will react to everything. i'm sure we all know by now its not JUST what u "teach" them (ie call mama, papa or "standing" ) that will hasten the process. the learning process really involves way more than achievements. if we oni cheer our children on (even in the cases where mil wans to judge their grandkids or their dils for that matter), then learning isnt learning, it shld oni be called succeeding.


Expensive preschs-
i'm at a real loss at this. u noe to a certain extent, i buy their teaching methods. and i'm prepared to send sidney to the sch where the most caring teachers with good disciplinary methods can instill treasured values to him. i'm not so keen on learning to read by 4, do maths by 6 or watsoever. but i would pay the world that he will grow in a loving environment where the teacher has time to explain to him that it is not right to snatch a toy, and why it would be very sweet to mind his manners.unfortunately in an environment with no one-to-one attention, its always too hard to do this.
expensive preschs actually do make a difference in this area, ive realised. possibly due to low teacher-student ratio and the fact the parents are terribly fussy (like me!)

Motherhood is a journey that very few pple give u a pat on ur shoulder and says to u.." ur child is so chubby. he's way too smart for his age"
Nope.
not many would take that 10 secs to give u credit for anything u have put in. but we're constantly on the watch, 24/7. even when they are sleeping, we're not. we're really listening out to see if they are awake. even when we 're out shopping, i'm really doing my "watchin the kid" job somewhere else. i'm not on a break!i'm just having a change of environment.
pple have so much to say, but when u ask them if they would like to watch ur kid for u just abit, they raise their hands in the air and say,"NO NO!" haha.
take heart in the fact there are many mothers out here giving u support. ")
 


Nellu,
I went to the NTUC @ my place..they dun have it liao..think out of stock..

Hmmm..talking abt #2..wat age gap u all think is good? 2 years diff or more?
 
Expensive preschool + Education
most pple have the idea that because of the price, it must be good. I say..not true..

My friend, my god daughter's mum, sends her girl to Chiltern House (the continuation from Julia Gabriel). it's freaking expensive! My goddaughter had been going to JG before that...BUT BUT BUT, she's the naughtiest, brattiest kid I've ever seen in my life!!! Of course I don't dare to say this to my friend lah... So it doesn't mean that expensive is good.

consider this: most of the expensive preschool clientele are parents who are willing to splurge on their kids. Most of these families are small. There is only ONE kid. In fact, according to my friend, she can tell me that alot of her daughter's classmates are bratty and spoiled (hahaha!!)! And on top of that, these preschools are profit oriented. More often than not, despite having a great teaching method, well trained teachers and small student to teacher ratio, the schools are not likely to "punish" the brats for fear of losing business...

For Josh and all my other kids, we will be sending them to church kindergartens. If we want to send them for playgroups or other programmes, I'll want to go recce and checked the places and the people who run them and attend them, before putting my kids there.

Essentially, i believe that strong family foundation is most important. External factors can't be controlled by us. On top of that, all parents would want to provide the best for the kids...but it's no point bending your back over backwards to do that...provide the best within your means. Kids are happiest when they know that their parents are there for them, not when they know that their parents are absent and working hard to earn money for them.
 
Graybecky,
NTUC not always have one leh...did you try Kiddy Palace?

Abt #2, me thinking of trying starting from next month. We are not on any contraception. hurhurhur...so luck of the draw lah!! hahaha
 
sgn,
hmm...ref the decor, i think it's ok lah...I'm not sure if i have time to meet up with you to get it also leh...Cos the week when i return, likely the maid will be here. Got to train her lah and also better to keep Josh at home for that week to get his routine back on track...

in fact, my friends, Josh's godparents, had offered to help run the errands for me...kekeke....

btw, have you ordered the cake yet? I'm going to order Josh cake first before i leave...stress ant the design now...
 
oh...btw, mummies, abt my friend and my goddaughter..(this is farnie!!). My friend always comment to another friend who has two boys (now 9 and 7), that her boys are very well behaved. This is true. My friend #2 is a SAHM all alone in England. No maid, no parents, no relatives. No expensive schooling either.

But Friend #1 can NEVER accept it when Friend #2 tells her, it's cos the boys have each other (compared to #1 girl who's the only child and only grandchild!) to play with and there is no one to spoil them. And that she doesn't use her wealth (btw Friend #2 comes from old money family...LOADS of money!!!) to buy her boys love. She's always there for them and with them. Tha's why they are well behaved.

I see these 2 friends with kids and i really think Friend #2 is right in her way with her kids.

As for Friend #1, she complains alot abt her own daughter, but i never see her taking any action to correct her daughter's behaviour...only see her spend lots of money buying nice toys, loads of DVDS, nice clothes, sending her to expensive programmes after programmes....
 
there isnt any right and wrong anywhere with regards to motherhood. some sahms are at home all day with the kid but leave them to watch tv the whole day or play by themselves or dump them a book and expect them to help themselves to it.

i'm sure ftwms have their own stands n definitely very solid reasons why they chose to work instead of being at home with their child.
they buy expensive toys becoz they wanna come back n play with the kid with the little time they have at nite. and who can we fault when time and age places such pressure on material needs?

all in all. just boils down to how the parent makes use of whatever time they have to impart to the child. even play can be educational.

just bot sidney a huge trike. we love it to bits but he,obviously was screeching thru the whole session. haha.
u noe we've come to realise all these fancy toys we buy satisfy us, parents, so much more than the kid. we always end up buying stuff we wished we had as a kid. me n hubby playing with race tracks now..keke.

ok ok... and all that tok is for the fact that i'm a real sucker for all toys. we're big FP fans!
 
sgn
your party got other kids who will eat the cake or not? Kids can eat the lychee martini meh? i wanted to order that too...but decided not to because we will be having some kids here...sad...lychee martini is one of my favourite drinks..(read: i love alcohol to bits!)

shauna,
hahaha...you got deprived childhood ah? kekeke not enough toys to play last time?..kekeke..

i think i can save loads of money on toys cos Josh doesn't play with them as they are meant to. Besides, he is more interested in looking at how my fax machine is assembled, why the oven door is reflecting his image, opening and closing the door of the washing machine, trying to 'unscrew' his cot...all these kinds of things...
 
eh...btw, my two friends that i was telling you ladies abt are SAHMs...

Friend #1..i really dunno what she does with her girl...really....
 
nellu
well the last time i tasted lychee martini i dun even know got alcohol! their triple chocolate also nice yum yum!

hey i also love to buy toys, i think i got deprived childhood bah, remember last time my mom only buy toys during birthday or christmas for us.
 
sgn,
kids' bodies are more sensitive. I'd rather not order it even though I really really LOVE lychee martini (hhahaha actually i love martini!!)... Later all my friends come after me... :p
 
nellu
i went to order the cake just now n bought their triple chocolate n orange zest. my aunties tried n they like orange zest but i prefer triple chocolate. so ky's cake will be orange zest for the 1st top n lychee martini for the 2nd layer.
 
Nellu,
I saw it @ Bukit Timah Plaza NTUC..but we didn't get it..the other day we let bb try straw..she seems to like it..although we dun know if she drank or not..haha..so we decide to continue the straw & see how..
By the way..how old is ur kid liao..me forgot..
 
sgn,
thanks for the info on the cake. also ordered liao

graybecky,
hehe...sometimes they'll play with the straw. Like Josh, he'll drink first few sips, aft that he'll suck at the straw and then spit out the water.. he feels v happy when his shirt is all wet!

u went to NTUC at bt timah? whr u live? i go there v often also. convenient...

Josh is 11 mths now..

Mummies,
we'll be taking off tmw nite..now rushing to pack everything, and the bags are bursting!!

will see if i have chance to log in again..if not see you ladies in 3 weeks' time!
happy.gif
 
nellu- this is hilarious. him unscrewing his cot. i love toys so much. me n hb would go to the toy store n buy the things we always wanted as a child for him. its like living our dreams in sidney u noe? hey babes enjoy ur trip!the bags shld be bursting when u return! bring more bags there!!
 
hi mummies,
we are leaving tonight. I'm still sitting in the sweltering heat right now...driving me nuts...when i get to Paris it'll be so freaking cold...brrrr....

also dun think will get to shop much, cos the exchange rate isn't a pretty sight. 1 Euro =S$2.15. It's worse when i get to UK. 1 Sterling Pound =S$2.70!!

If i was still working, i would not have bat an eyelid...but now, it's a different case...

Shauna,
kekeke, Josh doesn't really unscrew his cot, just that he likes to poke at screws and rivets, even buttons and poppers!! and then of course he'll attempt to take them out, not by yanking or pulling at them, he tries to scratch them out...hahaha

oh, he LOVES to play with velcro too!!
 
nellu-
in UK, a really good shop to go to is Primark. but they oni have it in the suburbs. u can get really good steals there. like pretty coats for 12 pounds, pj sets for 4-6 pounds. its a big store too.i used to go to the one in hounslow, very accessible from heathrow.just a bus ride away.marks n spencer there are way bigger and lotsa fun.esp the supermarket!
the shopping there is fantastic if u have the moolahs.
In paris, the trains are quite scary.alot of blacks(pls pardon me on this topic, i'm really just concerned abt josh) so i duno if u would take josh on it. but cabs are costly. so hope u've got the transportation worked out.
maybe can bring a big big umbrella when u take the train to whack anyone who tries to be funny.


TOYS
hey, its great. actually they dun need fancy toys at all. we buy them for our own gratification. give them a tupperware, they are just as happy. i'm the one roaring while the cars spin on the track n the trains whistle past.does he chew things alot? sidney is not over with chewing at this pt.
 
hello mummies
had a wonderful holiday?
seems quiet here for pass few days.

today is ky's lunar 1yr birthday. hee hee.
 
Sgn,
Happy Birthday to Kai Yang.
Shauna,
Thanks for the seal have received it 2 days back.
When to expo today, gt METRO Warehouse sales there, brought 2 pairs of silper for Nichole. Yeah got MPH sales there too. I think is a good sales to go to, too bad I don't have much time to do reading if not the books is worth buying 5 books for $20.
 
Shuana
thank u. huh childcare also got research day!

Jasmine
wow u can remember my boy's name. i very bad at names esp my May07 MTB so many babies can't remember all.
 
sgn-
nah, we just going on centre visits. already made the apptmts for the hot spots so mite as well pop over for a look. we have , however decide to send him much later...

jasmine-
no worries!
 
hallo mummies,
greetings from France! It's 530pm here now. Was raining the last few days, finally we are seeing the sun today. Been out to the market. We are in a small town, Fountainebleau, which is sort of like the old capital of France where the castle of Henri IV is. Very nice..just the exterior...haven't gone in yet though. The chateau grounds are nice too.
If not for the rain, the weather is really nice. But the air is dry and my skin is peeling like mad and i'm putting moisturiser onto Josh like crazy...he's got rosy cheeks too!
happy.gif
...he's had loads of fun so far cos loads of people come to say hi and all to him and I ( but in French!! I dun understand what they say to me!) cos we are kinda like 'rare' in this part of the world...hahaha...mainly old ladies come to talk to Josh...

Also, he's got all the bread, yoghurt and cheese to eat.. Food here is bland so he's eating some of the boiled and steamed veggies and poached fish that i eat...very yummy....

But Josh has yet to adjust to the time here. Still operating in SGP time but both daddy and I are already in French time...very terok....

wish i could transport this nice weather, clear skies and beautiful flowers back to SGP...
 
nellu
great to see u here, still worry about josh being on the plane. glad to hear that u all enjoining urself.
 
Nellu,
You are lucky you are not in town for this period. Weather here for the past 1 week are super hot and dry. Going to die of the heat here. Can't even stay in the living room without fan blowing direct and still hot and sweaty. So nice to go to places which are cool, so envy you... Anyway I will be going to Bintan Lagoon this friday only for 1 night just for our company D&D. Bit disappointed though coz supposed to go to MACAU instead, company head quarter cut out budget last minute thats why end up going to Bintan instead. And I missed going to BALI & Vietnam last 2 yrs coz of giving birth and have to take care of Nichole. Sigh... what a disappointment.
 
Jasmine,
so sad to hear abt the budget got cut for your co trip. Macau is very nice. I went there and HK as well for my co trip some years back. Really enjoyed it.

hahah yes 'heng' not in SGP for the hot weather...these few days the weather is warmer also. Abt 20+ degs...i walk around in 3/4 pants and polo tee only...hahaha shiok for me...natural aircon... and we could go to the garden for picnic in the aftnn like 2-3pm, still won't burn and sweat...singapore where got chance to do this?

yday we went into Paris. Tell you mummies, paris is no place for small kids. I think i lost a lot of minutes of my life just one aftnn alone because of the huge amt of smokers in the city...so much passive smoking!!

Outside of Paris, it is a lot nicer...
 
Nellu,
Wow so nice to be there at that kind of weather, I knew that kind of feeling when I when NZ. Im a easy to sweat person so cool weather is meant for me. Paris a lot of smoker ah thats surprising... About MACAU trip actually I did when there once before few years back, my ex-colleague happen to be from Hong Kong so me & my colleague get him to be our tour guide there hehe... FOC mah. The food there is nice. We also went to the CASINO but I don't like it, imagine ppl see the signage "no splitting" but still can see ppl split in front of you gosh and on the carpet some more. I tell myself I will not go in there if I do go MACAU again. The dog race is interesting to go though its something we don't get to see here in singapore.
 
hello mummies,
this is the second week we'll be in france. I'm getting a bit bored with the food liao...craving for char kway teow oredi..hahahaha

btw, aft one week here i really want to tell you that we are actually quite fortunate in Singapore, ref to the facilities. Like our MRT stations, they are so much more baby friendly than the Paris Metro. We had a really hard time carrying Josh and the stroller up and down the stairs in the underground on sunday!

Eating out. Very difficult with a young child. The restaurants all do not have high chairs at all! Very tough to feed Josh in the stroller, esp now he wants to join us at the table. I guess it's because the French don't usually eat out, so the restaurants don't see the need to provide such facilities.

Nursing room/changing room. Very very hard to find.

not to mention, the huge amount of people smoking everywhere!!

Water. Full of chalk and can't be used for babies and kids without filtering! I had to boil mineral water for Josh everyday! Both hubby and I drink the chalk water...

Comparatively, Singapore is much better in these aspects...I think i'll complain less when i get home...
 
Sgn,
Yeah got 80-90 overhead. Last 2 years I didn't get to go BALI & Ho Chin Ming. This year cut budget so only going Bintan for 2 days 1 night only.
Nellu,
Bare with it, went for holidays got no choice. Hah U and hubby drinking chalk water? Better not just take the mineral water lah.
 
Jasmine
my hb booked Batam resort trip for my birthday 2 yr ago n i was sick n relative pass away so trip cancelled. then after having my boy no channce to travel.
 
Sgn,
Oh what a waste booked and can't go sigh. Your hubby so good, mine only bring me for meal and buy a cake that's it boring guy. Thats why before I got pregnant I went Bangkok lah Taiwan lah. Once pregnant have kids can't go anywhere till they grow older. My office got set up community to do planning for the D&D every year. I remember we got team dress code like Disney character and I dressed in Flinstone costume hehe... have to go rent the costume just for the fun of it.
 
Jasmine,
your d&d sounds fun. Your company is an int'l agency? Which one?

All my working life i work in small companies. So dun have such things like D&D but do have co trips. I like small company envt. Easy to deal with politics. Also get things done very quickly.

sgn,
tha's nice of your hubby. I can't remember when was the last time we went for a trip for our birthdays....hmmmm...and this time round, it's just a meal. no cake even...can't help it when got no extra babysitting help, and must bring Josh along...

Mummies,
Can travel with kids lah. I really encourage you ladies to take your kids out. It's really a great experience for them and for yourself also. I may be really stressed preparing for this trip but once i get here i feel so relaxed, even though still have to take care of Josh. But seeing how Josh is enjoying himself and learning alot of things, i really think it's worth it.

I also get to make many friends here, not just the local French but also the people from various countries. Some are my hubby's classmates, some are friends of other friends, some are just like me, accompanying wives with babies/kids, and i get to know them just because i see them everyday at the school cafeteria or at the market around town.

For Josh it is such an eye opener to see people of different shapes, sizes, colours and different accents! Not to mention the vast amount of blue skies, green trees, beautiful colours of the flowers and butterflies!

Btw, A lot of mummies that i met here travel with their kids alot! Somemore they are not going for holiday type. it's really relocating/moving to another country. One of my hubby's classmate's wife singlehandedly relocated 2 kids 3 yrs ago to beijing. She's Singaporean and the kids then were only 2+yrs and 8mo. Now the kids are 5yr and 2.5yrs. They will be moving to Finland in July this year. This is really admirable cos it's not easy. Her hubby had not been back in Singapore for a long time liao. and the kids had not seen the father for nearly 6mths now (?).

anyway, it's easier to bring younger kids around travelling because you dun have to worry abt school holidays. also air fare is cheaper....it's really a lot of fun...all the hassle with the planning is really worth it..
 
nellu-
its a real experience for them and the mommy isnt it?

jasmine-
flintstone outfit no need to rent mah. just tear up ur dress. ;p

gals, weather is killing. sidney has learnt to climb the sofa. jasmine, does nicole do that? and is she allowed to do tat? my attempts to stop him have been absolutely futile tho he is usually quite respectful when i tell him not to do certain things.
new piano has arrived. love it. makes my tv look damn small, HAHA. but who wans a tv when i have my piano!
 
hi shauna
yap the weather is killing us too. my boy got very bad nappy rash around his groin since he discharged from the hospital.
 
sgn-
oh no. indeed the weather is causing some discomfort.


happy belated mothers' day!did everyone have a wild time?
looking forward to the day sidney would make his 1st card for me. tho that might be a wee bit faraway to think abt... ha
 
Hi mummies,
Happy belated mother's day to all.
Im back from Bintan. Too short though. Would bring Nichole there when she is older, saw a lot of couples bringing their kids. Our D&D is at Bintan Lagoon at the pools side on friday night. Fun and exciting, this round is the team of the sea. Guess what I dress up as pirate keke...

Shauna,
Can't be border to do my own costume so rent since most of us when to choose, it was fun.

Nellu,
My company overhead is about 80-90 peoples should consider big gua. So far since I joined we have gone to Phuket, Bangkok Bali, Ho Chin Ming this round Bintan but I didnt get to go Bali and Ho Chin Ming last 2 years. I would get my long services award next year coz I happen to join on Oct so haven't reach 5 years, my colleague who work here for 10 years got $1000 Taka vouchers, those who work for 5 years have $500 Taka vouchers.
 
Jasmine
wow $500 vouchers! my co only give a watch for my 10 yrs service. wonder it cost how much?

shauna
seen gp 2nd time n he gave some steroid cream now better. now my fil's turn to fall sick!

here's my boy's party set up!

1417203.jpg
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

1
1st time pregnancy - enquiries
Replies
3
Views
2K
elmirawong
E
M
Exclusive Pumping
Replies
0
Views
2K
mummydinoo
M
T
Good confinement nanny recommend!
Replies
3
Views
2K
Sgmum1
S
X
Confinement Nanny to recommend - Lai Kxxx Lxxx (Lian-Jie)
Replies
1
Views
1K
mochi2023
M
L
Looking to Connect with Fellow Mums
Replies
2
Views
804
Mommy J
M

Back
Top