(2006/01) Jan 2006 MTBs

mamapanda

most ministries & stat boards no longer offers permanent positions lor. Has been like this for a long while already. So long as u perform, they will renew u. There's no difference in benefits between those with renewable contract/permanent contracts. In fact, my hb refers renewable contracts, coz when it's time for renewal, there's additional pay increment (besides job performance increments).

I think it really depends on what industry you're in. In booming industries, it's still ok to switch. Things are really getting better lah. You're painting such a gloomy picture. US has always been in deficit. It's no longer the 'in' country. Now everyone's looking at Asia.

Our dear Mamachan here has so many offers now she's deciding which one to go. :p
 


mashy
I myself am working in the ministry so I know how it works. While at normal times, they do renew your contract "as long as you perform", if you look at your contract carefully, nothing in it states that they are obligated to renew your contract. Hence, in the event that they do decide not to renew your contract, you have no grounds for argument. We're all assuming that they are going to renew our contracts here but assumption is what brings many people down during bad times.

Maybe the picture I'm painting is gloomy but it remains a fact that Singapore's unemployment rate is still high and US, Japan & Europe still controls a large part of the world economy and they are still in recession or going into recession.
 
SSF
we will be looking ard for a new place but no hurry cos can stay at my mum's for at least one to two years.
happy.gif


ky
at least your hb still open to enrichment classes that u can't teach. my hb not keen in anythng at all!!! i feel that jh has keen interest in art and i wd like to expose him to music but he is not ok to send at all.....

plus once i start to work, i can only send on weekends. that will leave us even less time to spend as a family.

aileen
thanks. i will check them out. do they have sch bus?

sunny
i think it really depends on what u wan. if reaching home on time is a priority, not having a higher job grade means less responsibilities and allows u to reach home on time. isn't that a good thing also? but of cos no harm looking ard now also. a lot of factors to think abt. plus location of the job etc etc..your current place shifting right? will be nearer for u right? so not bad also...
 
Sunny
I returned to my current company 2x after 2 exposure to the banks. Adding up the number of years , I am with the company for 10 years and they are very kind to ignore the 2x I left and just awarded me a 10 years long service award.

I have my frustration at work and my boss is forever having changing role and added responsibility. Being the only one supporting her in Singapore, my job scope keep adding too but the pay does not correspond in the same way.

Most important thing why I hold on to this job is the flexibility between me and my boss when I need to take leave or work from home on some occasions there is a mutual understanding. I have nice colleagues too. Being in a familiar environment is always better than venturing out. I became less ambitious and my boss knows that. She is the one who keep giving me advice to do this do that to upgrade. In my current job, it gives me the "hui niang jia" feeling because in the banks, red tape , politics is so common and every step I took have to be very careful.

Weigh what you want in life now? For me is my kids and family.

As my parents are away these 2 weeks, I took half day leave for 3 days in a week, I am enjoying the time I spend supervising Charmaine, bonding with her and ensure a good dinner for my family as we have been eating out very often on weekdays.


<u>Gathering - 3 May </u>
3 May is a off in lieu for school for labour day. Keen for a gathering ? I can book the function room - Hillview and we have a mini pot luck, kids can go for swim and we have some craft done in the function room ? I intend to book the room for class in the morning, we have gathering in the pm ?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
 
Hi mommies,
its been too long.... I hardly have time to post nowaday....

SY,
just saw your post on schools. S is in Faith, she has been there since N2. So far, so good, and I like the fact that they do offer extra enrichment claseses, one of which is conducted onsite at the school ie. music enrichement. For the other enrichment, they send the kids themselves to Spectra, the old fire station, and after that you pick them up, so no need to hunt for further enrichment. S is doing Conversational Chinese, Speech and drama and creative thinking.

I searched through alot of school before I chose Faith, cos I find it the cleanest amongst the rest and the teachers are pretty good.
happy.gif


Toddlers waking up to BF
Yup, I am still facing the problem with Lauren. She's hitting 1 and half and waking up like every 2 to 3 hour just to suckle... doesnt help that I sleep next to her, argh... I converted her cot to bed and placed it just next to our bed. So in the middle of the night, she will wake up and crawl over to my side and thump me with her fists and crawl, not good. We're thinking of weaning her off night feeds in July, probably will have to let her cry it out. But thi spirited girl is 10 times worse than her big sister, she can cry up to 1 and half hours in the middle of the night
sad.gif
 
sleepingdeer
S is in the hillview branch at Faith? but they dun really have school bus so that is going to be a potential problem for me. sch bus is only for those going home at 1pm.

the enrichment is also not cheap. how much do u pay in total?

i still have the same problem with jx and she's hitting 2!!! same like L, jx will cry really loud and long and her temper is much much worse than JH. nowadays she really does her lying on the floor a lot more. and she's really a drama queen. if jh use something to touch her (pretend to hit her), she will pretend to faint on the ground. she will go ouch then collapse on the floor in super drama fashion.....

dunno what to do abt her as well!!

CL
gathering sounds good. but i need to try and get car....
happy.gif
let u know.
 
SY

lolz. Realised that the gals are worse than the boys. :p My gal also same thing. Altho only 9 mths, now she cries when my boy lightly touch her coz she knows likely he'll get scolded for 'bullying' her. My hb witnessed the entire episode. She destroys his toys and snatch from him.
 
Mummies who are keen in the gathering must let me know early as I need to go online to book the room and make payment hee hee.

If small group I can still host in my mickey mouse place hee hee
 
CL
can't make it for 3 May 'cos it's not an off day for the co. join you gals next time.
happy.gif

ya, to me family is the most important at this point in time, though at times i get sense of fulfillment from work.

mamapanda
i am in a stat board. the factors which make me stay till now are mostly the benefits that the co has, and i am able to leave on the dot. the work load increases a lot more since end of last year and seemed that my boss didn't realise how much i am taking on.
after i switch to PT, things got worse. though my boss tried to cut down my work load 'on paper', but in reality, the work load doesn't seem to decrease. when i was in FT, she left me to juggle the deadlines for the projects i was handling. after switching to PT, the deadline is always 'by end of the day'.
with lesser time but same amount of work and tighter deadlines, mistakes can be made very easily ... haiz... personally, i felt that the trust from the boss seems to have lost and she commented that i need to improve my skill on time mgt ... that's why i am re-thinking if it's time for me to move on.

SY
ya, co is shifting mid next year. i won't say it's much nearer after shifting 'cos it seems that the transportation is not as direct as it is currently.
 
Hi Sunny

There's never a solution that one would be happy with.

If you do intend to stay in the workforce, think of it positively : how many mothers are allowed to go on a flexi-work arrangement by the companies?

Think of the company's position. They need to keep a physical place for you despite you being there 50%. They need to train you, provide benefits like insurance (your MC halved or full?), and accommodate in terms of salary payment, meeting hrs, etc. Honestly, I do not think many companies would do that. Same as the ones that take a step back on hiring potential mothers ... once they think of the maternity leave, they would rather hire those who need not go on this. Some projects can't accommodate to people schedule, unless you are the project manager. Are you expecting your boss to take some projects away from you to give to another colleague? Do you have in mind who has that bandwidth to take on the additional work from you so that you can work comfortably in the 22 hrs that you can? Would you be comfortable to watch your colleague fly in that project and not be green with envy?

I was once in your shoes 5 yrs ago. That works so ideally for us yah? But it does give the boss a headache if the position is not meant to be a PT one in the first place. I was in an MNC and everyone goes home on time ... you can see everyone packing up at 5.25pm just so that they can hop onto the company bus at 5.30pm... there are people who do stay back till 6 or 7 or 8 pm though. But everyone who leaves on the dot gets to do it everyday and those who choose to work hard can too. But when I opted for PT arrangements, I still gave my boss a headache coz the ladies around start to ask for that privilege as well. If you are questioning that you are not being appreciated by the workload that you are still undertaking, then there are the many others too who worked till 9 or 10, way past the hrs that they should on a fulltime basis too, and feeling similarly unappreciated. I am still very glad that my ex-boss gave me that opportunity to go on PT basis; I had given up on prime projects when I was on PT basis then but then again. my priorities and lifestyle changed when I had my #1 ... I had stopped going out for lunches since that happened 7 yrs ago. I too questioned what kind of work-home life I wanted to go on then ....

Well, people do not often openly show their appreciation ... even as SAHMs, many a times, your family do not show appreciation and you do not have other parties (unlike WOHM) that can help compensate any part of that. I remember that I could take half a day off just to relax and be all alone to enjoy some fresh air, or when I was sick, I could hide in my bed without any worry. Probably having your MIL helping out makes quitting and staying at home an option that you will not consider. Then you probably will have to ask yourself what you can let go at work, what you want to keep doing, and trash out with your boss. That's probably the best person to help u if you do intend to keep at this work.

I work at home ever since I left the workforce, but I chose to say no to things that I feel it's not worth chasing after. After 5 yrs of doing this, the team I work with do feel that we are not being appreciated by our current boss, and recently, we trashed out with her. We know a perfect solution would not arise, but at least we let it be known of what we are unhappy abt, and then we comfortably said no if the boss pushes us without feeling that guilt.

Life is never perfect. It really is how you manage it. And many a times, you'll find that you can't really manage it, but you just have to manage your own expectations.

.ky.
 
Re : enrichment classes

Like to do a poll.

1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future)
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-acadmeic?

-----
here's mine :

1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> 5 to 6
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future) (count each freq of enrichment as one, eg. 2times of Abacus)
==> 8 (2 enrichments having 2x a wk) / 3
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> Yes. I'll allow more at 6-yr-old and reduce from P1
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-academic?
==> non-academic focus

.ky.
 
ky
thanks for your precious advice, i really need to think through what i want. 'cos the outcome of the PT arrangement is really not what I initially had expected. Think it's either I am too naive or don't know myself well enough.

re: enrichment class
1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> 4-5 if time and financially allow.
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future)
==> so far 2 and will be doing another 2
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> yes, i would try to let the kids go for more classes before P1.
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-acadmeic?
==> both. For academic, it would be what the kids are lacking. For non-academic, it's more to get them to have more exposure and find out what's suit them.
 
Sad to say I have deprived Aden for enrichment class.

re: enrichment class
1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> 4-5 if time and financially allow.
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future)
==> Charmaine - 4 Aden - 0, in pipeline another 1 for Charmaine and 2 for Aden
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> yes, i would try to let the kids go for more classes before P1. ( This is something I thot I want to do, but it is a very "stressful" relationship between parent and kid if you are the one coaching them for academic. So I have learnt to outsource and now I only do reinforcement
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-acadmeic?
==> both. For academic, it would be what the kids are lacking. For non-academic, it is based on their request.
 
Hi Mummies,

Sunny,
I have considered going part-time too and gave it a lot of thought. Eventually, I decided not to, because I know the workload will not likely to decrease in proportion and bosses' expectations will not be lessened in proportion as well. Furthermore, promotion opportunities are as good as gone. It's not worth it.
Rather than part-time, might as well take the full plunge and be a full-time homemaker. The rewards for doing so far outweighs working part-time. But now that you are in the situation, I think you have to ask yourself whether you still want to remain in this company. The issue here is that your expectations and your boss' does not match. To you, you feel that you have been putting in your fair share of effort and work, given the no. of hours you work. To your boss, it's different. So it's a matter of managing each other's expectation. Why not talk to you boss frankly? If both of you cannot work out something, can think of switching co. / division. But like what Mamapanda has pointed out, switching a company to work part-time does not necessary mean it will be better or easier. As long as you are a salaried employee, there will always be such problem of managing expectations of part-time work.

Re. enrichment classes
heheh, looks like I'm super relak!

re: enrichment class
1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> 2 if time and financially allow.
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future)
==> NONE so far. But will start Isaac on violin / cello and possibly swimming lessons by end of this year.
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> I only intend to let my boys have music lessons. And possibly 1 more (could be sports or art), depending on the type of interest shown. If not, it will just be music.
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-acadmeic?
==> Non-academic. I will only consider academic only if come Pri school, there is a need to strengthen their weaknesses. I suppose by then it would be called tuition class instead of enrichment class liao. Unless my boys show extrordinary maths / science / language talent, then will consider such enrichment classes.
 
CL

my boy's cc doesn't have any enrichment classes. But he already stay there for such long hrs, dunno where to find time to let him go for enrichment unless it's on weekends. But weekends are also precious family time. sigh. Some parents have asked the cc to look for enrichment classes. Hopefully something will come out of it. They don't even have computer classes. When he's a little more mature, i'll probably start him on pte piano or violin lesson.

I think he may like abacus too coz he loves counting. Don't think i'll let him learn swimming though. He can learn the basics from us. When he goes to ACS, he'll definitely be learning from there during PE lesson.
 
Re. enrichment classes
I lag far behind in this area
happy.gif


re: enrichment class
1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> 2 if time and financially allow.
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future)
==> NONE so far. But plan to start C on swimming &amp; Mmndarin by Jun-Jul.
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> Depends on the type of interest shown.
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-acadmeic?
==> Academic. C's sch teachers keep emphasising that he is nt conversing well in mother tongue so I want help for him in this area. As for the other enrichment classes, I wld choose non-academic ones.
 
Re: enrichment classes

Same as sysac, lagging far far behind for both #1 and #2. *Grinz*

. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> Max 2 for #1. None for #2 yet cos he's still not talking properly! Very childish compared to #1.
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future)
==> NONE so far. Planning to send her to gym or art class when I move, as her school has additional gym and art class on Sat. She has interest in these two.
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> No difference for me, all depends on individual kid's interest.
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-acadmeic?
==> Non-academic. Meg seems to be coping well in school academically.
 
Sunny,
I wanted to leave my co. early this year too, was considering very hard and couldn't decide. Am with the co. for 10 yrs and frankly i'm bored with the job. The co.'s very small so no chance of internal trsf or change of job scope. Being undecided, I consulted hubby's temple and the 'God' asked since i'm so comfy here, why change? Anyway, he said if I wanna change, do it only in August when i'll ve better luck with jobs.

So here I am now, still comfortably here. Actually it's not bad in terms of flexibility and when I did tender many years ago, they asked for the reason which i told thm frankly was cos I did not wanna attend networking functions after work hours. My MD kindly agreed so I stayed on. I love my colleagues here and most of the time i knock off early, i get the chance to go HQ, i'm basically left on my own to do stuff...

So...sigh...here I am.

I like KY's post. 'Manage our own expectations'.
happy.gif
I'm looking fwd to the day I dun need to work so hard for the $$ and can jus be a sales promoter or supermarket cashier. My secret ambition
happy.gif
Already took step one by downgrading from 5-rm to 3-rm so no more worries abt housing loan! Next step..wait for hubby to earn more more more $$ so i can earn lesser!
 
Tracie,
Heehee, You have expressed my wish as well...
Waiting for hubby to earn more $$ so that I can earn less $$!!!
happy.gif
 
ky
that was a very insightful sharing of your own PT experience.

here's my enrichment experience. also very little cos hb dun wan to let them go for it!

1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> prob ard 2
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future) (count each freq of enrichment as one, eg. 2times of Abacus)
==> JH - 1 (swimming) He has art lessons in sch. JX - 0
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> Think it depends on what the sch has as well.
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-academic?
==> non-academic focus (prefer things like art, music, sports)
 
BP
ha ha I never had a wish to go SAHM because I know I cannot make it. But I do hope I can convert part time.

Some time at work, still with a bit $$$ to spend on the kids and myself.

Felt good with such arrangement when I was on half day leave for 2 weeks looking after Charmaine.

But tht is probably because I am taking care of 1. Ha ha dunno if I still feels the same with a additional Aden.
 
BP,
Sigh... I think HBs are all the same. They don't want the pressure of being the sole breadwinner or that they have to earn the bulk to support the family. What if something happens to them? Also, I think they probably enjoy having some money for their own personal use.

Re. #3
OUr dear Rena is expecting!
(Rena, hope you don'tm ind me sharing the good news here.
happy.gif
)
 
Hi mummies,

Here's my enrichment experience.

1. Ideally, # of classes that you would send your child to
==> prob ard 4
2. Actually, # of classes that you do send your child to (or will be able to in future) (count each freq of enrichment as one, eg. 2times of Abacus)
==> 2 (Chinese and art) for both gals
3. Is there a difference in the numbers between a 4-yr old (nursery), a 6-yr old (K2), a 7-yr old (P1) and a 9-yr old (P3)?
==> see below
4. Is your focus of enrichment based on academic add-on or non-academic?
==> mainly non-academic focus


Was just sharing with my sister that i regreted not sending A for more classes before her primary education. Not because she cannot catch up but more of those non academic stuff.

Currently she is attending chinese enrichment because we seldom speak the language at home. wish to let her have more exposure. Then art, which is her interest. She also indicate she want to learn swimming and piano. Currently she does not have time on weekday because she leaves for sch at 1115 and reaches home about 7........ neither here nor there for classes.

So art and chinese are on sat and that's half day gone, Sunday morining is for church, also half day gone.... if i were to load in swimming and piano.... probably don't even have to go out on weekend.

Hence i prefer to let the younger one learn more stuff if she has interest, Anyway school hours are for 3-4 hours only, the other half day she is spent playing, watching TV....... so i am asking if she wants ballet etc, if possible, she can learn on weekday.

I used to think not to load the child with too many things but looking at ash now - i prefer to let them learn more things when young and choose a single item to focus on when they are older. Now the elder one don't even have time to try.

That's my opinion lah.

A started having enrichment class only from K2 onwards and that's because i find she spent too much time watching TV. M (don't know consider good or bad) will tag along and since the chinese enrichment for M's age is in the same time slot as A, i enrol M for chinese ever since last year. Like wise for art. Thank God the teacher is willing to take her in even she's only 3 then.
 
thx cl.

just went to buy a piano for my boy. My hb, the only pianist at home, selected a very very old piano which is at least 50 years old coz he likes the tone and he 'feels it calling out to him'. Don't quite understand pianist lingo. Anyway, since he's the only one at home who knows anything abt piano, just let him decide lor. Only $699. Hope it last and doesn't die quickly.
 
Re: nuk teats
hi mummies,
wanna check for mummies who used nuk teats before, can I poke more holes on the teats... My #2 seems to be taking a long time to drink his milk.
 
SH,

How old is ur #2 now? For 6months &amp; abv, u can use the Medium feed hole size. For my boys, I use the large feed size &amp; cut a slit to widen the original hole to make it flow even faster. :D
 
Wenyl,
#2 is coming to 5 mths soon. I started him on the medium flow from 3 mths on. But he still drinking v slow. Dun know if it is due to the fact that I use avent bottles with nuk teats.
 
SH,
U using Step 2 Medium now? I cut a small cross slit. U can try doing that or upgrade to large hole? I don't think the bottle makes a diff leh.
 
okie...will try it....

Btw, mummies...any good contractors to recommend? Thinking of whether we wanna renovate the new house
 
hi mummies..haven't been active for quite some time. it doesn't help that work has been so busy that the only time i can check is in the night
via my hp and of cos when the kids are asleep. The fact is with Facebook around, i am already getting updates from other mummies. hee...that makes me even lazier to get into this thread not to mention that loading of this thread is taking like ever via my hp.

so seems that quite a no. of mummies are joining the "3" group. hee...congrats!! and no, i am not joining in the fun
happy.gif


Anyway, my boys are both taking turns to be down with stomach flu. haiz. just yesterday, i spent my weekend in KKH monitoring J. Thank GOD, he reacted well to the anti vomitting medicine and escaped admitting in. hopefully the weekend ahead(i know it's sooo early *tsk*) be better.

May - i have voted for your gal. she is soooo sweet. i hope she win.
 
SSF,
I only know of REna who's expecting no. 3... who else?
Hope your boys are better now. Isaac is battling with fever since Sunday night.

Re. violin teacher
Anyone knows of any good violin teacher who stays in the North or West or willing to travel to the north?

May,
Voted for Jaz. Jaz doesn't really look like Jamie.
 
BP,
Jamie is drinking 3-4 cups of milk everyday. Abt 300ml each time. As usual if u still can rem that she is a milk monster. So now still like that.

1 cup - Morning before she go school
1 cup - After dinner when she reach home (her routine already, but if she have heavy dinner then will not ask for this)
1 cup - Around 8-9pm when she see her lil sis drinking
1 cup - Before bed (if she sleep late, will be arnd 11pm)

Should I cut down on her milk intake? Does drinking so much caused her to be taller than kids at her age?
 
BP
Dylan oso only take milk once a day, no more FM, I'm giving him fresh milk. kids at their age do not need to depend on milk anymore as their main source of diet already.

May
actually there is no hard and fast rule on the amount of our kids' milk intake. so long you all are comfortable with it, and not finding the cost of FM eating into your pocket. =p

like i said they don need milk tat much anymore, but is there the case of 'over-feed' for jamie?
 
Rachel,
She is eating normal meals plus her milk intake is still like that. So I just leave it. Took her for 4yo assessment. She is in 97th percentile for her age. Everything is ok, doc say she is tall so let her be as long as she is not obese. She is weighing 20kg at height 109cm. The Doc say continue to drink since she ask for it. Cos I realised when she take fresh milk, she will feel tummy pain. Maybe same as mummy. hehe.
 
May,
Isaac is taking average only 2 milks feeds of 180ml. Sometimes, only once a day. Actually, if she likes milk, just give her loh, as long as it's not causing any other problem like excessive weight gain. Milk is good.
I note that your mention '1 cup'... my boy Isaac is still drinking from the bottle! I tried to make him drink from the cup, but he refuses. Or even when he tries, he takes soooooo long to finsh the milk. I tried to use reverse psychology and say his friedns are all drinking form the cup and he cannot be like a baby anymore... no use.
 
Mummies,
I just afraid that his milk intake is too little compared to his brother. My #1 still drink a glass of milk before he went to bed while damien simply refuse to drink any milk.
 


Hi all, long time no "see".

Re milk, I'm still making my #1 drink thou he doesn't like it. Coz he's so small size thou he eats reasonable portion. He's drinking twice a day. 240ml each time.

Piano:
I know some of you have started your kids on piano lessons. Does any of you buy digital piano or know where to get one and what brand is a good one. Looking around the budget of $1k-1.5k. TIA!
 

Back
Top