(2007/12) Dec 2007 MTB

tub/ bluelily
My elder gal is at pcf now. For pre-nursery, ratio is 2 teachers to 12 students..but can only start when the child is 30mths. Pre-nursery is 2 hrs, nursery - 3 hrs plus enrichment classes for parents to choose. Every fri, my gal got water play. The school actually has a huge indoor water pool for the children to dip in and learn all abt the 'floating' fruits and fishes etc.

Think the quality of pcf actually varies from centre to centre though
 


thks for the info Steffi! Can they show us ard the school like cc does? Guess have to find out with one gd then! Urs sounds ok.. still got water pool! Do they learn things like alphabets in pre-nursery? How's the fees like? And hor.. how early do i need to book if interested?
 
bluelily

just to elaborate, my gal is attending the kindergarten kind, not the PCF sparkletots (childcare)

Can tok to the centre's principal, usually she will bring you around. In pre-nursery, my gal learns an alphabet every week, be it through singing / colouring. There is also a theme every mth etc. For the half yr there, she has gone thru 2 rounds of show and tell already. one time, got to bring family photo and tell the class abt it (that was during the family themed mth) and another, to bring her favourite food/fruit and to tok abt it and to share around.
Not actual writing for Pre-Nur though, only starts from Nur. Pre-Nur is mainly art and craft, learning to visualise the various alphabets and numbers.

For my gal, the fee is slightly more exp, cos the centre is airconditioned and includes tea break everyday..like porridge, fried noodle, barley water and biscuits. $165 per mth

The mass registration is in May/Jun every year on first come first served basis. After that, we can still apply provided there are vacancies. But for pre-nursery, can only starts at 30mths, so for my boi, he can also be enrolled in Jul 10. The principal asked me to call during May/Jun 10 to check for vacancies..think maybe no luck unless they didnt have a full class for the Jan intake.
 
thks steffi! Just checked.. the nearest pcf from my mum's place.. is at least 20-25mins walk away! Need to take bus.. hai.. too troublesome for my parents. Appletree even worse.. even further. Hai.. guess i have not much choice.
 
hi mummies, long time nv cm.

higgledy, ur genting trip sounds fun. can imagine the "wah" part..
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me too am souting for playgroups for arvin.

slimz, whr's the jenius one? my mum's at hougang st 91. near the ntuc xtra. looking for smthing arnd thr. i think most places the reg started for '07 bbs rite?
 
i ve one pcf jux below my flat lor.. but sr is cared by my mum.. i had suggested for her to sty over at my plc.. she say will look into that when the time comes nearer ... ....
 
Ladies,
yesterday I spent the afternoon driving around my neighbourhood, surveying the playgroups available.

And sigh.... all the morning classes are full!!
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Usually these schools will have 2 sessions. 9-11 or 11-1. I didn't want to put Aidan in the 11am class coz his nap is around 1+, so he'll be very cranky in class. Moreover, if they have outdoor activities, 11-1 very hot leh!

But now no choice lor, I registered him for the 11am class then put on waitlist for the 9am class. Otherwise if later the 11am class also full then KNS!

For me my choices very limited, only Bethesda Church is within walking distance and has good facilities.

There are Jenius Tots house and Appletree also, but I find their classroom too cramped. As lessons are held at void deck RC, I find the facilities too limited.
 
RE: Child Care vs Weekend Enrichment Classes

Hi, just to hear your views. If you already have someone to look after your little one, eg. mother, MIL, maid, will you still consider putting your precious one in CC, just so that they can learn more things?

While pre-nursery starts only in Jan next year, I'm desperately trying to find classes for my boy so that he can learn more stuff rather than stay at home with the maid all day and watch TV.

Frankly, to put my boy in full day CC, I very heartache lor. So I'm thinking of putting him there half day, so at the very least, he has some chance to socialise and learn stuff while he is there.

Such arrangement will set me back about $200/m.

Alternatively, I can send him to JG/GUG weekend lesson. This will also be about $200/m.

I believe the teaching quality at JG and GUG is much higher standard than CC, but it is only once a week, while CC is daily.

Any advice?
 
slimz, same here. There's alot of cc near my place. But dun think my mum wanna come over everyday.. sianzz..

Higgledy, wow so fast full liao ah. I put my name on My First Skool cc list.. they say they'll call me when it's time to register.. but till now also no call. Dunno when izzit. For me.. I think jr go weekend classes is a waste for $ for now. Cos the last time i bring him to GUG trial.. he wasn't paying attention at all. And hor.. abit lazy to drive so far for his weekend lessons. :p I will prefer those weekday few hrs playgroup.. but dun have near my mum's place. Next will be half-day cc... but My First Skool told me they may stop their half-day program.. only full-day for next yr.. not confirmed yet. So I also dunno how..
 
thanks slimz. may think of dropping by jenius to see wat they hav to offer.

higgledy, my mum looks aft arvin. she does read and teach him. but i am still looking out for a wkday playgroup for him to attend. more for him to socialise than to learn. i think at this age it's very impt to learn social skills. v scared whenever he mts children outside n he wants to rush to them n grab n pull them apart.. he gets excited la.. n thinks they'r toys..
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i think la.. he's the only child w/o cousins yet.
 
jr also only child in the family. No other kids to play with him.. Occasionally bring him to play with frens kids... he always got bullied leh. He'll sit there blur blur when other kids hit or poke him. Worried that he'll get bullied in sch.
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Just to share

The Apple Tree playgroup I signed Ryan up is in a community centre opposite my place. Small but my priority is ease of commute for my MIL since she'll be the one to take him to and fro. But ok lah, the CC is only a few years old so still in alright condition. The room is quite alright to me too. Anyway, it is only 2 hours and the kids will play, art, music, phonics, read story books etc etc so alright to me.

My Mil looks after my boy from Monday to Friday and hubby and I take him to GUG on Sundays.

Well, I can't rely on my MIL to teach him much so I'll let her know what she can do with him at home. Basically I ask her to take him out often, be it to the playground or the market nearby, to play and to look around, rather than coop up at home watching TV all day long. He is allowed to watch TV but can't be longer than 30 mins at one go. I also buy Chinese Flashcards, books, crayons, paint etc etc for her to engage him and teach him.

But bulk is still on the parents I think, so I try to take him out once a week on weekdays (after 4pm), be it the playground or park or zoo or playgroup, to let him socialise with other kids.

Really not easy to be a FTWM nor easy to be SAHM... Haha, not easy to be a mother lah
 
Bluelily,
My boy is like yours! He only has 1 cousin who's three months older than him to play with once a while. So I also worried about the socialising part. Therefore signed him up with GUG and take him to meet up with friends once a week.

He's quite big in size (about 90%) but hor, always kenna pushed or bullied. My friends said he is the mild type. Haha, I also worried about him being bullied.
Wonder how to teach him to protect himself.

Anyway, there's only once at GUG, when one little girl gave him a shove, he turned and really very gently pushed her
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phy, jr only have 1 cousin.. havent even met b4! Not close. Last wk bring to frens house.. there's a bb gal younger than him by 2+mth. The gal like him v much.. keep calling gor gor.. then wanna sayang him. Sayang till out of place.. poke jr's eyes. Jr just sit there all the while.. stoned. Hai... And he din even play with her.. keep sticking with us or playing with the dogs instead. :p
 
hi phy n blulily,
my frens dun hav kids... much less even married...
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my worry is tt arvin wld be the one bullying.. actually he's a caring n likes to play wif bbs/children. jus tt he doesn't noe hw to be gentle.. see bb/kids outside he will like barge to them n start to tug on their limbs.. i always so scared n nd to pull him away b4 the mum files physical assault case on my son.
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phy,
the apple tree one u go to is whr?
 
Tomorrow I'm bringing Aidan to JG for trial class, then Sun to GUG for trial class also. Very excited!
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First time bringing him for lesson! :p I'll update you ladies on the comparison on Monday!

For Aidan I'm not so worried about his social skills, coz he plays with the neighbours almost everyday. Once in a while he'll get bullied, but we just let it be. I think it's a part and parcel of growing up. He's also happy to share his toys with everybody!

What I'm worried about is his speech. Until now, all he can say is: Mama, Daddy, NO. Very bad right? 20 months already leh!
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Higgledy, speech wise think ok ba. I got a fren's son.. 2yrs old then can talk. After going cc.. suddenly can talk v well.. can even sing songs!
 
bluelily,
haha... so funny. If my son can suddenly sing song to me I think I'll be so shocked, my eyes will open very BIG!! Keke...

By the way, I heard my friend mention somebody's son very big still cannot talk, then one day his sister rattling on and on about something, then the little boy suddenly tell her, "SHUT UP!!"
 
higgledy,
oh gosh.. tt's really funny yet shocking.. well arvin is also a little slow. but he's catching up. i guess we jus gotta not lose hope n constantly chat wif them even if no reply. i havn't hear Mummy yet frm him.
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mimeole,
I live in ulu place called Bukit Panjang haha.. The Apple Tree is in the Zhenghua Community Centre opposite my blk. I kiasu on the registration day. Got my hubby to go exactly on the dot to register Ryan for the 9am slot (MIL wants that slot rather than 11.15am). So happy that we got it.
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Higgledy and mimeole,
About speaking/talking, Ryan couldn't speak till he was 17 months plus. We took him to Australia and spent 2 weeks 24/7 with him. Then suddenly he just started to 'talk' a lot. Picking up new words along the way.

Think must constantly talk to the kids lor, encourage him to talk. I'll paraphrase for Ryan most of the time. Whenever he gets too excited when he wants something, I'll calm him down by saying,"What should you be saying?" Then he'll stop and look at me. I'll proceed and say,"Say Mama, may I have blah blah blah."
He'll then muster his strength, look at me and say,"Mama, may I"
But hor, of coz not precise pronunciation lah. But I just wanna encourage him to talk.

So, keep talking to your boys
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Anyway, my younger sister also started to talk when she was past 2 years old. Relatives thought she was a mute then. Don't worry too much, ask your PD about this if you're still very concerned.
 
higgledy, how's the clas?

phy, little girl shove ryan, was it my shirui??? she veri chor lor for a girl =P same as mummy ..haa .. cannot compare to pretty's nicole.. =P

mimeole, i'm hoping to sign sr up for jenius HG if my mum can bring her everyday. else will go for the one at kovan and take their bus service @ $95/mth .. will call them later n chk if can swop centers .. if yes, den will take the HG one first, let my mum try .. if cant handle den change center lor

socialising:
tink sr been pretty "on" lately at GUG, hugging, kissing, high-5 wif her classmates n teachers and sometimes even other mummies in the class. But she still veri sticky to me, rejects daddy company in class ..
 
RE: JG vs GUG

After attending both trial classes over the weekend, here are the comparison:

I feel that the teachers at Julia Gabriel are generally better, more professional, more expressive, can relate better to the kids, and appear to genuinely like the children. The 2 teachers at my son's class at GUG were just 'going thru motion'.

However, I find the class at JG too big. There were 4 teachers, but a whopping 20 kids! So when it comes to handiwork, there was a lot of time wasted waiting for your turn. The attendance taking was even more time-wasting!

I also find the 2h at JG a bit too long. Not only do some of the kids get a little restless and cranky, I felt pretty tired myself! GUG's 1.5h was just nice.

Boths classes have toys session, song and dance, handicraft and snack time. JG provides snacks and drinks, GUG need to bring your own. JG has story telling while GUG has zoophonics.

Last weekend, due to H1N1 precaution, JG cancelled their sand play / water play. Instead the kids played in the playground. Not a big deal for us, coz Aidan goes to the playground everyday, and swims at the pool 3x a week!

On the whole, I find GUG more suitable for Aidan at this point in time. But I will try to enrol him in a class with better teachers.

Next year, when Aidan goes to pre-nursery Mon-Fri, I will probably switch him to JG for their edu-drama class (from 2 years old).

Actually, JG's strength is in speech and drama. My brother used to attend the classes when he was a kid. It is fun, educational, and helps to build the child's confidence. But I suppose the kids need to be old enough to talk and role play.

For the moment, I think zoophonics is more suitable for Aidan.

PS. Mommies who send your kids to GUG, do you have any good teachers to recommend?
 
Although this is the first time Aidan goes to classes, I'm very happy that he has no problem
socialising with the other kids. He's happy to share the toys, share his food, and helped to keep the toys.

He is also brave enough to sit right in front of the teachers during story telling, and walked
right up to the front of the class when the teacher calls his name.

Only complaint is he keeps looking at the toys sneakily during the lesson, coz he wants to play! :p
 
Slimz,
Nay, not SR lah, can't remember who already.. many months back.

Oh, btw, got a Sunday slot for Ryan already
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Happy coz used to the routine already.
 
phy,
hehe bukit panjang. nv been thr. othr end for me. well ya agree on u abt the constantly talking to them part. jus gotta be patient w him n persist.

slimz,
u've gone to the Jenius sch yet? seen the place/met the teachers? havn't had the time. maybe this wed as maybe on half day. ur mum is near thr huh?
 
phy, that's good news! sr got a familiar face in her new class =D i jus realised that the new term is made up of 9 classes leh.. haa.. coz on sunday paid the fees and thought it seems much more, today den call dem and ask =P

higgledy,
ur boi veri good leh, first time can socialise and even walk to the teacher.. thinking back my sr was quite clingy during the first class..
thanks for the detailed comparison of JG n GUG .. hee .. guess its good info for mummies looking for classes.. =D i had wanted to send sr for a trial at jg a few weeks back when gug cant confirm her new term's slot but their orchard center weekend (we got no car, evans center not a choice for us) slots clashes with sr's gug classes..
btw, phy n my kids are in gug suntec branch. So we cant comment on the teachers at utd sq .. the teachers at suntec whom I like so far are teacher russell and teacher wei ..
 
mimeole,
my HB went there a few weeks ago .. the one at kovan, its a 2 floored terrace hse not the RC type (the HG one is). I called them this morning, the HG Branch do not have playgroup for 3 yo. Only the one at Kovan has. So i'm planning to send sr for the playgroup starting Jan 2010, taking the sch bus service. And come Jan 2011 when she is 4yo, prob change to the HG center for the N2 - K2 classes (or if by then my mum is ok to 'move in' with me, will sign up for the pcf below my flat)
The only big headache i hve now is that the kovan playgroup class is 12-3 pm .. sr's aftnon nap time is 1-4pm ... need to re-schedule her timing liao ..
 
slimz,
I was considering the Suntec GUG. After class can go shop shop! But they only have bilingual class while I'm looking for all English class.

Anyway, I've reserved a place for Aidan for Sat 9.30 class at United Sq already. I've specially requested for him to join the class conducted by the senior teacher Ida. I was told she is quite good.
 
Higgledy,

My gal is at GUG Utd Sq. Her class is Sat 4pm. Her teachers are Teacher Lin and Teacher Lafa. Hb and I like them both alot. They are full of energy and expression (esp since ours is the last slot for the day!) and have never seemed to get frustrated by any kid. I've seen one teacher (I dunno her name, but I think she's Eurasian) get frustrated with one screaming kid (when our classes combined, coz both classes had a small turnout that day). Louisa had Teacher Ida when we went GUG for trial. She's not bad too. Quite friendly and also full of energy.

GUG also has short story telling session. But may not be at every lesson...
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higgledy, I tink senior teachers shld b ok bah?
one of sr's teacher (russell) is a newly promoted senior teacher at suntec.. she is good =D
 
CSI_Fan,
thanks for the info. I'm looking forward to Teacher Ida's class!
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Hmmm.... seems like GUG more popular than JG hor...?
 
hi slimz, thanks for infrming abt the playgrp at HG. well gotta rethink again then. as for the one at kovan... ya 12-3 is kinda odd timing.. lunch n nap time period.
 
aiyo.. i'm starting susu on her 3 hr playgroup at greentree montessori today. sent her there just now and she was so attracted by the place she wandered off without me. i couldn't even find her when i wanted to leave the school. when i went in to bid good bye, she listened to wat i said then uttered a loud BYE BYE to me. wondering if she's ok now... sigh... hope she can adapt well... keeping fingers crossed!

btw, anyone knows about notice period for childcare?
i'm supposed to give carpe diem one month notice but i was thinking if we could ask to shorten it as i want to start her on greentree 4-5 hr program earlier. anyone withdrew from a childcare and has similar issues?
 
aiyo.. called greentree and they said she cried. but the teacher reassured me that it's normal. if she doesn't, then something is wrong. alamak. now i'm so nervous i can't do anything else!
 
tub, tot susu was already in cc? Why u change?
aiyo.. think next yr i send jr in cc i will be v nervous too.. already cant bear to put him in now.
 
mimeolo.. i'm prob gg visit this other center (cant rem its name off hand) at HG Green. They offer wkday plygrp starting from 20mths and ve 2 slots a day to choose from I tink. we went there to recee > half a yr ago but wrote them off coz we had wanted something for 18mths (den we settled for GUG). They are montessori based and have kindermusik music n art classes i rem.. but the classrooms r really small
 
tub,
hope susu's better now. she may hav jus missed u. hopefully back to having fun now.

slimz,
i havn't been v diligent w finding a suitable place. taking it slow. i think target is to hav him in by feb nxt year. let me noe ur recce goes.
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HI mummies,
need help. am going to be out of a job by end august. looking for smthing suitable as I'm attending sch at NUS in the evenings. so if anyone has any lobangs for dip holder. PLEASE let me noe. appreciate ur help. finding it diff to find one.
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Need advice. YR keeps scratching ppl, especially her big sis. The minute she doesn't get her way, out come the claws. I beat her hand and tell her not to do it cos it's painful, but she still persists. It's got so bad that I've to keep them separated or else jie jie is sure to get scratched (or bitten, though less of that now
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). Anyone in a similar situation? Like that how to send her to cc?
 
hi gabby's_mum,
studying la.. hehehe... dip holder how to teach... so wat yr u n course? jus had my first class ystrday. leaving my current job. q eagerly looking for a job now. u wrking FT?
 
claire_liu,
arvin doesn't bite/scratch. he hits. haiz.. jus being more persistent w him. coz we did smack his hand but like tt aren't we imitating him n thus contradicting wat he wan him to do. well nwadays we jus onto his hands n talk to him sternly eye-to-eye to tell him he cannot do tt. improving la.

bought the karen katz manners bk in anticipation for such behavior. but dunno hw effective it wld be. i guess it's jus constantly repeating to him not to do. good luck w YR.
 

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