Mummy Littlefire says hello
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[Moderator's note: Topic selected for Portal publication.]
Heyya littlefire,
I'm all up for a Kindergarten programme!
But only if you're a stay home parent or have
a reliable caregiver. Cos kindy prgs are
usually only few hours and solely academic
learning. Children have less clingy issues
due to short hours compared to childcare
esp the full day childcare. So kindy children
adapt slightly faster in my opinion. Less
heart pain for parents, esp those who
cannot stand their children crying for
such a long time.
Childcare has all the care there is to
supposedly substitute home while
parents are both at work with no
alternative caregiver. ie. b'fast, lunch,
snack, sleep time, shower, plus the
academics, etc...
Price wise, kindy cheaper.
Extra $$$ can put in fun enrichment pgrm
for children, ie. ballet, piano, speech & drama, etc
There's also flexi care and enrichment programmes
for \"first time try try\" parents.. Short programmes
to get children used to going to school. Some allow
parent-child lessons for some slots and followed up
with independent classes and parents can move on
from there when children are more confident to
attend proper schooling ie. pre-school on their own.
My 5 cents worth..
Hope it helps. -
Addoil:
hi addoil,Hi Littlefire
welcome! By the way, r u a FTWM? is ur kids yr 2005 & yr2007?
i used to be a FTWM, now i work from home.
ya your are rite, they are 05 & 07 -
hi buds,
most people i know feels that kindergarten are better in academic wise. but everytime he stays at home, all he does is play whole day. -
Littlefire:
sometimes it is really the curriculum issue and not actually whether if it is a kindergarten or a childcare.hi buds,
most people i know feels that kindergarten are better in academic wise. but everytime he stays at home, all he does is play whole day.
my boy attended a pcf kindergarten. my nephew attended a childcare.
I need to do home coaching/get external help to prepare him for P1.
my sis need not do any of such as the childcare's curriculum are sufficient.
one main difference may be that kindergarten students are exposed more to big group learning (>20 kids) unlike childcare students. -
Hi jedamum
my sis need not do any of such as the childcare's curriculum are sufficient.[u]
Some of the mummy I know said that enrichment class still is a must. I wonder is the childcare's curriculum are enough for their preparation to P1. Is any parents here just leave the kids go for child care whole day and do not gv them any enrichment class, are they able to cope with in P1? Mind to share with me.
Thks. -
Hi Addoil,
My sis only sign up for Speech and Drama and Keyboard enrichment for her son.
She mentioned that so far whatever covered in P1 class are already taught in K2.
I had a look at the class worksheets that her son took back at then end of K2 and is pretty impressed. However, what is done in class may not necessary reflect accurately the level of understanding the kid has as rarely schools have the opportunity to do revision and need to follow their stipulated themes/topics weekly. Home reinforcement is always recommended. With this note, the school’s materials can serves as a guide for such home revision. However, that is assuming that kids get to bring them home weekly instead of monthly or at the end of each term.
The only area of enrichment that I would let my so go through (if i am in her shoes) is chinese enrichment as I really like the idea of structured learning that specialised chinese enrichment centre provide. -
Hi jedamum
Thks for ur sharing. I think this is good enough for me to ensure that child care's curriculum will provide enough preparation. U r rite, home reinforcement is better than all the enrichment. We still need to put in some effort on it.
Do u work out any time table like what time to read/play/computer games/homework etc -
Addoil,
You are welcome.
As curriculum is pretty important (think we have a separate thread on that), if you are looking at a childcare around your workplace, you may want to chat with your colleagues. If not gather info at KSP forum is your next best bet.
Our timetable (which i think there is a separate thread too! just can't remember where) is usually..to start homework/assignment the next half or hour after food (ie if breakfast finished at 10.15am, start work at 11am, if lunch finish at 2.35pm, start work at 3pm, if 2.50pm to start work at 3.30pm). Reading is required daily. No restrictions on computer as my P1 boy is not keen..he nags at me instead :oops: . No strict restrictions on TV, if i feel its too much, i just ask him to switch it off (it helps that he only watch certain cartoons). Fixed day do fixed subjects so no surprises. I usually see his mood to determine the workload though. Still working on his self motivation though.
No work to be done on Saturday (cos have enrichment) and sunday is for work not finished over the week (if finished, then its free day).
My boy may be just an average learner, but having a structure learning timetable makes my life easier. -
Heyya littlefire,
Like i mentioned earlier, kindergarten is suitable if
you’re a stay home parent or have a reliable caregiver.
Meaning your child gets the academics required for the
3hrs in kindergarten, but yet goes home gets nutritious
home cooked food (not with subsidised portions of meat,
chicken and everything yummy), guided-play with parent
or caregiver (not free play), rest-time in own comfy bed
(not on a PVC mattress on the childcare floor… with so
many other children), get to reinforce with home-made
or bought materials with child on a one-to-one basis (not
in a large group and shared materials) and get spare $$$
to allot child for other of his interests.
If child stays stays home and just left to play, then the stay
home parent or the caregiver has to put in effort to enforce
reinforcements on the kindy lessons. Have a prepared time
table to manage child’s time efficiently. If the said people at
home cannot afford to spend such time at home with child,
then probably the childcare is a better choice.
Pro-active parents and caregivers can save $$$ by doing a
lotta activities with children at home by providing an interesting
variety of learn-thru-play ideas. I’m a stay-home-parent so I
wud prefer to save the "care $$$" provided in childcare, by
caring for them myself. ie. shower, nap, b’fast, lunch, etc…
Plus on top of that i kiasu as well. I find, myself as a mum can
do the care job better than any childcare teacher. And i can be
assured that my children won’t be subjected to corporal punish-
ment, or unprofessional screaming teachers, or boring curriculum.
A childcare curriculum is no different from the one in kindergarten.
Its just that what needs to be taught in a kindergarten can be done
in the few hours compactly unlike in a childcare set up the lessons
are dragged till closure time for childcare. I shud say teachers are
a more important factor as, if the teacher is unreliable then your
child who is being placed in a childcare (half day or full day) is
not getting the best care during the time he/she spends in there.
Even with the best of curriculums, the teacher will not reach out
diligently to explore the best potentials in all the children under
her care.
Financial situations, family circumstances and practises vary between
families. So, as a matter of personal opinion and also based on
my experience with early childhood set-ups, I for one vote for
kindergarten. It shud not be determined as a general application
to all other families, but more for merely sharing with other parents
here…
For families with both parents working, and without alternative caregiver
they wud have no choice but to leave the caring and the teaching to a
childcare centre and all the time hoping the child is in good hands so
that they can carry on with their careers with peace of mind. Some
parents who both work and not due to personal career pursuits but
for the much needed extra income to sustain the family’s requirements.
There are a few who find they’re not good with kids themselves, hence
a childcare with teachers can do a better job. So, it really really varies
between every family.
Tamarind is one parent who is as pro-active as myself.
Visit her threads to see how she taught herself to find ways
and means to reinforce lessons with her children creatively.
It displays an unconditional mother’s love and her efforts are
exemplary. -
i agreed that it really depends on the cc curriculum. ds has been to 3 different cc already, his current cc seems to have more activities, discipline and more systematic except for what buds mentioned.
i totally agreed with what buds says on this,
\"Meaning your child gets the academics required for the
3hrs in kindergarten, but yet goes home gets nutritious
home cooked food (not with subsidised portions of meat,
chicken and everything yummy), guided-play with parent
or caregiver (not free play), rest-time in own comfy bed
(not on a PVC mattress on the childcare floor.... with so
many other children), get to reinforce with home-made
or bought materials with child on a one-to-one basis (not
in a large group and shared materials) and get spare $$$
to allot child for other of his interests\"
i have read Tamarind's blog, very informative indeed.
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