[Ang Mo Kio/Bishan/Thomson/Toa Payoh] Preschools

[apple79]

Palm80: do keep us updated on Appletree.

[palm80]

apple79:

Palm80: do keep us updated on Appletree.

Apple79, I went to pay the first month's fee for Jan 2010 last nite. The place is your neighbourhood RC location. It's not near any traffic, so in a way, it is safe.

Class size is 15 per class with 1 teacher, 1 assistant teacher. I met both last nite and both teachers looks motherly, so am quite happy to leave my bb in their hands. The teacher is an Indian and great coz my bb can learn english from her while we can teach Chinese at home. My MIL can speak English well, so no problem for her to communicate with the teacher.

I brought my bb along to guage how he responds to the environment. He's shy but looks interestedly at other children who went to register. so should be ok.

Actual teaching results, I can only post next year. Let's see how okie? :xedfingers:

For these types of franchises, I believe that getting the right teachers is important. The Appletree at my mum's place, Hougang, had a bad reputation (many years ago la) because, quoting my mum, \"she is single and hasn't been a mum yet\", so the way she treats young children is quite harsh. That's why my elderboy went to Tots House, operated at another nearby RC.

One matter settled at last, but next year, I'll have to search for a Kindergarten. another headache. ha ha.

[apple79]

Thanks Palm80 for the feedback.


Hope your son will adjust well there. Yah agree that teachers play an important role. Its not easy finding a good one and within your area cos like you, I have to depend on my MIL to bring and fetch her from the centre most of the time.

[chiaeiei.06738gmail.06738com]

Apple 79, I think I am really in the same shoes as you. I want my girl to be in a childcare becos my sis says playgroup does not start that early for those not conducted by childcare. But my MIL is dead against it.


Still scratching my head as to what to do.

MMI’s playgroup is too expensive for me if I want to send her 5 times a week.

My sis was suggesting to put her in a half day childcare. Haiz, sometimes I wish I dun have to work!

[palm80]

M3:

My sis was suggesting to put her in a half day childcare. Haiz, sometimes I wish I dun have to work!

Hi M3, actually, I prefer working so that I can supplement my household income. else, i doubt we will be able to afford sending our kids to a private kindergarten. One good thing abt working is we have the additonal income to back us up and more choices are open to us.

If your MIL is not receptive, maybe can solicit her input as to where is a good place to put your child in. She might be offended coz she might think, \"I help you take care of kid, now you want to put her in childcare, am I not doing a good job?! Other pple want help oso dun have\"

Tell her that it's time for ur bb to make friends and to prepare for her future school life, so ask her for suggestion for nearby places so that she can still care for your gal and at the same time, ferry her to and fro the childcare/playgroup/kindergarten. Sometimes need to curry ur MIL a bit else will make things difficult for ur hubby / bb and most importantly, urself.

~palm80~

[palm80]

apple79:

Thanks Palm80 for the feedback.


Hope your son will adjust well there. Yah agree that teachers play an important role. Its not easy finding a good one and within your area cos like you, I have to depend on my MIL to bring and fetch her from the centre most of the time.

No probs, Apple79, and thanks for your wishes. After my first kid, I learnt that if you find that the learning centre does not perform up to your standards, and if you do not want to go through the hassle of getting another centre, what we need to do is to supplement what our kids learn with homeschooling.

My aunt's child who is the same age as mine attended the neighbourhood PCF kindergarten. He is now in the best class in his P3 level. He consistently scores more than 90 and sometimes 100 in his tests and exams. So what the parents teach at home is important too.

[apple79]

Hi Palm,


yah I do not intend to depend on centre totally. I am trying my best to do some teaching at home myself everyday cos I do not have the luxury of whole day with her. At most I can only spend about 2 hours with her (if I knock off early) to do some reading, singing etc with her before she sleeps. Being a parent is tiring…

[chiaeiei.06738gmail.06738com]

Hi Palm80, everyone is telling me to curry favour my mil a bit. The fact is I did but after 3 years the result is this:


She thinks she is the big Mama, "see, I told you I am right" cos I always give in to her.We stay with her at the moment so she insists on doing things a certain way and to maintain harmony I do everything the way she wants it. I buy things for her, pay for her tour, always tell my husband to remember her birthday etc etc. The result is I think I have lost all freedom and I have lost myself.

She does not respect me at all. She told my gal who is bearly one that she must learn to call her first, above everyone else, including me, her mummy.I feel very hurt and threatened becos I dun know what she will tell my gal when I am away at work.

I also do not intend to depend on centre so no matter how tired I am after work I will read with my gal, play with her, put her to sleep etc. The result is I am so thin cos I have no time to eat properly or rest. I dare not even contemplate having a second one.

Anyway, I intend to see a counsellor to manage my emotions and send my girl to school. So I will still welcome any suggestions of a good centre in the West.

[lkneo66]

KSoh:

Can anyone comment on YMCA in Bishan and Little Campus? Anyone tried them? Are they able to help prepare the kids for Primary 1?

My two kids attended Metropolitan YMCA in Bishan years ago. It was very good then and my kids were well prepared for Primary 1. My girl get 1st in her class in P1 and my son was also in the top 10 position. I hope YMCA still maintain the same good standards after all these years.

[wownice]

Anyone have kids at Kiddy ABC Toa Payoh or Teddy Playhouse?


Planning to send my 2yr old here… thanks