Child care charges, reasonable or unreasonable?

[jogwyn]

The cost usually includes entrance fee, bus fee, tour guide(if any), feeds(if any). Food wise, it’s provided by school. Most of the time, the kids won’t be back on time to eat lunch in school so the school will cancel their lunch for the day then pack some light snacks but balanced diet for them to bring along. It’s optional for kids to bring their own snacks, but if parents want to let their kids bring to share with friends, by all means.

Ever since the petrol costs soared high, school bus rental also increases. Also, the teacher-student ratio is taken into consideration. They will not compromise safety just for saving money. If big bus is needed, then they will hire, all come with seat belts too.
Also, depending on the theme of the outing, sometimes the cost will include the materials needed for the trip.
All trips are planned based on lessons usually, and they are optional but the school will encourage every kid to go because of teambuilding, togetherness and learning independence etc.
Whatever money that is leftover will be used for the next trip, so far haven’t heard of any that goes to a teacher’s celeration. A receipt is issued to all kids who signed up. A detailed letter with consent form is sent to each parent, explaining the purpose of the trip and it’s cost.

[qms]

shopzz:

Yes, this trip can be opt out but parent has to make alternative childcare arrangement.

Is the childcare centre allowed to do that? This is like forcing parents to allow their kids to go for the field trip. :?

For parents who opt out, it is the centre's duty to ensure somebody is in the centre to look after the kid, rather than expect the parents to make alternative childcare arrangement.

[IJJ]

shopzz:

Agreed it is not fair. All along I thought it is the standard practice in CC. Thanks for pointing out.


Recently the field trip is once per month.

I like they organize field trip. I don't mind they charge to cover their cost and even make some profit. But I don't feel right if they try to exploit us.

When my child was with a 'branded' cc, they charged like $12.50 for a library trip for story telling. No food or drink provided, just bring along their own water bottles and return back to cc for meals. I thot that was way too expensive and I opted out.

For ex cc and current cc, both do not force us to go for field trips. They will have teachers/aunties staying behind to take care of those who choose not to go.

[xris]

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Hi parents

I'm new here and could like to find out why the rates for different childcare centres can vary so much. Eg. 2 Childcare centres, same area, just a few blocks away from each another, one charges $350 and the other charges $180.

Does any parent here got any reviews for the following Childcare centres:

- Eager Beaver Schoolhouse (Mt Faber SAFRA)
- Wesley Child Development Centre (Telok Blangah)
- Appleland (Depot Road)
- Cherie Heart Merryland (Bt. Purmei)
- SASCO Child Center (Bt. Purmei)

Thanks in advance for all replies.

Regards,
Xris

[mrswongtuition]

insider:

This issue brought to my mind of one special parent during one of my concerts.


The concert performance time was from 5 pm to 7 pm and kids need to arrive at the hall at around 3.30 pm. I have one particular parent who somehow refused to let his 3 years old participate in the concert (say parents should not be paying for concert tickets).

My principal sought his co-operation to bring the child back by 3 pm. He refused, claiming his right for his son to be in the centre till 7 pm.

Then, my principal re-sought him to pick his son up from the concert hall (which was not such a far away place from my centre), he said no, he didn't want to let his son feel left out there.

So, my principal said then please co-operate by trying to come earlier so that the staff can at least join the concert mid way. He said, 'I try.'

I had to let a staff stay back and engage a part-timer to jaga this particular child and daddy came at around 6.45 pm and my poor staff missed the performance and could only join in for the dinner (btw, whenever there is a child in a centre, there must be at least 1 first aid trained staff around, meaning those teacher assistant who maybe untrained in first aid cannot...)

Really have all sorts of nice or nasty parents...

I'm sorry to say but in this case, the parent is right. They paid the fees because they need someone to care for their son & not all parents can take leave as & when they like (like my job, I can't take leave as & when I like). Some families also do not have the resources for alternative care (tt's why they placed the child in a CC in the first place). Although the concert venue may be nearby, it's an unfamiliar place and the parent may not know how to get there too.

When I registered my son at his current CC, it was stated clearly which days the centre has activities (staff training, school concert, etc) in which parents need to make alternative childcare arrangements. The dates were made known to us even before we paid any fees/during Nov of the previous year & the dates were also pinned up at the entrance of the school so parents can be reminded easily. As it was stated before we even registered him, I'm alright with having to find alternative arrangements.

What's more important is keeping parents informed even before they registered their child at the CC. Let the parents know what to expect when you have such events.

[IJJ]

mrswongtuition:

I'm sorry to say but in this case, the parent is right. They paid the fees because they need someone to care for their son & not all parents can take leave as & when they like (like my job, I can't take leave as & when I like). Some families also do not have the resources for alternative care (tt's why they placed the child in a CC in the first place). Although the concert venue may be nearby, it's an unfamiliar place and the parent may not know how to get there too.


When I registered my son at his current CC, it was stated clearly which days the centre has activities (staff training, school concert, etc) in which parents need to make alternative childcare arrangements. The dates were made known to us even before we paid any fees/during Nov of the previous year & the dates were also pinned up at the entrance of the school so parents can be reminded easily. As it was stated before we even registered him, I'm alright with having to find alternative arrangements.

What's more important is keeping parents informed even before they registered their child at the CC. Let the parents know what to expect when you have such events.

Agree with above said.

Field trips and concerts are not compulsory for most, if not, all of the ccs. Unless like Mrswong says, the dates and conditions are stated right before the academic year for parents to make plan ahead, agree upon before deciding whether to send their kids to the respective ccs. Some ccs that I came across really charge extorbitant fees for concerts (even for costumes) and field trips. Its fair for parents who opt out for such activities and prefer to have their kids taken care throughout the normal cc hours in the usual cc venue. I do not see what is wrong with that as the regular cc fees are still being paid. If the 'poor' teacher/staff has to stay back to take care of these 'opt out' kids, then its very unfair to put the blame on the 'nasty' parents. Hence ccs should not take it for granted that parents have to make such decision in the expense of themselves (either pay or make alternative child-sit arrangement).

Putting myself in that nasty/special(whatever you put it) parent's shoe, I also will not like my 3yo to run around in the concert hall/location like a roaming/left out child.

[IJJ]

xris:

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Hi parents

I'm new here and could like to find out why the rates for different childcare centres can vary so much. Eg. 2 Childcare centres, same area, just a few blocks away from each another, one charges $350 and the other charges $180.

Does any parent here got any reviews for the following Childcare centres:

- Eager Beaver Schoolhouse (Mt Faber SAFRA)
- Wesley Child Development Centre (Telok Blangah)
- Appleland (Depot Road)
- Cherie Heart Merryland (Bt. Purmei)
- SASCO Child Center (Bt. Purmei)

Thanks in advance for all replies.

Regards,
Xris

I cannot comment on those centres you mentioned as I do not reside within/nearby the areas.

Ccs have wide range of fees, mainly due to its

1. brand name (Famous one like Learning Vision, Kinderland, Eton House, MMI, Columbia etc)
2. cirriculum (music/dance courses, phonics/reader programs etc) - here, I am not talking about optional enrichment classes, but compulsory classes inclusive in its fees.
3. teacher-to-kids ratio
4. environment (pte vs public playground/field, aircon vs fan, void deck vs pte house, spacious vs cosy classroom)

I came across some charges as high as 1000+ per month and some as low as 200+ per month.

[schellen]

xris:

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Hi parents

I'm new here and could like to find out why the rates for different childcare centres can vary so much. Eg. 2 Childcare centres, same area, just a few blocks away from each another, one charges $350 and the other charges $180.

Also, some centres are heavily subsidised by government or religious organisations while others are private setups.

[JHJC]

actually, its not very wise to be nasty… the kids are there, you want them to be very love and you want peace of mind when you are not there…

[IJJ]

insider:

Actually, this kind of nasty parents better leave my centre and joins others as a relationship can only be cordial and meaningful only when there is give and take instead of keep harping on \"my rights\", \"my left\"...

PS: I will go all out to help if parents really have difficulties to find alternative arrangement but cannot accept when this parent drives and still has a maid at home and yet can't accommodate. This year may have the same issue again and I pray he will transfer his son out from my centre before the year end concert so that all my staff can go attend the concert. After pouring their heart and soul in preparing the concert, all staff deserve to be onsite to watch the performance as a final closure after their months of hardwork. Between my staff and this type of parent, think the choice is obvious.

I don't understand. This incident happened last year and the same/similiar unhappy incident is anticipated to reoccur this year? There is nothing that can be done, in advance, i.e. now? :?

I am thinking, if your cc voices this out much earlier to all parents that it is mandatory for all kids to attend concert or whatever your conditions are, give them rooms to consider, discuss with cc and make arrangements (both parents and cc), then this type of lose-lose situation can be avoided. Instead of hoping for the parent to withdraw the child, there should be a better way to solve this issue to make both parties happy.

Like JHJC said, parents want their children to be loved and have a peace of mind when the tender-aged children are placed with cc, noone actually like to be nasty. At times, parents simply are caught in situations too. If having a car or a maid make alternative arrangement easy, then perhaps in the very first place, the child may not be placed in a cc, JMO.

Sorry shopzz, we went out of topic here.

Anyway, thanks shopzz to raise this topic. I am thankful that dd's current cc is very reasonable in its field trip charges and for kids whose parents chose to opt out for whatever reasons, the cc always have regular teachers who gladly stay back to take care of them. I also notice that for all field trips, they engage extra help from secondary school kids to have a better caregivers ratio to the no. of kids. Dd and her 3 yo friends are always happy and well taken care of during and after trips. The kids were sprayed mosquito repellent, prompted to drink water, made sure that they get regular toilet trips and specially for my dd, who has ezema (itchy skin), she was constantly applied skin lotion. So touched.