Both my DDs do not understand or speak a word of any dialect, though DD1 recently expressed an interest (out of the blue) to learn Cantonese. She’s trying to pick up what she can from watching youtube, since no one in the family speaks Cantonese (I’m Shanghainese while daddy is Hainanese).

ChiefKiasu:

Good that you sent your child to diagnose the problem. Too many times we hear of parents regretting their decision not to send their kids for fear of stigmatisation/it-can't-be-anything-serious. Granted that you know what's the problem - Graves Disease, what did the doctor recommend caregivers do?

I think the health of our children is much more important that their academic grades. Good grades follow good health and attitudes.

I'm thankful that the new GP suspected enough to order a full check-up. Though that does not alleviate my guilt for not thinking that something might be wrong, for letting it drag on for so long, and for the possibility that I might have passed it on to her (I too had Graves, though now in remission).

She's now under medication, which she has to take for at least 1.5 to 2 years. Due to her elevated heart rate, she cannot do strenuous exercise, and has been exempted from PE and physical fitness test by her endocrinologist. Other than that, we want life to be as normal as possible for her.

I've always thought that Graves was a middle-age woman's disease. But it can, and does, affect adolescents. This is OT, but just to share:

https://www.ksat.com/health/graves-disease-in-teens-overlooked-too-often

Thank you ngl2010, slmkhoo and peasants for your encouragement and suggestions.


Over the past few months, I have actually met up with DD’s VP, level head and form teachers several times. The promotion criterion are there, and have to be met, and I understand and respect that.

I have also explored with the VP in regards to options, such as moving on to MI (which in my opinion will actually be better than JC, as she is still undergoing treatment). However, all these alternatives are not guaranteed, as admissions are actually done by the respective JC/poly etc. The prerogative to admit a student or not lies with them, not with DD’s current school.

I am actually not against DD staying back one more year. DD’s current school is very supportive, and understands her condition. My only worry is in how DD will actually take it.

I have also spoken with DD about exploring options such as La Salle, which accepts Year 4 IP students, as DD is inclined towards the Arts/Humanities. But she is very very subdued when I brought it up, and did not want to share her thoughts and feelings.

ChiefKiasu:

There are ups and downs in life. But it is so hard to realise the school/study mode is not for you, especially in a cohort of supposedly like-minded folks. You may be bored - the mode may be too easy. Or you may feel challenged as somehow you could not cope with the demands of the level. Such is the danger that faces everyone, not only in IP schools, but even in ordinary Secondary schools. That's why for some of us, the best/worst part of our lives lies in our Secondary schools. I had a horrible Secondary school life, but a beautiful JC life. So cheer up!

Yes, indeed there are ups and downs in life.

DD2 is in the IP program of a dual track school. While not the most brilliant of students, she was doing OK in Years 1 and 2. Her results started to slip in Year 3. She would have mood swings, seemed to lack concentration and started hyperventilating (especially during exams). Initially we attributed it to the big jump from Year 2 to Year 3, stress, teenage angst, etc.

However, the hyperventilation got progressively worse, and became a regular occurrence. She would hide herself in the school toilet while she hyperventilated (thank goodness for friends), and during year-end exams last year, she hyperventilated in the midst of one paper, but insisted on taking a second paper later in the day. I waited for her in school that day, fearful that she was going to have another attack.

We had started visiting a new GP who, in March this year, suggested that we perform a full-body check-up to rule out any physical conditions that are triggering the hyperventilation episodes. If nothing is wrong physically, we can then tackle the problem from a psychological standpoint. Turned out that DD2 was suffering from Graves Disease/hyperthyroidism.

As promotion to JC is based on the combined results in Year 3 and Year 4, what this means is that there is now a huge possibility that DD2 is not going to clear the promo criteria. I can see DD2 putting in her best efforts for this final exam, but it is really not easy. In fact, she had another attack while revising at home over the weekend, but decided to go back to school on Monday to take the paper despite her MC.

I have to admit, I do fret about what this means to her educational pathway. Being in IP means that she will not have an O level certificate. So entry into a JC, MI or polytechnic is going to be extremely difficult (if not impossible). I also worry that it will be a big blow to her if she has to repeat her Year 4, especially seeing her decade-long friends move on to JC.

However, this has also shown me my gal's grit and resilience, and has given me a fresh appreciation of the school's support.

As to what will be the next step for my gal? I honestly do not know. The year-end results will start to trickle back next week, and I suppose we will then have a clearer picture of where she stands, and how we move on from there.

Thank you, TTC and jtoh. Spoke with DD last night. She is also not inclined to apply for early admissions, and just concentrate on doing her best for her A levels for now.

DD has been invited to apply for early admissions for NUS. I understand that Medicine/Dentistry/Law are not eligible for early admissions. If Medicine/Dentistry is DD’s first choice, does that mean that she should not apply for early admissions for her second-choice course?

I’m a simple person and tbh, I got lost after page 30 of this thread.


I’m here just to share my (very personal) thoughts on teachers having to pay for parking in schools.

It has taken a long time for me to figure out why I wasn’t comfortable with the notion of charging teachers a parking fee. It has nothing to do with the nobility of the job (because EVERY job is noble and is indispensable to life as we know it). Nothing to do with workload. Nothing to do with clean wages or not.

I am uncomfortable simply because I have never perceived the school to be a commercial entity or commercial building. Yes, it is State land, granted to build a place where people come to learn and grow. There are no commercial outfits like restaurants in schools to generate profit, and in fact our children do not even pay school fees. So I’ve never thought of parking as a "privilege" for teachers. In fact, I do not even think of it as "free" and in association, as a hidden benefit in teachers’ wages. So, I suppose I am just a bit sad that we are attaching a monetary value to everything.

berrytree:

Hi can some one pass me gp contacts in Bishan tpy hougang who does ear piercing


Thank you

Not sure of GPs, but there's a B*dazzle at Junction 8 which does ear piercing.

SHARELUV:

Can you also share what brand of product shampoo you let your child use?
Indeed, she is always tied hair. She was in the 2nd semester of sch hols began hair loss and maybe because she din maintain sleep routines on holiday
In fact, she has to reduce hair loss so far. But still worry. Her hair volume in crown area also thinner than before. Any idea on how to fasten hair growth?

My girl is in JC1, so she now uses shampoo for adults. But when younger, both my girls used baby/kids shampoo until they were about 10.

My guess is that your girl's hair fall is perhaps due to the constant tying of hair, since tying hair tends to pull on the crown area. In fact, my girl did mention to me that many of her friends with tied back long hair have a similar \"bald spot\" near the hairline (front). Perhaps get your girl to let down her hair once at home? And use a wide-toothed comb.

bagabunny:

Yes I'm alumni of cos! I have the number and date that I've joined.

Zzzzz

Oh sorry, I think I misunderstood you earlier.