Mad school chase

So G attended kiddyabc for like 2 months. First week, she was crying very badly. Teacher told me she cried for one hour (it's a 2 hour playgroup) and then fell asleep. Anyway, to cut the long story short, we decided to change school because I observed quite a lot of unpleasant / unsatisfactory stuff amidst the Teacher scolding G and was not gentle and patient towards her.

And I visited:

1. Raffles House Preschool
2. NurtureStars
3. Liz Montessori
4. Startots Playgroup
5. Jessin Kindergarten
6. Creativo Learners
7. Wesley Child Development Center
8. Ykidz Montessori
9. Mindchamps Toa Payoh
10. Young Talents Preschool

And even checked out information on some preschools in Novena and Bishan.

And I also called and checked on Toa Payoh Methodist Kindergarten and Marymount Kindergarten for 2014 intake. Both registration are in May. And some of my mommy friends already secured a place for 2014! Incredible.

I was desperately searching, comparing and researching online reviews as well. All so because I could go and complete my certification. It was long overdue. I postponed it since G was 6 months old. And I thought she is ready for school. Apparently not so.

My mom was blaming me all the time for putting her to school this early and causing so much trauma to her. Yes, she had lots of nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night for milk, mommy and daddy and even became less sociable, more wary. (I said she used to sleep through right? Well, now she sometimes wakes up once around 4 or 5 am)

It has been tough on her. I decided to stop school for another 2 months before we put her in the new school again.

These 2 months, we spent lots of bonding time together. I always assure her that I love her even though she may not get to see me for a short while (like when grandma brings her out to the playground to play and I do housework at home). And that separation is only for a short while.

Reading time: she is now able to take books out herself and just flip to look at the pictures.

Sometimes she does roleplay and read the story to her students/children.

I made a nice and neat corner for her to do her Montessori play. 

Teaching her to take one tray at a time to work on and to return before taking the next tray.

Finally we managed to make the backlight work :)

Science experiment: Volcano Eruption 

Oh yes, the new school. I've paid deposit. $500 per month for every Mon, Wed and Fri 2.5 hour playschool. She's going to start next week. *pray hard all will be well* 

Teacher said once she settles well, we'll change to Mon to Fri daily 2.5 hours. Fees will then be $600. It's really quite high with no subsidy. Her 'enrichment classes' in the afternoon at Blue House, Shichida and Kindermusik will have to ceased because we really cannot afford them anymore. 

There are like 10 things on my mind at the same time (business, Perth trip, G's birthday plans, am I ready for #2, my certification course, my short term goals etc) last night and I couldn't sleep till 1 am. Then with her waking for milk at 4 am (I finally slept at 5 am) and then it's her wake up time at 7 am. I barely sleep much lately whether weekdays or weekends.

Anyway let's hope that this new school is for good. At least from now till the end of the year.

Sensory play

Yes, she ate paint, chew on crayons, tasted flour and sand.

But we had a lot of great fun!

The Blue House Nursery

THE BLUE HOUSE is one of the few schools in Singapore implementing the Reggio Emilia curriculum. The Reggio Emilia approach is not child centered or teacher directed. It is child originated and teacher framed.

Cardboard tunnel with Christmas lights #1

She crawled halfway through the tunnel with much encouragement (with me at the other end) and then u-turn and crawled out of it. She sat there for quite sometime awed by the pretty sight.

Cardboard tunnel with Christmas lights #2

The #2 time we were there, she crawled in and even stayed inside for a while. 

She is afraid of this mirror prism - too overwhelming #1

G is scared of this and couldn't understand why there are so many of herself all over the place. She was always at the edge. Even when I carried her with me and sat in the middle, she would quickly crawl out of it.

#2 at the prism

She is not as afraid the second time we were there. We stayed inside together for a minute longer :)

sensory board #1

sensory board #2

Papa has decided to make a sensory board for G at our new place :)

acrylic mirrors and animal toys 

The rice shaker caught her attention. Mommy will make one at home for you .

Money plant #1

Money plant #2

G dug out some soil with her fingers and ate some of it. She went back again for more and I stopped her. 

The second time, she ate some soil again!

lightbox table #1

lightbox table #2

Mommy wants to get such a lightbox table at our new house. It costs more than S$300 to buy online from US. (excluding shipping and taxes) Should I, should I not?

Papa bought a 6 sessions package at the Blue House. So we'll be going back for more activities next month.  Each session consist of an hour is $25. Thankfully, it's 6 sessions and not more because venue is a challenge. Have to literally take a cab to and fro because of it's inaccessibility.  This is a beautiful school for children and I am committed to bring some of the inspiration back home.

Blue Bergamot Playdough

Basic ingredient ratios:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil (or any light-colored oil)
approximately 20 drops of food coloring


From: http://video.about.com/familycrafts/How-to-Make-Homemade-Playdough.htm

I didn't buy cream of tartar, so I replaced it with egg white + lemon juice and baking soda. No exact measurement (based on agaration).

I also added some begarmot fragrance oil so that it smells uplifting.

It turned out great!

As you knead, the texture becomes better

good texture for a playdough

Store in a ziplock bag for up to 3 months

This is dough in the ziplock bag.

Opps she ate it again.

G seems to put everything into her mouth. She ate the dough again this time. Ewww... and I stopped her after her first bite but she wanted to eat it again. She was fascinated that a lump of googey stuff can be transformed into different shapes and sizes.

She seems to like playdough more than paint. Perhaps I will make another colour soon.

#1 Reggio Emilia project

I just made some paint in the kitchen. 

red, blue and green - added food colouring

Got my ideas from:

http://www.theimaginationtree.com/2011/03/homemade-edible-finger-paint-recipe.html
http://www.momtastic.com/parenting/activities/171489-kids-activity-edible-homemade-fingerpaint



I tweaked the recipe and used tumeric powder for the yellow and red cabbage juice for the purple. I added one drop of lavendar aroma oil into the purple for a better smell. As for yellow, I didn't add because it has the smell from the tumeric spice.

My little artist serious at work

G's first painting at 11 months 2 weeks old

It's the LEAF and BRANCHES theme. G is kinda surprised that mommy is allowing the mess when I poured paint on her fingers and some on the paper. She tore part of the paper and I quickly tape it down. She ate some red paint and almost wanted to put the spoon with green paint into her mouth as well. The whole activity took her about 15 minutes. Who says babies have short attention span? LOL.

A second go at it...

This time she ate some paint. And swallowed a flower when I tried to dig it out.

G's #2 painting - FLOWERS theme