First cry in new school

You have been to this new school for more than 2 months. I’m happy that you are always so happy and there are times you told me that you want to go to school already, time to leave for school… etc and you always happy singing the English and Mandarin songs your learned. Seems like you are learning to sing a lot

But this morning is the first time I see you refused to get out of the car and cry when I have to hand you over to Teacher Vicky. You clinged onto my neck so tightly and cried and said I don’t want, I don’t want.  Guess you refused to go to school because you have been staying at home with Gorgor for the past 2 days. Unfortunately, Gorgor is still sick and have to stay at home, so, you also want to stay at home too

Teacher Vicky came running to you when she heard you cried and she carried you facing the other way till Mummy leave the school. I trust that you are in good hand with Teacher Vicky and I know that you like her

Just when we thot you recover and can go back to school….

...your fever has gone even higher, 39.2 degrees Celsius

For the past 5 days, your fever was like a yoyo going up and down hovering around 38.3. Since it was taking too long to recover, we brought you and Jarrett to Polyclinic to do a blood test. 2 days back when I brought both of you to see a GP, she said it’s common to have fever up and down for a few days. Usually a blood test is needed only if fever still persist on the 5th day. That’s why I took you to Polyclinic (cos I don’t like that GP).  But to my surprise that Polyclinic doctor said there is no need for blood test but he will do so if I insist. huh? I’m surprised he said that.  Anyway, the test result showed that it just a viral fever.

After we returned from Polyclinic, you had another dose of panadol…. we monitor your temperature for the rest of the day, you were ok. Daddy and Mummy were very happy and I started to check your bag and get your stuff ready for school next day.

Two nights back, we have decided not to put you and Jarrett in the same room. So Daddy will sleep on Jarrett’s bed in the same room with you while Jarrett shared the bed with Mummy. Unfortunately, the virus must be too strong in that room so Daddy is also sick after sharing the room with you.

Thus, last night I told Daddy we should let you sleep in that room by yourself cos I don’t want the virus from Daddy to pass back to you. But you came to me at 2.45am to say that you are alone in that room. OK, so I brought you back to your room. But you also told me you are very cold, I touch and felt that your body was usually hot. I took your temperature which showed 38.9. Sigh…. So I got you to take your medicine… and stay by you to clean you when you perspired. Unfortunately, you perspire only a little which mean it didn’t help to bring the temperature down. I remembered about getting the hard boil egg to rub your body, so I got up to boil hard boil egg in the middle of the night. But still didn’t help much :(

I think you are missing school much and I really really want you to go back to school. After you put on your uniform, we thot maybe we should take your temperature again, yes, it showed 37.7… well I guess you just have to stay at home.

“Daddy, you are sleeping on my bed…”

You said that to Daddy when you woke up at 3am from our bed and carried 2 pillows standing at your bedroom. haha!

We decided to separate both of you at night hoping that it will help you guys. So after both of you slept, Daddy carried you to our bed. So you sleep with Mummy, while Daddy sleep on your bed in the same room as Gorgor.

Since both of you were still running with a fever, I woke up at 3am to get the panadol, water and feeding spoon from the kitchen. Just when I was about to walk back to you I heard you saying that to Daddy! So you woke up a very sleepy Daddy and we really wanted to laugh cos we couldn’t believe said that and with 2 big pillows on your hands!

Cough, running nose, and fever…

I think this is the worst cough you ever had. You have been coughing for more than 2 weeks.

About 3 weeks ago, I brought you along when Jarrett needs to go Yuguo. Since you were there, the yishi asked to see your tongue, she said your body are very heaty. You need to drink barley water but I told her you don’t like so she said then it has to be lots of water. Anyway, I have always been asking you to drink lots of water. When you were in childcare, I think the teachers make an effort of asking the children to drink water but since now you are in Primary school, I don’t think the teachers are there to remind you to drink water. Not only you drink very little water, many times you lost your water bottle! Good thing that I labelled your water bottle with your name and class so you always get back the water bottle. Anyway, back to drinking very little water especially on that particular week when you body needs more water. On that Friday evening, you asked for your deep fried chicken rice for dinner. The next day, you kept coughing non-stop! No joke, you never stop coughing, till I think it affected your appetite for the next 2 days which I can understand cos how to eat when you never stop coughing. Just when you are on the road to recovery, you and Jarrett went to the very crowded zoo under the scrouching hot sun. In addition, you and Jarrett ate chicken while you were at Gugu’s place. We just have to blame ourselves for not asking Gugu not to give you guys chicken. :( so now you are back to your cough again with fever!

So after the zoo trip, Jarrett had fever in that afternoon and you had fever the next day. Since then till now, both your temperatures have been like yoyo, going up and down, up and down… :(

Though both of you are sick but you guys never look sick at all.

Ethan, Daddy and Mummy really wish you recover real soon. It pain to see you and Jarrett sick for so long.

Gone missing… and I’m back :)

Didn’t know that I have not been blogging for 2 months… well cos I am too busy plus being too lazy!! sigh…

There are too many things to write, to complain, to be thankful ...

To begin, I’m thankful that I am not required to go to Budapest, Hungary, this week for the 23rd Board Meeting. Can’t imagine with so many things going on
- 2 boys are sick, and now with the swine flu going on, the school needs the doctor to certify that they are fit for school… so now both of them are at home!
- swine flu going on so the best is stay and not to travel.
- Peter is busy at work so can’t expect him to send and pick the boys from school for at least a week and even now I’m the one who take leave to stay at home with the boys.

As I need to pick the boys from student care and childcare, I can’t work late, I have been replying and writing emails from home because of this board meeting, esp last week I stayed up till 2.30am. Last year, when it was held in Singapore, for one week I stayed late in office and asked mum to pick the boys from the childcare. After this board meeting, towards the end of the year, the 24th Board Meeting will be held in Singapore again! I don’t know how am I going to cope :( especially now the boys are in different schools. Thank God I have a great colleague, Michael, who has been of great help to me. I can trust him with all the task given to him. For that I’m very selfish, I hope he will stay as long as I’m here…haha.

This Friday is Jarrett’s 4th birthday. We already placed the order for the cake. He asked for Bakugan cake! It will be a real disappointment if he can’t celebrate in school again. Last year, we planned to have his birthday celebration with some of our friends but becos of the suspect case of HFMD we had to cancel the celebration. So please pray that he will recover within this 2 days!

Yes, I really can’t wait for the boys to recover from their fever, cough and running nose. Really heartache to see them sick, esp Ethan who has been coughing for more than 2 weeks :( Had also spent a lot on their medical bills. Thank God that I can claim from company however there’s a cap. I’m already reaching this cap very soon :( though June is not here yet.

Excursion trip to BATA

Your first excursion! Your school has been doing work relating to shoes, so this trip was icing on the cake. Mummy was saying parents can join you for the trip and since I was clearing an off day, I decided I’ll just join you.

Since this is the first time I tag along, I got to see how the teachers interact with you and your friends. I am quite happy to report that you are in great hands. Fan lao shi was great leading everyone to a sing along. There is so many songs, some I have heard you sang before. Since there were a few younger kids, some of parents also tagged along. They sat beside their parents and I decided I’ll just sit behind and let you be a bit more independent. From behind, I could see Fan lao shi constantly looking at your direction to get you to join in the singing.

With all the singing, time went by pretty quick, the next thing we know, we arrived!

Since there is no shoe manufacturing factory in Singapore, a retail store is the next best alternative. I was wondering how fun and educational it will be since we have been to several different BATA stores.

It started off with one of the staff showing you kids around the store, showing shoes, bags, slippers, sandals etc. The lady was conscious not to show any brands, and talk in general what each product does.

That went on quite fast and came the most interesting part of the tour. Another staff started explaining how shoes are made, differences between natural leather and man made leather.

(Man made leather have no smell, unlike natural leather) Of course, they introduce their house brand designed for kids. After that, there was the painting shoe competition. Everyone was given a set of magic markers and a white shoe…

Finally, your first milk teeth has dropped!

Many of your friends has lost not one, some even 4 teeth, so when I heard from Mummy in the evening that you just lost the first tooth, I was so happy. But… you lost it on the way back to the student care. :( You had an excursion out to the library and a movie, so when your teeth dropped, your teacher had it wrapped in a tissue, but you misplaced that tissue and I guessed a rolled up tissue, not many will think twice of throwing it. Anyway, as a way to encourage you to loosen the rest of your milk teeth, I reminded you about the tooth fairy since we have read some books about it. I was wondering also, with the tooth missing, how does a tooth fairy “pick up” the tooth in exchange for some loose change… Since I have a twitter account, I tweet about it hoping some parents will reply me. I was quite tickled when the toothfairy replied. Well at least someone monitoring the keyword, toothfairy… her reply was to still leave a note as it happens often and sometimes some kids even accidentally swallows it. So I did leave you a note, saying it’s ok you lost the tooth and left you 2 $1 coins.

The next day, when you woke up, I asked you why there was a note on your pillow. You read, smile and found your $2. Guess it was a good thing I left you the note. You have another tooth that is loose and shaky. Hopefully that will come out so as another new tooth is emerging behind.

Update on your new reward system

So how was your new reward system? As mentioned, it was a team competition between you+Daddy and Jarrett+Mummy. So far you have won 2 rounds. You got to choose what you want for your rewards.  The first reward you chose was a Ben10 stickers and colouring book that you got from Popular. Though I would prefer you to get something which is more beneficial (like storybook) but since it’s your reward and you get to choose what you want. Last weekend, we were at Popular. You caught me suprised when you picked up a Mathematics Assessment and said that you wanted this.  Though this is something definitely better than Ben10 sticker and colouring book but I told you we already have another Mathematics Assessment book at home. But you insist to have it. OK then I said this shall be your reward for winning Jarrett. The moment you reached home, immediately you sat down to do the assessment. At that time, then I realised it’s so easy (though it’s a P1 assessment book) and I commented that you should leave it for Jarrett.

Apart from the reward which you chose yourself, how did you get to win Jarrett twice. Simply because there are times you really try to make effort so as to earn more points, like reading story book by yourself, try to help Jarrett even just a very simple task and claimed that you help Jarrett, like helping him to wear his school shoes when we pick him up. In fact, you have been doing that before we started this reward point system. 

Since it’s difficult to get you to finish your water in your bottle, we will give you extra points if you finish the water before I pick you up from school. Just like earlier in school, after picking up your bag, while walking towards me, you were trying hard to finish the water in your bottle! So you got your points. However, it still didn’t help much to get you to eat faster. In addition, you refused to minus point when you did something wrong or slow or not listening to us and you will whine and cry. Since when you cry and whine, you will delay doing a lot of things. We will now minus the points later when we get you to add points at the end of an activity/day. Seems like trying to penalise you at the very point of misbehaviour, you will kick a fuss. We’ll see how that goes.

New school

As mentioned in Mummy’s blog, you have moved to a new school since last week. It’s good that you have been looking forward to it. In fact, you could have joined the new school earlier if not because of Mummy’s procrastination.

Whenever I asked you what you do in school, you always reply that you “played”. During the period while we were servicing the notice, I always like to ask you why you like the new school. Your answer is because I can play. I guess it because you and gorgor were playing during our first visit while Daddy and Mummy were talking to the teachers so as to understanding the school programme. When we confirmed that you will join the new school, you were very eager and thought you were joining the new school the next day. But we have to explain to you we have to give one month notice. You kinda accepted our explanation and just waiting for the day to come. When Mummy decided that you should stay in the old school, I dare not to tell you and just let it went by. I was afraid you might get disappointed.

I guess it help that in this new school you have many of your friends from the old school. One of your best friends, Yuyang, is in the new school. Though you also have another best friend, Ryan, in the old school.

Indeed you are loved by the teachers, especially with your beautiful eyes, they all went goo goo gar gar when they see you! haha…

Most importantly, I hope you will enjoy this school and developed an interest to learn.

Undecisive and finally decided

Long ago I already have the intention to move Jarrett to another childcare centre once Ethan graduate. But Daddy is quite against the idea and of course I also understand why.  This is because we remembered very clearly that Jarrett took more than 3 months to adapt to the childcare centre. I couldn’t believe myself that he cried for such a long period every morning when I send him to the childcare centre. Just when he started to adapt to the environment, the childcare centre moved to another place. That took him approximately another 2 weeks to settle down.

Before the centre moved, it was situated in one of the terrace houses. Though it can be quite inconvenient if there is no car, but we love the environment there. It was the environment that attracted Daddy and I when we started searching for a childcare centre for Ethan. I don’t quite like the environment in the new place, it’s situated in those small shopping malls. It’s also between a construction site and the MRT, thus we can see many foreign workers on bicycles cycling to the MRT station, which at times looks dangerous especially when I drop or pick up the kids.. Another reason I got very paranoid was during the HFMD peak. Though the school will do body and temperature check before accepting the children in school BUT that building is open to public and there are 2 other childcare centre in the building, 1 on the same level, meaning the virus can be easily passed especially in the lift or the escalator… Thus, I always highlight to the 2 boys the moment we parked the car and enter to the building that no one is supposed to touch anything till they reached the centre at level 3.  Environment is the main reason why I feel that I need to search for another childcare centre for him. But I am too busy to search for one or maybe I still have the fear of searching one cos I remember 4 years ago when we were searching one for Ethan, there wasn’t any good centre that we like that I almost wanted to give up searching and feel that afterall they were all the same, none of them give us the feeling of comfort till we found the one the 2 boys attended.

One fine day in Nov/Dec, I met one mum from the same centre. She told me that her girl is leaving the centre by the end of the year to another centre nearby. It’s a new centre. Also, many of Jarrett’s classmates and schoolmates left to join this new school. We visited this new centre last December. Again, Daddy and I love the environment just like how we love the old centre in the terrace house.  Jarrett and Ethan went to play toys while we were tour around the centre and talked to the teacher.  We asked Jarrett whether he wants to come to this new centre and he said yes. I was still procrastinating whether or not to register him in this centre… partly because of the high fees. But if I register Jarrett before the new year starts we can enjoy some discount. So I inform the school that we decided to move Jarrett to another school. I spoke to the Head since she picked up my call and then another day the principal called. They were very concerned why we moved. I spent more than half an hour on the phone telling the principal why we want to move. After they accepted our letter of notice, I went to register Jarrett to the new school.  Since I need to give one month notice, Jarrett can only join the new school in February. But he was too eager to go to the new school. I need to explain to him why he needs to wait though I don’t think he understand Just 2 days before end January, I somehow decided not to let Jarrett go to new school.  I have too many worries. So I contacted the new school principal that I wish to withdraw but let me talk to the old school principal first. Of course, she was very happy that Jarrett would stay. Again, I spent another 20 mins or so to understand both schools programme.  Which one will be more suitable for Jarrett. So to move or not to move? Daddy said he will leave it to me to decide! Arrggh! On Friday late evening, I decided that we stayed!

HOWEVER, in the following week, while trying to arrange a day to go back to the new school to get my refund of the deposit and return the free 2 sets of uniform, I talked to the new centre principal again and decided that Jarrett will move to the new centre! Ya, I know I just couldn’t make up my mind. When I spoke to the old centre principal, she doesn’t sound too happy. In fact, she wanted me to give her another month of notice, meaning Jarrett can only join the new school in April! But I tried to explain to her, to Jarrett’s benefit she should let him go early since we didn’t buy the readers series. Only then she let him go by end February. Felt like such a long wait again to move to new school. Finally he joined the new school on Monday, 2 March!

I really hope that I have made the right choice for him. He has been there for 2 weeks. He seems happy. Whenever I asked him what he does, his reply “I play toy” Seems like he only play. Last Saturday, we had a parent-teacher meeting (since the school and teacher are new, this session was a presentation by the English and Chinese teachers. His teacher assure us definitely he’s learning and good that he sees it as play, meaning he’s learning through play!

Another good point about this school is that though the school fee is $30 more than the previous school, he has free swimming lesson on Tuesday and Gym programme on Thursday.  I paid an additional of $70 for his Chinese (Monday) and English (Wednesday) Speech and Drama. Though I know next year they will increase the school fee but somehow I still wish they will not increase!