Lucas is back to Playschool

After 3 weeks of nursery hunting and trial classes, I finally found a playschool for him. The playschool is quite a drive from the house, 20 mins door-to-door, and toll is not cheap either. It is a very small school with total 11 kids and 2 teachers. The atmosphere is casual but the teacher is very firm, even with the parents. I realised the criteria for Lucas's playschool are when:
1) I asked him if he wants to come back, he has to say 'yes'.
2) on the third day, he let me off without crying

Lucas already figured out how to outsmart us when it comes to going to school. On weekends, we will wake up at 7+am. On weekdays, he will wake up at 9am, when the school starts at 8.30am! Kids are so unpredictable.

Nursery Hunting Again

Now that we have moved, it is time to scout a nursery for Lucas again. I must said it is a tedious task. This new neighbourhood had limited choices and most of them are still quite inexperienced. I tried one last week, a franchise kindy. I find that the syllabus is a bit too heavy for a two and a half years old. There are half an hour of serious reading (with book and repeating after the teacher). Lucas can't even sit still for 10 mins!. The turn-off factor is the kindy is on a second floor shop lot, meaning there is no playground and outdoor activity for the kids. How can they not have that. I strike the kindy out.
Then I tried another kindy which is on a corner house. It is a neighbourhood type of kindy. The syllabus are very relax - basically play. However, I seems to have different school of thoughts from the teachers there. The teachers believe I should sneak off and let Lucas cried if Lucas refused to let me go. I think otherwise. I thought I should not sneak off. Lucas must know that I am leaving and pick him up later when he is crying. The teacher also has been bribing the kids with junk food and telling the kids grandmother's tale. Yesterday, Lucas said 'Everybody said cannot go under the sun'. I asked why. He said 'Get fever' and touched his forehead. Dominic was not impressed at all. Sigh....looks like I need to look for another nursery ...

Friend's House

A few days after Lucas started nursery, he told me one day 'Go friend's house', and yes he pronounced the 's! I was puzzled for a while. I thought I missed some announcement about his classmates birthday party. Then I realised he meant 'go to school'. I always tried to avoid using the word 'school' as it sounds too serious. He is supposed to go play and 'play school' is a mouthful. So, I usually asked 'Do you want to go to play with your friends?' That's how he made up the word friend's house.

The word 'school' and 'teacher' are never used in the nursery. All the teachers are referred to as Auntie so-and-so. The wall has no sign of alphabets but every inch is filled with the children's artwork - ranging from T-Rex to solar system to snowman.

Lucas is downed with a bout of very bad flu and cough. He missed his friend's house twice. As I tucked him to bed just now, I said to him 'You need to get a good rest. If you still have running nose and coughing tomorrow, you cannot go play with your friends'. He repeated after himself, 'Running nose, no friend's house'.

Going to Nursery

Lucas is attending morning nursery now. Initially, I wasn't planning to send him until he is two and a half years old, but due to baby sitting problem, I am forced to put the plan forward. The nursery is 5 mins drive from the house, has very good teachers or at least I am impressed by them. I took him for observation and Lucas was happy. When I asked him after his observation class if he wants to go back, he replied 'Emm'. That was when the decision was made. His class is for toddlers age 18 months to two and a half years old. The student teacher ratio is 4:1. The activities go like this:
9 - 10am - Breakfast, painting, drawing and free play. The children get to pick their own toys/gadgets and play with others with supervision. If the children 'fight' or 'bully' others, the teachers will step in and give a lecture on discipline.
10 - 10.30 am - Outdoor activities. Before the children are allowed out, they are prepared with mosquito repellent.
10.30 - 11 am - singing / dancing.
11 - 11.30 am - Lunch. All meals are prepared by the cook in the nursery itself. There is also menu for each day. I did not have to pack any food for him.
11.30 - 12 noon - Story telling time.

That's what they do in the 3 hours! I certainly hope Lucas enjoys himself and learns to socialize with children his age.

Nursery Hunting

I finally made a first move in looking for a nursery for Lucas. He has been quite bored playing inside our tiny apartment, now that he is in his exploring age. I thought maybe I should send him to a nursery once or twice a week for 3 hours each time. The main purpose is for him to have a varieties of activities and play with someone his age. So, I finally get my butt of the chair and actually do something about it. I visited a neighbourhood nursery, recommended by 2 of my friends. One of the friend's comment was 'No exams, and no homework' and the other commented 'It is a school run buy teachers who have been teaching for 20-30 years and they don't have fancy paper qualification'. I told myself upon hearing this, I need to check this place out.
So, Dominic and myself took Lucas there for a visit. The teacher is of course nice and very frankly told us that parents usually asked her after a month 'So, what have my child learn?'. We were quite stunned to hear that. Are the parents expecting to have the child read A - Z in one month? Our questions were rather 'primitive'.

Us: Do you take kid who is still wearing diapers?
Teacher: Of course. They are so young, what to do expect them to do? We teach potty training here.
Us: How do you keep the children busy?
Teacher: They sing, dance, play in-door with other children, learn to color.
Us: Do they get outdoor activity?
Teacher: Sometimes. Once in a while.

Then, the teacher gave us a tour of the place. There is this dining area which has long table and benches, just like the school canteen but smaller version. There is a TV room where the teacher claimed that the school only allowed TV at 5pm to 5.30pm, while waiting for the parents to pick up the full day children.

So, after the visit, our conclusion is not conclusive. I have my reservations if this nursery thingy will achieve what I have in mind. I wanted a place where Lucas can enjoyed playing - he is bored to be indoor with his toys and what is in the house. He is very excited if we are out or when he is at his grandparents' garden. He is more outdoor. This nursery has hardly any outdoor activity. Then the number of children in the nursery are rather high too. There are about 20 full day care children (8am to 5pm) and about 10 half day (9am to noon). At the peak time, there are 30 children in the nursery, which used to be a house. Rather crammed I would think. Then the story of children getting sick very often once they started nursery comes to my mind. I can imagined why.

Dominic is more optimistic. He said go for the trial class and see if Lucas enjoys it. I am like I think I know he will not like it .....doesn't that sounds like any other mothers!!! Maybe deep inside me, I still want Lucas to be close to me all the time - separation anxiety.