Our Post-Baby Trip

It has been a pretty quiet week here. But a totally exciting experience for hubs and myself. 

We had just went to and back from Hong Kong with my colleagues on my school’s retreat. It was the first trip post-babypregnancy. It had been eons since we set out butts out of Sunny Island Singapore. And a total refreshing trip I must say. I love the weather in HK now. It’s like experiencing air-con weather everywhere we go. No stickiness from perspiration or greasiness on my face, I totally love the weather now. And I can literally just skip baths for days. Okay, just kidding. 

Of course, besides the weather talk, we had lots of fun with sight-seeing and experiencing the HK cuisine. Amidst the many adventures, we trotted the streets to look for Michelin-awarded restaurants and cafes, went on a spiritual journey to Lantau Island and took a tram ride up the peak. I must say it was a good way to reconnect and rekindle the relationship in some ways sans baby. I don’t understand but it just feel different and really stress free when I am out of Singapore. Though the uptight Yvonne did occasionally sneak out and took control of situations when we were finding out way in a foreign land. 

And just when we missed our little precious, my little sister sent over some pictures of Allysa via MMS and Whatsapp.

totally cheeky here!

Though we weren’t as well prepared for this trip, but we made a promise that we will return next year with more ching-ching and Allysa so that we can shop, eat and have fun as a family. And yes, probably drop by Disneyland and Ocean Park too.

I shan’t go into the details of where we go and what we do but just going to share some snippets of the highlights of my trip. Enjoy and have fun!

travelling around in MTR. 

up to the Peak on their traditional tram.

before the Symphony of Lights at the Avenue of Stars.

Rocking my FIRST “Smelly Tofu”. Totally love it.

the highly exclaimed Dim Sum Place near Yau Ma Tei. There were many fellow Sg waiting in queue behind us.

At Lantau Island.

experiencing their crystal cable car ride.

the little public buses. another sight in HK.

At Chater Garden, Central.

Monumental One!

This has gotta be another monumental moment in Beadsyy’s Diary. I can’t imagine I almost missed this but hey, you know what? We are hitting our 200th post! Whoot....Okay, not a big deal. How about we are also celebrating Beadsyy’s Diary 1st birthday though we had officially turned One on the 4th Dec. 

Oh mine, how time flies as I blog and chronicle Allysa’s growth, my journey through motherhood, my feelings about marriage and whatever POPs into my mind. I have also “been there, done that” as a blogger as my blog made it through as one of the Top Ten Finalists for The Best Family Blog in Singapore Blog Awards 2010. It was definitely eye-opening. 

Though working full time and rearing an active toddler have taken priorities in my current life, I can’t say how much I still enjoy blogging. There are many times I do compose posts in my head but just did not have the time to type them down. And when I do, I am just too tired by then. Neither do I want to sacrifice sleep to blog because rest is important to me. Seriously, blogging is a lot of work. Editing photos are much more work. So kudos to all bloggers out there. Just blogging is already not an easy task but you know, we love what we do. Don’t we?

Okay, I wish I could write a special post to mark this First birthday for BD’s or a special 200 things I love about being a Mum or Allysa....But hmm...probably next time. I am just typing what goes into my mind. Just like what I am going to say to you if I DO meet you.

Of course, I am not gonna end this monumental moment just like that. I am going to throw you a little special surprise here.

Enjoy and Happy 1st Birthday to Beadsyy’s Diary! 

(Food can bribe her into doing anything now. We shall see how long this lasts. ;p)

Oh, in case you are wondering what this’s about.....The answer lies in the 1st second of the clip.

The School Race (& Tips on choosing a programme for your toddler)

Now that Allysa is approaching the official preschool entry age in Singapore (technically 18 months old and that's excluding infant programmes which do take in infants from 2 months), I have been kind of sourcing around for interesting and Allysa-appropriate parent and child courses that we can attend together.

Knowing the character and nature of my daughter, I know a sit-down-flash-card-flashing course will drive us both NUTs. No doubt, it is supposed to nurture the genius out of my child but not on the expense of driving ME crazy first.

Being in a preschool industry, it's fun to take on the other side of the role. My job is to provide professional advice on early childhood and the programmes of my school. Right now, I get to enjoy being "served" and of course, like all rookie parents, I am just as nervous and excited about the whole new schooling experience.

Tips on How To Choose A Preschool Programme for Your Child

• Research the programmes that are available on the market

Yes, and this is a very important step. Afterall, you want to make sure you put your money where your mouth is. There are a gazilion programmes on the markets that cater for children as young as 2 months onwards and with different learning needs. Of course, you would also need to write down what are the factors that will affect in your decision of the school. Example: Logistic, schedule, budget, service, environment, etc. Then you would have to streamline to the programmes that you feel/know would help your child to achieve his/her highest potential in terms of social, emotional, physical or intellectual developments. Or simply, a programme that will meet the needs of your child. But do be realistic!

• Think about what suits your child's character and personality and current developmental needs. Do you want to develop his/her talents to the fullest potential? Or help her unleash and discover some hidden talents?

• Site Recee

Most schools do keep their doors wide open for viewing of facilities and on-site consultation services at FOC. Of course, to make sure that you get served during your visit and the front-desk staff is not engaged with other tasks, I would recommend for you to make an appointment. Unless the schools do clearly state walk-ins are welcome in their websites or brochures, then please go ahead and walk in confidently with an open mind and heart. Please do not be shy to enquire and check out all nooks and crannies of the school. Afterall, all parents just want to make sure our kids are learning in a safe and condusive environment.

However, no matter how rookie and nervous we are, we want to make sure we sound and ask smart questions on our first visit.

Smart Questions:

1. What programmes are available for my (age) child?(This is so if you have not done any prior research.)
2. What is the schedule of your xxx programme?
3. Are there any availability? When can I start to enrol for my child?
4. Is there a waiting list and how can I place my child on the waiting list?(if programme is full. boo hoo hoo...)
5. Is this a drop off or parent accompanied programme? How many adults can accompany the child for the programme? Can we exchange in the midst of the programme?(Some schools allow exchange of parent during the programme. Some don't. Some allow both to attend, some only one. Seriously, I wouldn't be keen to attend a programme that is filled with adults instead of learning children. As the saying goes "Too many cooks spoil the soup". Parents who want to have fun with kids should probably go to those indoor playground instead of a school. In what ways, this does not make the programmes or school good or bad just because every schools have different philosophies. If you are curious, find out why and what they support.)
6. What is your programme about and what areas of development it focuses on? (If you think you have done suffice research online and if time is in constraint, you can either skip this or just grab a brochure from them. Coz most of the time, you might just be hearing what you can read from the brochures.)
7. Can I view the programme?(This is important as you want to see the general flow of the class, the atmosphere of the class and how the teachers conduct the class.)
8. (Do you offer trial?(This is good if you are uncertain and is a person with high anxiety. You need to know what to expect and cannot stand surprises on your first visit. If you think viewing is not enough, you need to get a feel of it by participating with your child. Of course, nothing beats assessing the programme by experiencing it yourself. However more often than not, a day of trial programme is not sufficient to assess if the programme is suitable or how good or not the teachers are. It takes time to make fair observations. That is also why the standard probation period for a new job is 3 or even up to 6 months (for the more careful employers) in most companies. It works the same here. Anyway at the end of the day, you can always withdraw from the programme. It's not like you signed a 10-year contract. Always look on the bright side and make non-judgmental observations. Not SCRUTINISE and expect the unrealistic.)
9. Other (money-related) mattersExamples are: administrative, programme and miscellaneous fees, refund/replacement/withdrawal policies, general terms and conditions which you will probably know when you register, sick child policy, programme advancements, any toilet facilities etc.

Not-so-Smart Questions

1. What if my child cries while attending the programme? What if my child can't settle in the programme?(Toddlers are at the age they will cry for any thing they want or do not want. So seriously, it isn't a big deal. And the more they will cry when place in a new environment. So please be prepared. But of course out of graciousness, in the event that your child is in huge distress, just kindly excuse your child and youself during the programme but please do not make this time your last visit to the school. Otherwords, be persistant and understand it is normal and such reactions from your child is temporary. It's definitely nothing to worry about especially if you observe the crying frenzy stops whenever the class starts and he/she is in all smiles and laughters and participates enthusiatically in the programme very soon after.You have to persevere and be patient to work through your child's fear as they enter a new phrase of their life. An optimistic parent will bring about optimisim in your child.)
2. Why is there no refund or make up and ABC school does?(As mentioned, every school has different philosophies and of course, terms and conditions. Respect it and not compare. If you like the school, enrol it. If not, move on. Besides, there's nothing much they can do if your child falls sick and it isn't the school fault either. Be rational and reasonable. And be educated: It's very common for yound children to fall sick during early childhood more so if your child tends to put his/her hands or things his/her hands land on into his/her mouth. Don't blame it on the school. This isn't the ONLY place your child goes to.) 

Okay, I hope the above provides great and useful tips on choosing a programme for your toddler. Bottomline, have fun and enjoy this journey with your child while it last. Meanwhile, I will continue on my quest and am excited about this new experience with Allysa next year.

Whoo hoo!

My baby looking all grown up here! Aww..how time flies.

Hatching a secret plan here.