How quickly the time is flying by. The end of the year is nearly upon us. Next year we the parents will have to go through two milestones.Â
We are sending one kid off to Chinese Primary School for the first time and another one to kindy for the first time. There will be lots of preparation. We would need to get the kids uniforms, school shoes and school stationaries etc not to mention prepare them mentally for it by talking to them about how school is like etc.
I am a bit nervous about not being able to understand what the teachers are talking about during the orientation for the Standard One students in the Chinese Primary School. I look at the leaflet on the program that has been handed out and I have no idea what it says!
I presume that they will be talking about school regulations and rules. Oh dearie me. I won’t understand a word they are saying so how am I going to translate the rules to my girl? My sister tells me that she gave up attending the PTA of her kids’ Chinese school after a while because she couldn’t understand a thing of whats going on.
Hmmm… I want to be an involved parent but how to be involved when I can’t understand the language?
Oh well, we’ll cross the bridge when we come to it. First things first. Right now, I’ve got other things to prepare the kids for. School Concert, Piano Concert, School Trip, School Party, Registration for Kindy, Submit necessary forms of vaccinations etc to School.
Parenting is really a very dynamic ongoing lesson. Not too long ago, we had to learn about why babies cry and the color of their poo and how often they should be fed and how many diapers they should wet in a day.
Now they are passed the baby and toddler stage, we have to prepare ourselves for the next Chapter in Parenting. But are we ready for it? I’m really nervous about sending my kids off to school. Its only October now but I’m already thinking of January. lol. I think I’m more nervous than them! Hahaha.
See the school bus above? I feel as if I am about to take the school bus to embark on my next journey in Parenting. Taking care of school going kids is very different from handling babies and toddlers.
Hi MG, I am also very nervous as my son is going to nursery next year!
I am afraid I am the one who suffers from separation anxiey instead. Haha!
There should be a book on how to handle parental separation anxiety. Hahaha.
I’m the non-involving parent here as I can’t understand Thai. I don’t even understand their syllabus and their curriculum. Thank god the teachers are trying their best to translate in broken English by updating my children’s progess in kiddie’s daily report books and academic reports. Frankly, it’s hard to be involved when I can’t understand the language, but as long as I show up when needed, it’s good enough.
Haha. Thai lagi worse than Mandarin. At least Mandarin still can understand 5%. Hahaha.
Bwahaha….I tell you, never mess with PTA. The parents are so kiasu can die. But the cannot-understand-Mandarin part, I don’t know lah cos all my sons go Sek. Keb which is a ex-mission school. I live next door also I don’t want to get involve ‘cos the other parents kiasu-ness cheesed me off.
Kiasuism. I forgot about that!
Hahahah… it’s a different kind of stress. Just remember to keep talking to your kids..and if it helps, make friends with other parents..to find out what’s going on. HA HA HA..that’s how I find out about stuff.
Must be very thick skinned hor.
*laugh* its another milestone, another hurdle, another stage…you have done well previously, you’ll be able to cope this time too…
as for the language part…oh go get an interpreter with you *laugh* or you can record down whatever was said and email me… I’ll do the interpretation for you *laugh*
Ok. Lets see. First, I have to get a mini recorder and hide it. Hehe. Then I have to upload it and you have to download it. Then you email me back. Hahaha.
I still have a long way to go till I reach this stage.
Maybe you can get someone who can help you to translate during the orientation.
I suspect most of the parents will be equally anxious to know whats going on they won’t be bothered to translate.
Oh….hope the bus ride is a smooth one!
Hmmm….hope you get to sit next to a english-chinese speaking parent so that you can get as involved as you want!
Maybe you will pick up the language faster than you think!
Oh. I hope so too. 🙂
All the best 🙂
Thank you. 🙂
Hi MG – I’m sure your little one will do fine. I sent my 2.5 year old to preschool in China and he’s doing well 🙂 Even found himself a little girlfriend LOL
Don’t let the Mandarin scare you…I picked it up after hearing it for months. After all, YOU do need to communicate with the teachers etc.
I don’t know about kiasuism…so far, many parents and teachers have been wonderfully helpful to me! Go with an open, positive mind 🙂
Thats great. Thanks for the encouragement! 🙂
we should be learning ALL the TIME then as parents…
even when we’re getting older we have to learn how to get along well with in laws, haha….
I wonder what we will be like as parents in law, Henny. Hahahaha.
Congrats….for making it this far…. tough work huh? Next phase… mmm…. you will be stressful too…but it’s more school related for your older one. 🙂
And soon, when she starts taking exams at school, you will get frustrated when teachers mark the children’s English paper according to an answer sheet and refuse to accept any other correct answers….hehehe… Or you will meet some blur teacher who can’t teach properly when it comes to English and teaching the children to pronounce wrongly too. Hopefully you don’t get such teachers. 🙂
Oh yes, Exam stress is another big thing for many parents that I know but I don’t know how its like till I come to it. Hehe.
I know what you mean about being nervous. We mummies especially will lose sleep over such adjustments.
Anyway, all the best for next year.
Keep our fingers crossed, yeah.
Yes, its only October and I’m losing sleep over January. Hahaha.