Full Day Child Care Centres

Yesterday we were on leave to search for a child care centre for Char for next year. We thought since Char is already two, it is the right time to send her for full day child care to learn more things as she enjoys learning in Little Rainbow so much. Most importantly, we are just like most of the parents, wanting our child to learn as much as she can.

I have selected a few child care centres with the help of the MCYS webby and tasked Ivan to brainstorm whether to register Char in -

Tampines (near our house) OR Bedok (near in-laws)

If the child care centre is near in-laws' place, they could help me to fetch Char first if I am unable to be there by 7 pm. Otherwise, I will have to rush like a maddy and be there on-the-dot!

The following were chosen: -

1) Sasco Child Care Centre (Bedok)

2) Chee Hong Kog Child Care Centre

3) My First Skool

4) Aspiration Marine Parade

5) Sparkletots

6) Sunflower Childcare & Development Centre Pte Ltd

We are not that loaded :(" therefore cannot put her in Montessori or Julia Gabriel

I love the first place we went to - Sasco. The principal is nice, does not speak Singlish, centre is colourful, love all the handicrafts hanging around... The neighbourhood is surrounded with good schools, playgrounds, condominiums, market within walking distance, bus stop nearby... The children slept in mesh bed which are more ventilated than mattress.

Most importantly, there is no air-con!

I do not want Char to be pampered with air-con 24/7. Before we sleep, we switch on air-con for only an hour to cool the area and switched on fans thereafter.

However, the sad sad part is... after everything, the principal told us that they will be increasing their fees from $180 to $260 (after $300 subsidy for working mothers) next year!

GOSH!!! For $260 we can send her to better places that are nearer to my in-laws. Did I mention that this child care is 2 bus stops away?

Afterwards, we went Sparkletots - in Fengshan CC. The in-charge spoke to us in Singlish (-_-"), told me that they are fully booked and Char has to be in waiting list. The centre is pretty unkept, no handicrafts around - how to be proud of your work?, never shown their curriculum till asked, never shown their menu till asked, though cheap ($175)...

OUT!

We called: -

Aspiration Marine Parade - full till year 2011

Sunflower Childcare - full till year 2011

Bloody hell... No one told me that we need to RESERVE a seat for Char in VERY MUCH ADVANCE!?

However Lady Luck smiles on us after trying for 2 places... Even though I had called Chee Hong Kog Childcare earlier on and the principal told us that they will be busy with some preparations and expect we go next Saturday, we still popped by for visit :)

We are so glad that we did so as they have only left with two vacancies for April 2010 classes :) ;)

Environment is good, no air-con, handicrafts hung all around, shown their daily meals, shown their curriculum, no Singlish principal, teachers look pleasing, has a better 'classroom' feel, within walking distance from in-laws, $195 after subsidy, nice uniform...

The principal kinda interviewed us a little and actually I am pretty pleased as she give me a feeling that she is concern about Char. Though the place is not as colourful as Sasco, it is still pretty decent. Therefore we quick quick chope a seat for Char!

We never bother to visit My First Skool since we've gotten what we like!

NOW, we gotta think of WHERE & WHEN TO CHOPE PRIMARY 1 seat for Char already!

P.S:

~ Though my English is not A***, I still prefer to send my little one to a place where they speaks decent English ;) not Singlish!

~ Meeting principals, hooked up memories of secondary school days... SCARY!!