This is a repost from our old blog. Selecting a childcare centre always cause parents anxiety. Yes, it all starts before Primary 1 :p
The only thing difference between then and now is the longer waiting time. 8 years ago, we already need to reserve a spot 3 months in advance, we can imagine the demand nowadays.
Daddy suspects the selection criterias are still the same.
1) First, list down your criteria , and priority.
– Conducive environment for child to learn?
– Clean environment? Do children fall sick frequently? How does school implement isolation policies (HFMD etc)?
– Patient and passionate teachers?
– curriculum ? More play, crafting or structured work?
– Within your budget?
– What is parents’ expectations?
For us, we just need our kids to learn :
– independence
– socialising
– sharing in a “group”
2) Secondly, shortlist schools and make ground visits
– http://www.childcarelink.gov.sg/ccls/home/CCLSHome.jsp
– go for interviews with Principal (you can gauge how a school is run by chatting with him or her)
– we believe in affinity 缘, teacher-child bonding is crucial to a happy child 🙂
3) Lastly, get reviews/brickbats on preferred childcare centres, from parenting blogs or forums. Just Google.
Most important tips which we give to parents is to manage adults’ own expectations.
– It is very normal for us to worry about how our kids will cope in new environment.
– Or we could be expecting the Sky, but only willing to pay peanuts?
– Let your little ones survive the new environment, and see them adapt.
We did not have much choices to start with, no helpers, and parents working. So we have to chuck kiddos into schools from an early age.
Two of them started from Infant care (2 months old), and we are glad everything has turn up fine 🙂
More Childcare stories :
– Thank you to our teachers
– Biting stories
