Big M's first three weeks as Primary 1 student (a light hearted post)

It is term 1 week 3 of the academic school year and Big M has been enjoying herself in school. It always brings a smile to my face to see her wake up in the morning and start to prepare for school (she would laze around and need multiple alarms to wake her up fully during her kindergarten days and usually she is grumpy about it) and she looked genuinely excited and happy as we stroll to the school gate. 

As I send her off, I notice that she would wave hello to the principal and teachers standing along the entrance gateway guiding the children. I was surprised cos I never taught her that nor model it. Erhmm, I don't really say hi to people that I don't know though I do greet my neighbourhood cleaner whenever I spot him at the void deck. Alright, guess that marks as modelling as well... Alright so I am very proud and happy that she did that! ^^ Ho Ho Ho, you are gonna be recognized and remembered by your teachers and principal soon cos who don't like a polite child who greets you every morning. 

Then I got concerned, what if she just say hi to any random passerby and get unnecessary attention! So I check with her on another morning if she would greet passerby which she said she would. I quickly add if it is ok for her to follow the passerby which she said she wouldn't cos she know she is only supposed to follow her parents around. Phew~ guess my occasional chit chat with her on strangers had sunk in.

All is good and she now has a good amount of time in the afternoon at home. In the first two weeks, she does not have homework so I made her do assessment books which I bought. These are not without resistance as she wants to put off doing her work till later. By week 3, there was some homework and telling her that she would have to answer to her teacher herself if she cannot finish the work worked. Thus, for now, she has been willing to do the work straight after her lunch. 

Since there is this pocket of time, I thought I rather send her for any enrichment after school rather than push to the weekend. Thus I begin the search for enrichment, we had let her try ballet (she didn't like it after two terms, maybe cos she do not have the flexibility or her flat feet made her feel imbalanced at some moves), art (she goes for her weekly art class at the RC down my house), music (very far at Bukit Timah plaza and she liked it until we start to learn how to play the piano, the posture and fingering does not agree with her. I suppose I will ask her again soon), abacus (she does this as her kindergarten provides this enrichment at their centre through a vendor). We find it a waste that she stopped her abacus for a long period of time due to the covid measures affecting the enrichment classes held at her centre. The search for abacus brings to me to realise that even if my daughter is free, the max majority of kids are not thus there was no market for classes in the afternoon. Most of the classes nearby are held in the evening or at weekends. I only managed to find just one centre that offered afternoon abacus classes. 

So next week we are going to try that. I will update if we do continue there. 

The other direction, I was thinking of to occupy her afternoons, will be to find online video lessons. I subscribe to Bumobrains on-demand lessons. She likes their phonics, math and art videos. She will ask for a blank paper and note down the words or follow along with the exercises with the videos. However, sadly the on-demand videos offered content for up to 6 years old. Their live lessons are not an option since it is at a different time zone. Currently, this online subscription is serving me well such that I know the content are good and safe for my girls. I find it tiring to go through youtube to find good content for her. 

I am also looking at Galileo, a global forward-thinking school for self-directed learners. It has a lot of content to support 8 - 18 years old and a wide variety of topics like podcasting, making films or even starting on their own business. I thought this will be interesting however she has not reached the age to be enrolled on the programme thus I have yet to understand how it will work out for her.

That's all for today!