DNA Tan

Doreitius' Day One in CHERIE HEARTS SCHOOL

Time really flies. My littlest baby is ready for Child Care Cantre. Since birth, Rei hadn't been the easiest baby to babysit, in fact he is more demanding than 5 babies put together (seriously). Therefore, we had been hesitant about putting him in child care for fear of scaring away his teachers, (But I think we really frightened one away, who tendered her resignation one month before Rei was due to be enrolled... Haha....)

Just a mere 6-hour observation and being with Rei to help ease him into routine, thoroughly zapped Mummy of all her energy. The opportunity to follow Rei into his childcare centre gave Mummy an insight into how demanding yet unappreciated a teacher's job can be. 6 teachers versus 40 kids (at least), with all sorts of requests, accidents, poo-without-warnings, refusal to eat, eat too messily, excessive crying and whining and the list goes on. On top of that, they have to deliver their lessons while keeping at the back of their heads which kid has which form of allergies, which parent had filled up the medicine administration form, which kids are in the process of toilet-training and having to constantly monitor if they need to pass urine and above all, keep all the kids alive and themselves sane. Wow, quite a feat isn't it? Yet the highlight of their day is usually dampened with complaints from parents who never seemed to understand that there are other life forms in the centre apart from their own kids. Talk about self-centeredness, I think it all started from home.

Well, even after knowing that sending my boys to childcare takes up a portion of my paycheck yet they only receive a fraction of 'tender loving care', I still believe that they stand to gain more than being a couch potato at home. In the presence of peers, they learn to share, compromise, socialise, negotiate, accept, tolerate, resolute, communicate and most importantly, survival skills. These are essential skills which the near perfect home environment coupled with new age over-nurturing parents are unable to equip the children with, and hence, sending them to schools is inevitable. So the trick is, close one eye, and not be too particular over small matters. This way, teachers are happy, we are happier and our kids are happiest. And that's what matters most isn't it?

At the playground outside school
Exploring his classroom

Playing by himself

Biting his bottle and playing (his usual style)

Finally knocked out.