TKD!

My 4yo started TKD lessons a few weeks back. He was very resistant initially, but we told him to TRY and if he really doesn't like it, then we'll stop.

And I'm really proud of him because he really tried out the lesson and HAD FUN! He loved the physical warm ups (running around the basketball court).

However, I got a little worried based on the feedback from my maid. The instructor told them to run 'half-court', but my silly boy ran the whole full court (on his own, without following the rest). Then, the following lesson, the instructor told them to run and touch the nearest white line, then run back. My silly boy, went to touch ALL the white lines before running back.

Then it got me thinking... Was he HYPERACTIVE? Could it be that he DOESN'T LISTEN TO INSTRUCTIONS?
Then I panicked. I got Daddy to sit there to observe. And we found the problem: The instructor wasn't very clear on his instructions, and the lesson was pretty boring.
The instructor spoke in broken English which my boy had trouble comprehending (I don't blame him, we all speak to him in proper English). And the pace of the class was really slow, so if he has any opportunity to 'have fun', he would!

But at the end of the day, I have a happy 4yo who would proudly show me what he had learned in class. & his endless energy was spent (giving some peace). We spoke to him about following instructions and asking when he was unclear. He's finally 'tuned' to his instructor's spoken English and is enjoying the lessons tremendously.

I'm very glad we chose to add in some non-academic enrichment to give him a well-rounded experience. :)

My iHerb favourites :)

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SUPPLEMENTS FOR ADULTS:

1. Colostrum Pills - Like colostrum to boost kids' immune systems, it works for adults too! The powder form may be a turn off for adults due to the milky taste but the pills are great! 

SUPPLEMENTS FOR KIDS:

1. ChildLife Colostrum with Probiotics - My boy's all time fave! We've reverted back to this for convenience as I recently changed my maid and though that an 'all-in-one' product would be easier for her to manage than to order the colostrum powder and probiotics powder separately. This really helps to boost the immune system. I've recommended it to many friends and they love this! They save a lot of heartache as their kids don't fall ill often. Saves them a lot of on PD fees too! If you are skeptical about online products, do check this out at GNC. They sell the exact same product (but triple the price).
2. Sambucus For Kids - Great to keep in the fridge in case of emergencies. When my boy starts to have slight cough, sniffles or complains of a sore throat, we'll give this straightaway. Minimizes the severity of his illness. Most of the time, we don't even need to consult a doctor because his symptoms go away in a day or two!
3. Gummy DHA - We recently changed to this as the little boy was starting to reject his liquid DHA oils, claiming that it makes him feel nauseous. It's really yummy! (Yes! I tried it!) I wanted to get the Disney Gummy Fish initially but it was OOS when I placed my order. 

FOR PREGNANT/BREASTFEEDING MUMMIES:

1. Erbaorganics Stretchmark Oil - I used this throughout my current pregnancy and I'm proud to declare myself STRETCHMARK FREE! It's an oil, so it's best to apply at night (after shower). For those who do not like oils, they have a cream version: Erbaorganics Stretchmark CREAM
2. TM Organic Mother's MIlk Tea - To boost milk supply. I used this for my first child and had an overflowing supply of milk (of course, I used other products too! KS mentality). I had frozen stock (2 chest freezers and 1 home freezer) enough to scare my mother into thinking that she gave birth to a cow, not a human. 
3. Earth Mama Milkmaid Tea  - Another brand of tea that other mummies have requested for me to purchase during sprees. I've not tried it but I heard that it tastes nice! Worth trying! 
4. Earth Mama Booby Tube - This is a hot/cold pack made from natural flax-seed shells. Great to use as warm/cold compress on breasts to relieve engorgement. I used 'donuts' from Gerber when I had my first child. But this seems too tempting. As it is not a fixed 'donut' shape like other warm/cold packs meant for the breasts, it can also be rolled up and applied to the tummy to relieve cramps or applied to other parts of the body to relieve aches!
5. Earth Mama Bottom Spray - I've yet to deliver, but fellow mummies have given me fantastic feedback on this product. It helped their wound to heal faster and reduces the swelling of their 'girlfriend' (which means less discomfort). Some are even buying their 2nd bottle!
6. Earth Mama Ginger-Grapefruit Bodywash - Why torture yourself with smell herbal baths? To avoid depression and to keep fresh (especially if you are breastfeeding), do pamper yourself. Get a nice bodywash for confinement. I've yet to try this brand (it's on its way to SG now) but I've bought another brand (the next product) to try.
7. Desert Essence Apple-Ginger Bodywash, Desert Essence Apple-Ginger Shampoo and Desert Essence Apple-Ginger Conditioner - Smells so sweet and yummy! I've tried this, it has this slightly spicy after feel that makes you feel refreshed. Feels very good to shower in this (can't wait to shower during my confinement!). The shampoo is a little drying - good to get the conditioner. The conditioner is great. I have naturally wavy hair that's really unruly and I managed to tame my hair with this conditioner. 

ORGANIC SKIN CARE/TOILETRIES (FOR ADULTS & KIDS):

1. Normally, we use GAIA. But it's a little pricey if none of my relatives bring back from Australia for us. So we alternate between GAIA and this: Rainbow Research Baby Body Wash
   My 4yo has bad eczema, so we have to be very careful about skincare products. This is great! & really nice smelling too!
2. Jason Natural Kid's Shampoo - We use this when we run out of GAIA :) Smells really delicious. Typically, boys tend to get very smelly after an hour at the playground. My boy still smells nice and yummy :) (I must confess: It might be weird thinking about this, but I do smell my boy after his play time!)
3. Jason Natural Kid's Toothpaste - Fighting a losing battle to get your kids to brush their teeth? A nice toothpaste would usually help to entice them! My 4yo is happily using this toothpaste and loves it!

I'll post more great products when I have time. :)

What a busy year!

Many parents have emailed me with messages of concern that I've not been updating my blog. Thank you for remembering me and thank you for your support. I've been busy with the administrative work (MOE registration) of our new centre at AMK.

After going through the tedious process of registering our centre with MOE, I have a new-found respect for centres which follow the procedures and ensure that they register their centres with MOE. It is not only expensive, it is mind-boogling and a very draining process with loads of paperwork & hurdles.

For parents who are clueless about this MOE registration thing for tuition centres, let me share with you. It is a very stringent process with a lot of documentations, physical checking of premises & long discussions.

Why should you feel assured that your child is in 'good hands' at a MOE registered school?
- The premises MUST have adequate fire safety measures in place. I spent a few thousands of dollars on this & it was another tedious process to get the Fire Safety Certificate. Adequate fire extinguishers, escape routes, etc etc are very important in case of an emergency!
- Physical inspection of premises includes checking our toilets (must have enough toilets for students), layout of classrooms (must have enough space for students to be comfortable), etc etc. They even check out our neighbours! Apparently, if our neighbours are engaged in businesses that generate a lot of noise (e.g. hair salon due to noise from the hair dryers), our application will not be approved!
- All courses must be submitted to MOE and must attain their approval. Submission to them is not just informing them of the title of the course. We have to give them detailed coverage of what we are doing in the program (syllabus), the aims & objectives, desired outcomes, etc etc. This means that every programme is carefully thought out and planned & vetted by MOE. 
- All teachers/tutors conducting the programmes must be approved by MOE. MOE has their set of (rather stringent) criteria on the qualifications of the tutors. The centre must submit the teacher's/tutor's certificates & photocopy of NRIC. It is not some 'random' person teaching your child. The tutor credentials are properly vetted by MOE.
- Even the company accounts must be submitted to MOE after an audit by auditors. I've not figured out their purpose for this but I guess it is to ensure the 'health' of the centre, in case it suddenly closes down and leaves parents/students in the lurch.




However, of course, there are 'black sheeps' which have gotten the MOE registration but do not follow the 'rules'. I'm sure centres who do follow the rules will not hesitate to show the MOE certificates & letters to the parents when requested.

How to know if a centre is MOE registered?
You can check out the lists here: http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/private-education/school-list/
I think they may take a while to update the newly approved centres, but they do issue a certificate to the centres, so you can probably request to see it when you drop by the centres.

Amazingly, many 'popular' tuition centres are NOT registered with MOE! Though they may have good programmes, dedicated/qualified teachers/tutors and good track records, there might be quite a lot of aspects not looked into without MOE registration of their centre.

In any case, do drop by our centre at AMK if you are interested in our services. We have before and after school care, tuition classes for kindergarten, primary and secondary levels and enrichment classes such as 3G abacus, art and phonics. Details available here: www.mwtuition.com.sg