shortly after baby c turned one, i started to think about sending him to pre-school. my reasons then were that i needed time off as baby c turned very demanding, expecting and needing my attention 24/7. some days he would just cling to me like a limpet. i was tired beyond words, carrying him, entertaining him, following his every move so that he wouldn't fall (he only started to crawl after he turned one). on top of that, i was only on my road to recovery. so my search started. then only did i find out that pre-schools here only accept kids in at 18 months earliest. (day care accepts them at any age). so i had to improvise as baby c will only turn 18 months next year.
i gradually introduced baby c to tv (i am NOT proud of this. i did well for 13 months with no tv at all). at the beginning, he didn't have the interest. he'd turn away after 5 minutes. but then he started to like it and was entertained by it. so now, he gets 50 minutes in the mornings, when i am putting the house in order and getting ready, AND another 50 minutes in the evenings, when i am preparing dinner. it is not out of control tv watching the whole day. and boy oh boy, what bliss it is for me during those two 50 minutes sessions. i get to get things done without baby c crying and screeching the house down. and if i'm quick, i get to sit down and read the papers or a book.
so NOW that it is easier, i was a bit torn about sending him to pre-school. it was should i, should i not? after thinking it through, i am going ahead with it as both b and i have noticed that baby c is always curious and wanting to play with other kids now. so we want him to mingle and to socialise. besides, pre-school at 18 months is not really school. it's more of play, snack, try and learn some abcs, numbers and music. it's more geared towards fun, fun, fun. and fun is what i hope for him!
Friday, December 10, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
baby c has been travelling since he was 6 months old. and he has been a great traveller. our last trip was to milan and he had no trouble adjusting to the time change. he enjoyed himself thoroughly there. he does well on planes too (after our nightmarish initial flight, he's been good ever since). bear in mind all these trips were done before he turned one.
well, the only trip we have taken since he turned one was to melbourne. he was 14 months. he was great on the flight and when we reached my cousin's home (she has a girl who's 3 1/2 and a boy who's 4 months), he was drawn immediately to the kids. which came as a surprise to b and i as he has NEVER liked other kids. he has always preferred and mingled with adults. he didn't even need to warm up. he just got down and explored the house, making himself at home and playing with the 3 1/2 year old. so everything was perfect (or so we thought).
THEN it began. he was perfect during the days. but when night came, he couldn't settle at all. we were there for 16 days and i kid you not when i say that we probably only slept for 4 nights. how in the world we survived, i don't know. it got so bad that he would cry the whole night through. i had to carry him standing up and rock him. yet he would not stop crying. b and i thought he was not well and we brought him to the hospital only to be told there's nothing wrong with him and $200 poorer.
a couple who travelled with us also had trouble with their 15 month old. she could not settle at nights either. needless to say, they too hardly slept.
well, during the mid-point of our stay there, we finally realised it's because baby c is much older now and much more aware. it didn't matter during the days because he was so busy playing with his cousins and even back here, i usually bring him out. it's the nights that the needs his familiar environment. sort of his security.
well, we were there 16 days, and the only sightseeing we did was to the zoo and to the museum. all i can say is this: we are NOT travelling until he's much older and can understand. (well not overseas and not for long periods anyway).
well, the only trip we have taken since he turned one was to melbourne. he was 14 months. he was great on the flight and when we reached my cousin's home (she has a girl who's 3 1/2 and a boy who's 4 months), he was drawn immediately to the kids. which came as a surprise to b and i as he has NEVER liked other kids. he has always preferred and mingled with adults. he didn't even need to warm up. he just got down and explored the house, making himself at home and playing with the 3 1/2 year old. so everything was perfect (or so we thought).
THEN it began. he was perfect during the days. but when night came, he couldn't settle at all. we were there for 16 days and i kid you not when i say that we probably only slept for 4 nights. how in the world we survived, i don't know. it got so bad that he would cry the whole night through. i had to carry him standing up and rock him. yet he would not stop crying. b and i thought he was not well and we brought him to the hospital only to be told there's nothing wrong with him and $200 poorer.
a couple who travelled with us also had trouble with their 15 month old. she could not settle at nights either. needless to say, they too hardly slept.
well, during the mid-point of our stay there, we finally realised it's because baby c is much older now and much more aware. it didn't matter during the days because he was so busy playing with his cousins and even back here, i usually bring him out. it's the nights that the needs his familiar environment. sort of his security.
well, we were there 16 days, and the only sightseeing we did was to the zoo and to the museum. all i can say is this: we are NOT travelling until he's much older and can understand. (well not overseas and not for long periods anyway).
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