Hi guys, any recommendation on the above subject at PJ area? Looking for some weekend activity/ learning for my kids instead of home education/ walking at shopping centres.

This post has been edited by dp82: Mar 1 2015, 11:20 PM

Gymboree @ Bangsar Village. http://www.gymboreeclasses.com.my

Thanks.

Have u personally tried it?

You already 5 days never spend time with your children and weekends also you refuse to.
Why you want to give birth in the first place?
Spending time with your children can prevent mental problems.

I send my 2 year old to HeGuru at midvalley. Once a week, one hr class.

U said until like we are a totally useless parent & not responsible.

Like i mentioned earlier, we wana do something different instead of just home education, play, shopping centre, recreation activities etc.

And i wana add on, we are going to attend the class with our child. So i dont c any issue of not spending time with our child.

How long is each of the class?

HR class?

Rather than wasting money on useless programs, is good to do more house activities at home. Bringing children to see their grand parents are another good idea.
For children, is good to let them play more in the beginning age, good for their brain development.
Put them to learning center will give -ve result on this.
The fact is, you are heading towards useless and irresponsible. Money can't solve anything, waste money on this is more for you to show off. You never think what is the best for your children.

As a parents i think there is nothing wrong to send the children to such classes. Moreover, we are doing it together. To add on, i'm looking for playing classes @education centre such as games, art, music & the session will be weekend @1-2 times per month, 1-2hours per session.

Care to further elaborate why it is "show off" to send our child to such classes?

Trust me, there are more FOC activities that can do much better than wasting money.
SHow off? Is what you are doing now. As everyone are wasting money to such centers, you just want to follow the group.

The class is one hour per session and you'll need to be with the child.



This post has been edited by ckseong80: Mar 11 2015, 12:02 PM

What's it covered in 1 hr? And the cost?

Sichida in centrepoint, bandar utama. 1 hour a week. Mother/father will be in class with child.. It trains to use both sides of the brain equally, since most of us are only using either right or left side more. Include counting, memory, matching etc.

Flashcards, games, story telling, history, writing, etc. All done at very fast pace and that's the intention for right brain training. Toddler class RM450/month.

Just wonder do they have the option like 1-2 times/ month classes?

Not sure about that but I doubt so. I plan to go and try out Gymboree next week. They have free trial for first class.

You may also can try on Beebop Circus located in The School, Jaya One. Back in 2013, I went for a month trial (yes, they gave free trial class for a month!). I signed up during Baby Fair in KLCC, not sure they are still doing that.

Let me share my experiences bringing my toddler (he was 18 months then):
1st trial: ok, seemed to enjoy it
2nd trial: on the way to the class, he slept. Carried him with stroller to the class, still sleeping, class began, still sleeping, class ended, started to wake up. Cranky because he woke up in strange place with loud music.
3rd trial: I brought him an hour earlier, all in good mood. Class started, he kept playing and refused to join the class. The instructor kept encouraging him to join in, but he refused to do so.. At the end, he played all by himself
4th trial: can't make it as we were away. At the end, didn't sign up for it.

So, I concluded that my toddler wasn't ready for the classes yet. My main reason to sign up for classes is that he will have some friends to play with, not so lonely, have a bit of social interactions. My sister told me that we will need 2 -3 months to settle him in the classes. Her son went to Schicida at 18 months too, worse still, skipping most of classes for the 1st two months, then started to settle in after 3 months. Another sister, she enrolled her daughter to Heguru ( same as Schicida ), settled her daughter within a month.

You will need a lot of patience to handle them. Make sure that your LO have sufficient nap and feed them well before the classes, else you will waste your time and money when they refuse to join the classes.

Knowing my son, I settled for Playgroup instead. Get a few mothers together, meet once a week, no fix routine, at different venue and let the children play together. Sometimes we meet at the playground, sometimes at mall (ie Yukids or Jkids). He is way happier than attending classes.

This post has been edited by periwater: Mar 15 2015, 12:47 PM

Its good they provide trial class as i wana let my LO try it n she can b very cranky when she wana zzz at certain routine hours.

Almost forgot bout playgroup. Nice activity with no fix routine/ commitments.

< 3 years old still too early for classes.

Yes, this is the right attitude to raise our children.
Sadly, most people forget on this and just because of own mindset of people have this, I need to have also
Let our children eat more fish will develop the brain better

Actually no right or wrong of sending kids to those learning centres, just that some parents will prefer that as feeling kids are learning more compare to staying with parents and doing nothing much.
For myself, I feel it quite fun when I do activities with my kids at home. Just google some online info about Montessori home based activities and start planning it ahead and I find that my girl likes it very much and she enjoyed it. Saw a brochure about a centre charging for a school holiday program and its quite expensive which all those activities actually can be done at home with kids. So why not just plan ahead , perhaps plan together with the kiddo and I am sure they will find it very exciting! =)

Sometimes we got to admit that sooner or later things will change. Specially those born in the 90's & so on..

We use to stay at home to watch cartoon @certain hours n play snake wif Nokia 3210?

And now, ipad, watsapp, astro?

This post has been edited by dp82: Mar 16 2015, 07:57 PM

I gone through some info, comparing kindergarten from different country.

In M'sia, most kindergarten tend to teach skills like reading, writing, calculate... etc
In German, the kindergarten there will bring the kids to explore around the town, visit police station (place you can seek for help), post office (place you deliver things), bomba, train station... etc

I feel that weekend is a precious time to spend with family, especially our little one.
Besides let them learning skills, I feel that bringing them to visit various place is a good exposure to them, let them know about the city they stay, if anything happen, where they can go, who they can call to seek for help.

Yes, you are right
Now parents like to boast around, comparing how many times a year they are wasting money in clinics, how to get their children in to other long term sickness
So you are telling that, following what is wrong are right

That's not true, you will be surprised on how easily they can adapt. Please don't be confuse with the term, "classes", they are not academic based.

Do you have a child or attended any classes with him or her? The activities you describe as above are available in enrichment centre like Da Vinci, Little Chef, etc. And yes, the kids will spend time with parents, get involved in activities in the classes.

Not many parents are as talented as you are, can make a kite or bake a cake, so they get a little help from the professionals. Ok?



Speechless..

My wife are working on this line, so she knows what is the best. And nope, <3 send them to what ever are time wasting and just to show off how retard that parent are

Your wife is in this line? What is she work as? It means that she is not truthful to the job if she didn't believe in what she is doing! Is she just scamming all the retarded parents?

Nope, she won't accept any children that are < 3 years old. She just an owner of 6 kindis in Negeri Sembilan.

Kindy is for above 4 years old

Below 3 years old, they go to Preschool or Day care. But this is out of topic from enrichment classes TS is asking about.

Willing buyer willing seller.

Life in Klang Valley is probably different in other state, taking into consideration spending & buying power.

Anyway coming back to my topic, i dont plan to attend the classes every weekend. I'm more keen to have flexible class like 1-2 times per week.

Most kindis are doing pre and day care also, especially in KV areas.
My wife don't want to take as they won't really concentrate for > 20 minutes.
That's why all those classes only doing an 1 hour session per week.

Well this is MY, somethings never change. You got to take into consideration safety as well - ur child & parents.

Its good to bring them out for some exposure like taking lrt etc. I have been doing this occasionally & running out of idea.

Thats y i wana explore education/ enrichment classes. So that my child has a mixture of here & there.

This post has been edited by dp82: Mar 18 2015, 09:46 AM

My son is only 2 year old so I yet to send him to any classes. I buy many picture books, wooden blocks, alphabet/shape puzzle and many montessori materials. Sometimes play with him, sometimes let him explore by himself...

Let them explore them self will be a good start, on teaching them to be independent.
If going any classes that require parents around, this is to teach the children always rely on parents when facing more crowd.
To develop a children's brain, there are a lot of ways, but early childhood education center are the wrong way.
We had a genius with IQ > 180 last time which is almost same age with me. He work in US's Silicone Valley with the age of 20.
By the age of 30, he come back to Malaysia with sorrow. By today, I'm still living happily while he is laid to long rest forever.
Do you want your children like this?

Kindergarten is different from preschool or day care, and your wife is running Kindergarten which accepts 3 years old and above. Kindy is daily, Mon to Fri, while a Preschool can be 3 times a week or 5 times a week. Kindy is more structured and always end up with exam while preschool is more towards a play school without any exam.

While enrichment classes is only once a week for 45 mins to an hour. The classes can be either art, gym, speech and drama, music, etc. I know a parent who starts sending his 6 months old baby to swimming classes, and the baby can float by himself at 12 months old. Swimming is an important survival skills and most babies will enjoy to be in water.

I didn't think it's wrong for the parent to send his child to these enrichment classes. But it is important that the child equally happy and enjoying the classes. Otherwise it's futile.

Yup, you are totally right, that's why nowadays younger generation not able to take any pressure

If we just emphasize on home education without enrolling them to enrichment class (<4 years old), so how is the child gona learn to socialise? Wait until kindi, which is like 5 years old?

By the way, it has to depend on ur home environment too. What if there are few kids running around, 5-6 adults talking, watching tv n most annoying part - elders will always wana chip in their opinions too & some demand u do it their ways.

So how? Every family has their own issues & challenges.

This post has been edited by dp82: Mar 18 2015, 05:10 PM

I believe every parents is giving their best to their kids within their limit.
We cannot keep on comparing with the past, like during old time, kids swim and play in river, running around the kampung to chase after the chickens. We do not live in this environment. Besides, last time also always heard cases of kids drown...

But we still tried our best to provide our best, like bringing them to swimming class. With a certified trainer and safe environment. Attending these classes, not only the little one get to learn, but the parents get to learn at the same time, especially the new parents.

I feel that not only the kids need to learn, we as parents also need to keep up to date, expose ourself to different thing, so that we can give proper guidance to our kids.

Now most people are sending their children to kindis at the age of 4.
If our parent is advising us, we can always listen and judge.
Straight forward deny them are bad.
BTW, by looking at your reply and finding all sort of excuse, why you want a child in the first place? Just merely to show off?
Don't forget, sooner or later you will get old also, do you like that your children also ignores you at that time?

So, bending your head down all the time is right also?
We have options to choose, but most of us choose the wrong option.
Last time got children drown, now still got.

I learned swimming by jumping into a lombong bijih timah lol

And yes, that time we seldom heard of missing child, kidnapped child, someone got slashed while withdrawing $ fr ATM etc.

Well you got a point there. Given the situation that i have mentioned earlier at such a family environment, so what would be ur advise? I assume u r probably a seasoned parents vs im a newbie.

TS...u better close this topic as the replies are way off from your queries.

Answer here will never pleased any parents as they have their own opinion.

I'm still looking fwd to more replies. Opinions/ suggestions are welcome.

At least i got some good inputs fr here - home education, exposure, enrichment classes etc.

Always listen to what old men says, then judge your self.
Keeping both the young and old together will strengthen the family ties.
What you are doing now is what you will be getting next time.

Yes agree. Nothing against that.

Coming back to my situation, with kids running around, 5-6 adults watching tv, talking etc. So how should i "home edu" my kids at such a distracting environment? Leave aside the parents will once a while comment here & there while u r "educating" ur child.

Well, you can always talk to them that you need some time for your kids.

Yes, we have options, but there's not only one way to bring up a kid.
Many parents bring up their child in different way, I believe parents try hard to provide the best to their kids.
We respect their decision to bring their kids to enrichment class, as well as parents who spend time with kids at home.

Just like I'm a breastfeeding mummy, should I say those formula feed parents are not providing the best for their baby?
No, I will not say that, maybe they have their difficulty, I believe they are providing the best within their limit to their little one.

Do you have a small playground at your room?
Before sleep, usually my husband and I will spend 30min-1hour, staying in the room, sing songs, read story book or play with him, then only put him to bed.

During weekend, usually morning we will go out for breakfast, then will bring him walk around at playground.
If it's a shopping week, we will go out together to shop for groceries. Else if stay home, we will let him play with his toys, lego and montessori materials. We have been trying hard to teach him to collect back his toys and put back to original place... it's really depends his mood

This post has been edited by vandoren: Mar 18 2015, 11:08 PM

Already done that....but most of the time we will take a walk around the neighbourhood + playground in d evening.

Only missing part is the montessori materials, which i'll explore.

Why don't you try making flashcards for a start?
I make my own flashcards from wild animals, ABCs, numbers, transportations, occupations, fruits & vegetables, flags etc etc.
One day flash like 50 to 100cards and trust me, babies can know what you are showing to them.
I continued doing so and increased the number of cards after first flashing around 20+cards to my 9month old girl and she can correctly point out all the cards after few days. She can't talk or walk yet at that time but would stare tentively at what you show them. So doing this earlier the better because as they grow, they can't concentrate so much as they will be walking around.
I have now made more than 1000cards and still growing.
It's cheaper this way and you can choose what you want to teach your kid.

It's OK if they don't show any response but they know what you taught them. They will only respond when they are happy or in the mood to play with you and that's the time you can test them.

Done that d. But im a lazy fella, so i bought those flash cards. Baby is kinda bored wif it now. Unless i buy more/ DIY more. I even use the poker cards since recently was CNY.

Yes it takes alot of effort make those cards And yes they will get bored showing the cards they already know over and over again. There are other ways to utilize the cards such as doing memory game.

Own self can do it for free but refuse to. Instead, willing to pay money by doing the same

Not to say free also because you have to factor in the cost of cardboard, printer ink and glue. I'd say around 25 cents per flashcards but it's way cheaper than buying as those will be around 50-70 cents per piece. So the saving is about 50% to 70%. The pro is you can prepare whatever material you want as to compare buying because the choices in bookstores are really limited. Con is time and effort is needed.

Nope, I mean going to those centers. As we are doing the same also.
Why those centers required parents around? Is because :
1. they don't want to take risk of injuries.
2. children won't really learn(or I would say some still don't know how to express them self).

We have a lot of such flash cards for free since my wife operates kindis.