Happy 18th month!!!

Yeah!! Ying Ying turns 18th mth today!!! ^_^

I think this is a significant milestone because she is now old enough to sign up for tots classes offered at most kindergarten and enrichment centres. I am eager to source for a suitable school for her right now so that I will have a peace of mind when I return to work this coming July.

Actually, I have already "promoted" her to the next level in her Kindermusik class last week. The programme she is attending currently is called Our Time and is meant for 18mth-3yrs old. Although she is the youngest in the class, she has no problem adjusting because she is familiar with the teacher and the surroundings. Our Time is a refreshing change from the other 3 Village series (Feathers, Zoombuggy, Dewdrops) she has completed because the routines and activities are quite different. For example, there is a added segment on storytelling which Ying Ying loves. It is also beneficial for me as a parent because I get the opportunity to observe how the older kids behave and how their parents/caregivers interact with them.

In addition to Kindermusik, Ying Ying has also been enjoying her weekly Gymboree class. I like how the 2 programmes complement each other. One emphasizes on musical sensory development while the other focuses on the physical aspect.

So right now, I am looking into enrolling her in a class which promotes cognitive learning. I have so far shortlisted 2 enrichment centres and I have taken Ying Ying for trial lessons at both centres a few weeks ago. Although the programmes were interesting, I didn't sign her up then because I felt she wasn't ready. The duration of the lessons were twice as long as her Kindermusik and Gymboree sessions and she got a bit restless and distracted in between. Now that she is older, things may be different. I will be taking her for trials again to test it out.

Though I am trained in the teaching of English, teaching a toddler is really very different from teaching a secondary school student. For instance, I have never heard of the highly acclaimed zoophonics only until recently. I guess when I accompany Ying Ying to such lessons, it is good for me also because I pick up creative ideas and teaching methods which I can implement and reinforce at home. How's that for professional development? Heheh.

Am I overloading Ying Ying with so many classes at this age? I hope not. I draw a line at weekend classes because weekend is family time. Meanwhile, I will make sure that the classes she attends on weekdays are quality programmes that are beneficial to her development. More importantly, they must be something which she enjoys and looks forward to!