Rhythm In Me & The Hunt for Preschools

*** Rhythm In Me & The Hunt for Preschools *** 10 July 2008

Took leave today to bring Jovann for a trial at Rhythm In Me, and check out some childcare centres and kindergartens with Brenda. The trial was a long-planned for thing where I am concerned. Coz ever since I got preggie, have been planning to take weekly half day off a week to spend more time with little J before his baby sister come out and we have less time for him. I want to treasure J’s toddlerhood especially now he is super responsive, eager to learn and please. Rhythm in Me came up coz J has always been fond of dancing. He moves in his own way to music, and often in the car will nod his head to Daddy’s cds or shake his body when a fast track plays. Just the other day, on Tuesday, on the way home from Ma Ma’s place, Daddy played 2 songs by JJ. Jovann tried to sing along with the songs, and the result was a high pitch mix of tuneless “vocals” that was nevertheless sweet to the doting parents ears. When the 2^nd song “dou jiang you tiao” is playing, he repeated the last 2-3 chinese words in EACH line of the song especially during the chorus. Both of us were enthralled listening to him, and laughing too hard, to remember to tape it down! Some of the words he sang/repeated, quite distinctly, are "烦恼”，“油条”，“最好”，“到老”，“美好” and even the “woooo oohh…” haha so funny.

The day before, also on the way home from Ma Ma place, Hubby actually proudly showed me something he recently discovered J can do. Hubby sang the alphabet song, and randomly paused at intervals for J to fill in the D, E, S, I, P or Z…and he did it! I was listening, amazed, never imagining that he can do that, but he did. We recalled how much he love the ABC vcd that last Sunday he actually kept asking for it, and excitedly climbing up the sofa when we put in a vcd, only to lose interest when he realise its not the ABC vcd (we left that at Ma ma’s place). And on Monday and Tuesday at Ma Ma place when he can really watch the real thing, he can sit through the whole vcd again, spell bound. Its funny isn’t it? But I am glad he is absorbing and not just staring blankly like I thought hehe.

Anyway, back to my leave. It was drizzling when I carried J to wait for a cab to go fetch B and A, but no cab was in sight. I was struggling between carrying him, and getting him to help me hold the umbrella upright enough so both of us are covered. I resort to standing on the centre media kerb (it’s a proper kerb lah), between traffic directions, so I can catch cabs on either side. Our trial was 10.30am, and there I was at 10.17am still without a cab in sight! Well, there were cabs in sight, but they were either on call, or stopped just to ask me where I am going and zoomed off after hearing UE Square. That was the 2^nd time in my life I lost patience with taxi drivers, for I was always patient and understanding with them as I know most drivers just want to make a living like my dad. B was frantically trying to call for one too, but with no result. Then I met my saviour. There was a pregnant lady on the other side of the road who is also waiting for cabs. An on-call cab stopped in front of her, apparently his “caller” has disappeared and he is stuck with the on-call request. She gestured me over, and asked me to tell the driver where I going. The driver said yes please get in, and I turned to thank her with my heart full of gratitude, feeling so blessed and glad that there is someone so kind and selfless when I needed it most. She herself is pregnant, but she gave up the cab to me probably coz she saw me struggling with a tummy and a 21mths old toddler and an umbrella. Whatever it is, I am very grateful to her, what she did make me feel so hopeful of human nature. I asked if she is going anywhere near my destination as I really wanted to give her a lift, but she said no…

So we picked up B and A and off we go. As our luck would have it, PIE has a jam and we took the longer route and ended up at RIM 15mins before end of class. :( So we decided to just stand and watch the class instead of paying and participating for only 15mins. Jovann and Arianne observed quietly for about 5-8mins. Then Jovann got into the mood and started dancing and waving his arms….he looked really keen on the music, and I like the fact that the teachers just placed the kids on their laps and continue playing their piano. At the closing tune of Ice Ice Baby, I saw J tapping his feet hehehee. I think I may sign him up, or at least make sure I am punctual for trial next time. Hhhmmm….

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We then proceed to Raffles School House, our first destination, bringing the kids along. We left the kids playing while we explored the first floor. Jovann won’t let me out of sight for long, calling for me and asking me to carry. We dropped the kids off after this, and went for lunch. Then visited another kindy near our place before hubby finish his golf and came to pick us up. We visited 3 more kindys before wrapping up for the day.