The end of the pre school search

Finally, I have decided where to enroll her and am actually doing it tomorrow.

If one recalls the some time ago search for pre schools one would also remember my decision not to go for it yet. But now its time. Baby is due in January and giving my mom and the maid a break in the morning, where they have the baby to care for is only fair I feel. When Alysha is back by 1pm, she will need her lunch, nap and can have playtime with everyone at home after she is up. This arrangement sounds ideal to me. I spoke to my mom about it and she agrees wholeheartedly. I cant be so selfish and expect them to run around both the kids at the same throughout the day while I am at work.

Also, Aysha is so much more ready now. Its amazing what 6 months can do. She was so much less clingi when I took her for the trial and she enjoyed it a lot more as well.

I will be sending her to Taska Jaunty Montessori in Bangsar. I personally prefer their other branch in Damansara due to the larger space but this is so much more convenient for all of us in terms of logistics.

Of course everyone wants the best for thier kids and this may not be considered the best if one compares it to the likes of the Children's House in Bukit Damansara but the fee is what we can afford and I like the teachers in her class. The teacher in the Damansara branch looks like someone who is more highly educated with a better command of language. But really after much thought thats not the criteria I am looking for in the teacher, not for a 3 year old, at least.

Many take the view that pre schools are the foundation for your children and so make sure its the best one you can provide. And maybe thats the reason that I have been doing the scouting around for such a long time. Of course I can go for Child Playworks, Sunbeam and even Children House if I really wanted to but really will that really make a difference to the kind of person she is going to grow up to be. She will learn more?, faster? maybe but is that really that important?

After all that scouting, I realised that most places ar really not that different. All kids will eventually learn to read and write, some earlier than the other. I am in no hurry to rush her given that she is already quite advance for her age.

What is important to me at this point of time is really teachers that are compasionate and who allow her to do things at her own pace. I want her to play, be able to interact with other kids, learn to share, learn empathy, some social skills.

The foundation will always be her home/her granny's home and of course I have to keep reminding myself that I cannot hand over the responsibility to teach, play, guide my child to the teachers at the school. If she does learn and gets guidance from them all the better but I will still be her primary teacher/guide.

But for a kid, its always fun to play with other kids and do things together. They learn better that way sometimes. And for now thats a good reason for me to send her to a pre school.

So I am all set to register her tomorrow and then there is the first few days where she will surely want me/hubby to be around. Lets see how it goes.

I can bake

I have been having so much fun for the past few days baking in my bread maker. Yes! I have a bread maker that hubby redeemed from Citibank points. I finally visited Swansan, an a amazing place selling bread making supplies located in some dingi area (Jln Haji Taib something). I would not dare go there after 6pm.

Anyway, back home while hubby was away I baked a delicious, healthy multi grain bread for hubby and not so healthy banana bread for alysha. The banana bread was out of this world. I did some research on the net (what would one do without the net) and discovered that sour cream is an essential ingredient in banana bread/cake. So added sour cream in the mixture although this particular receipe didn't call for it and wallah! amazing banana bread/cake.

Both father and daughter love breads and I always wanted to try baking bread. BUt just couldnt imagine the hassle I had to go through in a normal oven. But baking is just so easy with the breadmaker. I can now actually bake breads. Just dunp everything in and wait for 2-3 hours and the whole kitchen smells of yummy bread. Imagine fresh, healthy, warm breads from the oven (bread maker, in my case) for breakfast for your family. Yummm!

Going to try lots more receipes. I am so excited about it. Can call myself a proper mom and wife now with the help of the break maker. Serving fresh healthy bread to my loved ones. hehehe :)