Schools and decisions

 S and A have been in international/ private schools their entire life. Since we have moved around so much in the last 11 years, we haven't been able to settle down in any place and adopt the local culture/systems. Keeping this in mind, and having heard so much about the local school system we decided to move S to a local school for secondary. She got into a very prestigious local school through her sports and seemed keen to try it. The hubby was very against it as it meant she would lose a year and move out of the IB syllabus which is more amenable to international postings. I felt the level of studies in her current school was low and she would be among more like minded people in the local school. Also the sports focus was a positive.

S joined the new school first week of 2021. But it didn't go as per our expectation. The level of academics was actually lower than the earlier international school (possibly as she was in the highest band there in the various subjects). The MT in lieu didn't work out as expected, the number of hours spent in school in MT (in which she sat doing Maths/reading a book) was very high while the level of the foreign language outside school (to be done outside school) was very low and we were concerned if she would be able to clear O level in that. On the positive side, the kids in the school were very welcoming and nice and S didn't feel like an outsider at all. She also became more independent, going to and back from school by public transport.

But in the end the negatives outweighed the positives and we decided to move S back to the international system. She starts back at her old school tomorrow. Since her place was given away, she has not been able to go back to all the classes she had. She might grumble and moan that she was in a worse position than when she started. And we have wasted all this money and effort and taken a lot of stress. On the positive side this has been an experience and possibly we can move forward feeling this is the best education we can provide for the girls and they should get the best out of it.

Sadly will have to listen to hubby's I told you so for the foreseeable future!

Of Birthday parties

 So this year we went overboard with the birthday parties to make up for no parties last year (lockdown) and S turning 13.

A had hers first. since she wanted to call only her 3 close friends and her requirements of cake was very simple (just doughnuts) it was not a very complicated affair. We met the kids at Pizza Hut, had a quick lunch and then checked into Wild Wild Wet. I hung around at a table with the bags while the kids went on the slides, lazy river etc. A good 2 hours later (not fun in the hot sun, 35 degrees + even in the shade) we were done. We all got a bubble tea each and took the a cab home. Doughnuts and more play at home and the party wound down at 6:30 pm. The hubby had got air pods for A which turned out to be the perfect present. She listens to songs on her phone with the airpods all the time now. To the extent that i keep calling for her without realising she can't hear. The unintended effect is that she ends up listening to music at the same time that the hubby is doing his 10k run (tries to do every weekend/ public holiday) and they share an apple tunes account so he ends up accidentally listening to the latest Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande numbers!

S had her actual birthday first where i got her Agatha's brownies and the hubby got her Agatha (Christie)'s Poirots. Her favourite pastime is to curl up on her beanbag, or the sofa downstairs with a Poirot in her hand and Fido (sometimes) by her side. She wanted to call 9 friends to her birthday and given current restrictions of 8 max party size she split into 2 parties of 4 and 5. The first one was at Hydrodash - a floating adventure course at Sentosa. We booked a 2 hour session though we thought they would be done in 1.5 hours. Suprisingly they lasted the entire 2 hours though they were exhausted by the end of it. The girls first came home, had pizza lunch, then i escorted them in a mini bus (!!) to Sentosa.  2 hours again in the hot shade and some bubble tea/ ice cream later we returned home. Cake cutting and they left slowly by 6:30. I know parents don;t accompany 13 year olds to parties but i didn;t want the kids alone in the sea in case of any problems. Probably next year i will be redundant. S second party didn;t involve any swimming. The kids wanted to do the luge. I took them there and made myself scarce in a nice AC cafe. 1.5 hours and 4 luge rides and bubble tea later I put them all in a Grab 6 home and found my own way back. 

I had taken two days off from work to organise and be present at these 3 parties. Honestly while i can moan about how tedious and tiring it is, I would not have it any other way. Very soon I won't be asked to organise or attend these, it will just be me and Fido then (speaking of which maybe I should organise a doggie birthday party for him :)