How to Enjoy The National Museum with a Toddler

Don't bring the toddler along!!!


No, seriously, there was no way I could enjoy the exhibits in the Singapore National Museum properly with 2-year-9-month-old Sam turning the whole place into his own personal playground.

About the only time I had him under my control was when we were descending the stairs, hand in hand. The other times, he was running around the Film & Wayang exhibition room, touching every exhibit he could get his hands on & sending shrills of terror down my spine. The swinging pendulum art installation only held his attention for several minutes.

In the Singapore History Archives, I couldn't concentrate on my own audio guide, not when Sam was running ahead in the dark room, and then running back demanding to be brought out to the light where it was more interesting. I only made it as far as Raffles discovering Singapore before I gave up & left the room.

Hubby & in-laws all agreed the museum was worth the trip, esp. since we got in free, thanks to the 2009 sms initiative by the Tourism Board. And thank goodness I didn't have to pay for the ticket, cos it was a total waste of my time trying to entertain Sam in the big, empty, building (hubby was right - the Museum was about the only tourist attraction left of the 5 that would still have free tickets on Sunday).

After a mere half hour in the Museum, I gave up & brought Sam outside to the museum grounds, in a desparate attempt to keep him entertained & perhaps see the art installations outside. Well, it turned out to be a hot & sunny noon, I found only the "Seeds" installation after touring half the grounds, and Sam was entertained not by the garden/grass/flowers, but by the water cooler at the bottom of the escalator leading up to Fort Canning.

We must have spent nearly 10 min out there in the heat, while I drank water, then Sam pressed the button for me to drink water, I pressed for Sam to drink water, then Sam pressed for me to drink water, and so on and so on and so on.

I've never found a 45 min visit to a Museum so physically tiring! The Singapore National Museum is definitely not a place to bring toddlers!!!!!

Sam Learning in School

Sam's been attending the playgroup for about 1 month now, and today I realised how much that had affected him:

For one thing, when we were out today, he started going for the girls of his same age group. ;)
In the past, he usually went after the older girls, all the big 'jie-jie'. But today, the little girl he approached at Changi Beach & the little gal he was actively trying to engage in play (unfortunately for him, the gal was actively eating satay) were barely taller than him.
So I guess he must have gotten used to playing with people of similar ages in the playgroup.

He's also obviously learnt something in school, even though he always replies 'no, no, no' whenever I asked him what he did in school. During our dinner in Newton Circus just now, he started clapping his hands when he heard a song being played. Then, he asked us to clap too! I felt rather silly clapping to the music in the hawker centre. ;P

And tonight, he actually said the word "teacher", and demonstrated to me how the teacher blew bubbles in school!

Wow! Am I glad I took the trouble to send him to the 2-hr playgroup! Can't wait for him to get into the childcare centre and learn independance!!!!!!

My New Job

Just realised I haven't blogged about my new job yet, so here it is:

Me got a part-time job as Tour Faciliator with this company Singapore History Consultants. It's like a tour guide, only I'm not licensed so can only take on groups for Singaporeans. Right now training for a Military Defence tour, to introduce Singapore's WWII history to our NS men. Next 2 months will continue to be trained for other tour, including a Kampong Glam tour to introduce our school children to the rich Malay culture. Read the company's website to understand more.......

Me rather excited about this job. A lot of training involved at this stage, but at least I find the job meaningful, and it's gratifying to know the company is putting in so much effort to train us: 4 days/2 weeks, trained personally by our big boss himself, the 2nd in command, & the head of research no less.

So even I myself am surprised at the readiness at which I dwell into WWII history, which wasn't one of my favourite topics in schooling days. But now I find a point to the stories, and a reason to relate them in these peace times, so I guess I got myself a suitable job in that sense. ;)

Oh, if you have any foreign friends visiting S'pore, you may want them to check out our island in a totally different perspective, thro' historical & cultural walks by our sister company, Journeys. ;)

P.S. In case anyone asking, I have to sign a 2 yr bond with the company, and I'm paid in cash only, no CPF or any medical benefits.

Sam the Biter

Sam went back to school after a 2.5 week long break. Today brought in-laws when sending him to the playgroup, since next week they'll have to send Sam when I go to work.

As we leave Sam started crying, as expected. Actually, I had thought the teacher would have to pry him from my shoulders, but surprisingly Sam understood he's supposed to go to school, he just didn't want to. Hence he cried all the way when he got down from my arms and walked into the classroom himself, by which time I've left hurriedly since the crying really got to me.

So when I went to fetch Sam 2 hrs later, I was half expecting the teacher to tell me Sam's cried for 2 hrs non-stop.

Instead, I got my 1st complaint: Sam had bitten another classmate in school!!!!!

Apparently, he was playing amiciably with another girl in class. Next moment the teacher knew, the poor girl was crying loudly, as Sam had bitten her on the stomach! Apparently the teeth marks were painfully clear, & the bitten area was a bit blue-black. So the girl's parents were notified who rushed her to the doctor before the end of class.

So now I'm kinda dreading sending Sam to school tomorrow. Possibly the parents of the poor girl would ask us to pay for the doctor's bill (I have no doubt the injury was not serious, since hubby got several such bites), and I'll have to apologise profusely, all the time knowing that while we've repeatedly told Sam not to bite - for fun or in anger - there's no way I can actually control his behaviour in school.

Sam will probably be on the teacher's black list from now on.........well, I suppose the extra attention would do him no harm......... ;P

Sam' Animal Impersonation

I don't know where Sam learnt to do this, but I watch with glee as he pretends to be a frog, a dog, a tortoise & a cat in turn, complete with barks & meows, specially for the camera-phone:

After this recording, then Sam show his latest impersonation - a rabbit! Must try to capture that on video some day........

Sam Still Sick

Brought Sam to the paediatrician again this morning, cos his fever is still recurring (every 12 hrs on average), his nose is still running (greenish mucus now), and he's still coughing to clear the phlegm in his throat. Dr Ong prescribed a whole new batch of medicine plus antibiotics, since Sam's already been down for a week already. Hopefully he'll get better by CNY..........

This means Sam can't go to playgroup this week! And I'll be stuck at home too!!!!!!! Urgh!!!!!!

But hee, since I don't have the number to Sam's playgroup yet, I'm planning to drop over (without Sam, of course) tomorrow to inform the teachers of Sam's condition. Hopefully I'll have a bit of time to shop for 2 more tops for CNY & a new pencil case for my new job.

Yes, I've got a job! It's a part time job, as a 'tour faciliator'. Basically, it's like being a tour guide, but only to upper primary & lower secondary school students, introducing them to cultural & historical tours. This Thurs will be starting my 1st training........a lot of training to be done before can conduct the tours. Thank goodness Mummy can help me out!!!!!

Looking forward to this Thurs, already gotten my file & paper & bag ready, the 1st 2 batches of training on WWII, not my fav, but can't wait for the sculpture tours in March & April........

Now Sam can't go to school, it's a real pain in the neck, hopefully Mummy can handle him & all the medicine feeding..........

Recent Update

Haven't blogged for ages......had been a rather terrible start to the year 2009.

Brought our 1st maid home on the 2nd. Now she still can't speak much English, me communicating by sign language & my English-Indonesian dictionary. Luckily MIL trained her quite well, so now I only have to think of how to occupy her afternoons in my MIL's absence.

I kena stomach flu on the 4th. Threw up all the hot chocolate from Max & diaherra some more. Now have stopped medication, but my digestive system still delicate, can only finish half a bowl of rice at dinner now, eating noodles makes me feel bloated, so still avoiding all things with milk, oily food, sour & spicy food too. And I only lost a little weight!!!!

Had to go for a job interview on the 5th after a purely liquid diet on the 4th. Survived the morning on a continuous flow of sweets!

Then, still weak, had to bring Sam for his 1st day at playgroup on the 6th. We parents had to leave our crying children in the hands of the teachers for an hr from the 7th onwards. Sam seemed to have adjusted well, by Fri he was greeting me with smiles even though he left me crying.

Only to find him starting running nose that very night. By Sat night he had fever, by Sun morn he burned up to 39 degC. Couldn't manage to get an appointment with his regular pediatrician over the weekend, and ended up making 3 trips to our family doctor, one of which was wasted cos the morning registration was full already!

Now hoping Sam's fever will stay down over the night, then tomorrow I only have to worry about the phlegm that seemed to have settled in his throat causing him to cough...............