My Sons First Days in School, My Eldest in Standard 1

I had a very nice 2 and a half week break but it's never long enough. My husband was also having a break at the same time. It was good. We had some quality family time, fixed up what needed to be fixed in the house. I felt it was a very fruitful break at least where my family is concerned. I extended my leave to cover the 1st week of Jan... naturally, it was because it was the 1st week of school.

Ryan is in Standard One this year and Raymund for the 1st time will be attending kindy alone. Quite a change and my husband and I were pretty worried, particularly with Ryan. You see, my kids are really 'bananas' or what the chinese will call banana people / 'siang jiau ren' which basically refers to people who are yellow on the outside (Chinese) and white on the inside (amoh). I speak excellent cantonese, but I'm totally hopeless in Chinese. But my husband is a Baba so his Chinese is also 'koyak'. Hence, home language is purely English. Why am I worried about Ryan? We sent him to Chinese school... there is no way I can help... and what's more his school is very strict and obviously very Chinese. Yak Chee has proven record and I was also told by some that if the kids do wrong, they will get caned. Sigh! Biting the bullet and looking on the bright side, he will get disciplined.

We attended Ryan's orientation on Fri 31Dec. Everything was in Chinese! Briefing and even between students and teachers. Ryan got scared and worried. I supposed it was also my fault. My worries had channeled to him. He lost confidence in his communication as everyone were speaking chinese and he wasn't familiar with money, how to buy food from canteen. He kept telling me over the weekend that he didn't want to go to the school. I realized then that we were giving him alerts on areas of his weakness rather than encouragement. Big mistake! We changed tacts. We started assuring him that we will accompany him on his 1st day and that his friend (neighbour's daughter) is his classmate. So, nothing to worry.

In the morning, we checked out Raymund at his kindy Year 5. He went to school in his school van and we went later. He was real steady. Playing with the toys and so forth. More so because his friends from Year 4 moved with him to Year 5. Gave him some hugs and assurance. We told him we will wait for him at home. Cool as cucumber!

Then we rushed back and took Ryan to school. The school is very strict. They let us stay till the students got to the classroom and then ask us to leave to come back during recess. And then leave again to come back later and fetch them back. Us parents ran about like monkeys on a rainy day (of all days!) but frankly, I'm very assured. Assured that the school knows what they are doing and the facilities are ok. Still worried coz all his classmates are fluent in Chinese. Not him.

My husband and I decided to watch by the side and guide in on his 1st day. He paid for his food. He went to find his seat. Washed hands after eating. All by himself. In fact, he was half ignoring us - very proud that he knew what he was doing. Ryan actually feels embarrass when his daddy and mummy goes to his school even when he was in kindy. Cute really. We let him try for himself and pointed out when he was not sure during recess. At the moment, I was quite pissed with other parents. They cut queue and elbowed their way through the Standard One kids and bought stuff for their kids. No doubt that they are worried but is that the way? My husband and I were then quite appreciative that the school was strict enough to shoo parents out. We were only allowed to accompany our kids on the 1st day, with so much restrictions. We decided not to fetch him back from school but to take his school van instead. The van was familiar to him as it was the same one he took to his kindy. Now guess who was worried after that :) My husband and I were out of the house waiting for the school van at 6:15pm till he arrived at 7:20pm.

He came home proud. Declared that he can now speak Chinese - flashed a few simple sentences in Chinese though it sounded like amoh. We played up that confidence and saying 'Wah, Ryan is big boy now and in Standard One'. Works :)

The next 2 days, we watched for depression and signs of unhappiness. So far, steady. People advised me to talk to him after school. We did, asking what he did, what his teacher did with him and if he made new friends ... again played up that being Standard One is something that he can be proud of. He was proud and said he likes his new school and he knows how to speak Chinese and English now. Not bad.

I know I have to continue to monitor him as 1st week is very light and easy. His usual tuition teacher is also on standby to help him. Chinese school is well known for homework and homework and homework. And they are all in Chinese. Sigh!

I'm not the only going thru this. I felt that the Indian and Malay parents I met in Yak Chee are very brave to put their kids in a Chinese school. Takes guts, plenty of it. I met a Malay father in school with his Standard 2 daughter who proudly told me that his daughter had 80% for his Chinese assessment last year. Gave me hope :) even though Ryan is not a very fast learner unless it is something that he is very interested in like science :) Talk about this later.

Going on next post and next topic now :)

Joanne