Been so busy lately trying to find a pre-school in Singapore for bub. That's right, we're going to live in Singapore for one year. I've recently opened a tuition centre with my best friend, Cassandra. With this latest business venture of mine, it'll definitely keep me in Singapore for at least a year or so. Unless my tuition business fails, hmm...

According to www.startingwell.org Singapore's preschool education ranked 29th out of the 45 countries compared. I was stunned by the results, as it ranked Korea in 10th, and New Zealand in 9th position. Korea surpassed Singapore????? What shocked me was because Singaporeans are a "kiasu" (afraid to loose-out) bunch, and I have seen parents investing heavily in their children's education - even before they were born!!! Shouldn't Singapore's preschool education be amongst the top 10, or at the very least, better than Korea (I'm not being judgmental here)? Maybe we should move to Korea instead. I think Korean preschools are cost-free, or at the very least cheaper than Singapore's.

One thing that I know for sure is that Korea's medical fees are really cheap. Bub fell sick when we were in Korea, and as he was considered a foreigner because my husband had not registered bub as a Korean citizen yet, and we did not have travel insurance, I expected the medical fees to cost a few hundredssssss. However, it was only like, $5?? If that's the cost for foreigners, then what's the cost for citizens? One cent? Free?? Still, I'm not suggesting that you should thrift and not get travel insurance in advance if you plan to go to Korea...There might be unexpected events such as flight delays or lost baggage. Unless your belongings are as worthless as mine then why bother with travel insurance right? Although we did have complimentary travel insurance with my Commonwealth Bank Gold Mastercard ;)

 My nieces recently started primary school, so like all good "kiasu" Singaporean parents, I will be taking this as a good opportunity to visit Korea soon and drop by their school for a tour and have a taste of the Korean educational system. After all, it pays to be prudent in planning well for bub's education.

My MIL, and twin nieces Suna (선아) and Jia (지아)

In considering the best pre-school for bub, art and music is a core must. I do not mind paying extra fees for the art classes, but music should already be part of the curriculum. There were a few schools that I liked, sadly most of them did not offer art enrichment programs, such as Little Skool-house, Ascension, and Marymount. Maris Stella kindy offered art enrichment, and the price was reasonable ($140 per term is as cheap as peas), but Maris Stella is a tad too far! Why why why?

It's not that I want him to be an artist. Art is a form of play, and play is important in children. The more they play, the more they learn. Aussies support the notion that play is highly important in all children until the age of 18. Yes, remember how you never had homework and only "played" in high school? That is, if you consider "play" as hanging out at your local shopping centre or train station watching the transit officers watching you in disapproval.

I really loved Marymount kindy, especially since it's within walking distance from my home. I was considering Marymount, and then enrolling bub for art classes at an external school to end my woes. However, the art timing is either not suitable, or the class is full. Perhaps I should just buy art supplies from Spotlight and show bub, at home, how shameless I am in art? After all, it's the bonding and quality time between bub and I that matters right?

Decisions, decisions...

I just hope that in twenty years' time, bub will learn to realise how much thought I put in every aspect of his life, and appreciate all that is done for him. I guess, seeing how Aussie kids that I know treat their parents now, I fervently hope that bub will not turn out to be like them - jobless, school drop-outs, and resorting to prostitution to fuel their drug obsessions. Yes, starting right from young is very important. I've learnt this through the eyes of others.

I love you, son