1 month in Childcare Center

Zofie has been in the childcare center for a month. Well… she is still crying but the teacher said is much better then the first time she came in.

Getting sick: I thought of settling her down as soon as possible but I forgot about her getting sick in childcare. Last Tue she was having fever and was asked to bring her home. Initially I thought that was normal fever like before, just take 1 panadol and she would be fine. The next day, Wednesday she went to school and the fever came back. This time we brought her to the GP. She rested on Thurs and Fri. Since Wed we had not been sleeping well. I thought the medicine was supposed to make her doze off to sleep but I was wrong. Zofie woke up every hr at night including naps too to cough and cry. We didn’t sleep for 4 days. I stopped her medicine on Sunday and she seems fine to me. Although she coughed in the morning but she slept through out in her cot at night. Wed 26 Nov she had a terrible cough that night. We still brought her to the school the next day because she seems well in the morning but we tried to fetch her back early to see Chinese doc. The clinic we went to was recommended by a friend who was famous in doing massage for babies and children. The Chinese doc felt that we should continue with the medication that the GP gave. After the massage Zofie had a better sleep that night although she was still coughing. We decided to see a pediatrician near our place. The clinic opens at 9am and when I stepped in the clinic at 9am there was a long queue. That took us 1 and half hrs before our turn to see the PD. She told us which medicine to continue and which one to stop. This PD is unlike the GP she was very detailed with the sickness and medicine. Zofie had an infection which is not a normal kind of cough and fever. There were too much phlegm around the face area esp the ear was block but luckily it didn’t went in the ear drum. This is one of the most serious cases among Singapore kids this year. The worst case was the phlegm spread to the lungs area which the Chinese doc told us the day before Zofie is going to get lungs infection as well. Luckily the massage helped a lot. I talked to the center and it doesn’t sound like the infection came from childcare. Sounds like the infection came from the neighbor’s kid. We continue with the Chinese massage for 3 days at the same time taking the medication which the PD gave. She became much better and Zofie slept well at night. She still needs to rest for a few days at home before she could go back to childcare.

Food: The teachers says she eats well in Childcare, however went she came home I realized most of the time she doesn’t eat the food I cook. I am wondering if the food doesn’t taste good. The teachers were surprised when I mention that. They told me they will make more effort to make Zofie eat more food in school since she doesn’t want to eat the home food. Well, I’m ok with that because the food that the school cook for the children is much healthier then those that I cook and outside food. I thought she would drink her favorite milk in school but the teachers had tried for a month. She had already weaned off milk in school. Zofie would only drink milk when is at home and with me.

Wean Pacifier: Zofie was not given pacifier in school. The teachers told me they have to take sometimes to pat her to sleep. Me too, trying to wean her off with pacifier at night. I find it not easy. At 5am she would want to suck something for comfort. I gave her milk and she didn’t want the milk. When she was almost weaning off she fell sick and I have to give pacifier again. Since she is recovering from her infection she seems ok to sleep without pacifier. Hopefully she is going to wean off soon.

Play in school: Zofie cried in school but when it is time for out door activities and water play she seems alert and happy. The older boys would chase each other; Zofie would smile and watch them run. These are the time when she will forget about both of us. When she is back in the classroom she cries again. She has 3 favorite books in school that she will flip them very often. Her favorite toy is a fork. She would run away from friends that tried to play with her. She is still in her own world playing all by herself. Still. She is not ready to scribble on papers. I talked to the teacher and she says she would make more efforts on that.

The form teacher is a Chinese teacher: She is from China and when I talked to her she told me that she is very strict towards Zofie. She wants her to learn that this is a school to learn things. Zofie make the sound ‘Wa…’ she would tell her to keep quiet because that disturb the class. I am not too sure if this is good or bad because sooner or later she will still have to learn to be discipline in school. One good thing about the Chinese teacher is that she is willing to let the children explore things in and out as much as possible. Unlike other teachers they are afraid of the children getting dirty. Zofie has one favorite teacher who is now 6 months pregnant. Zofie would only vent out crying when the Chinese teacher is gone or when the favorite teacher is there in school. This teacher is too nice to Zofie that whenever she cries she would carry her. Very soon she would go on maternity leave and I am not too sure if Zofie is able to settle down by then.

Music: Zofie loves music. She sway her body and cried at the same time when it comes to music and movement lesson.

Everything went upside down: I was told by the teachers she loves to read and she eats well. However she didn’t want to see the flash cards anymore and not even read bed time stories with me. She eats less at home.

I was told by many people that Zofie has grown up and more mature after attending school. She seems more active towards my parent. Unlike the last time she would glue to us whenever we entered my parent’s place.

I am planning to let her attn the school for 4 half days and 1 full day starting in Dec. So that she would have more time to rest at home. Also I would not feel too stress of her getting sick all the time.