Mumbling rubbish

Was in United Square in the evening for a workshop by LW. Amongst its tenants in UA are some enrichment centres.

On the third level, parents; helpers waiting to pick up the children. It was crowded! In Macs, basement level, where I settled for my quick dinner-I noticed children doing their homework, mummies pointing and talking to their child. It was noisy (and guilt-stricken) I wondered if the kids will be distracted like my girl. One mummy was seen feeding her child while the girl was scribbling away. I don't want to be like that mummy, even if I want my child to finish her work fast, I would let her eat on her own and let her enjoy her food first. I thought I was crazy making che-che do her work outside. And last year every Wednesdays I'd bring a book and go through some work with her after her dinner before her music class. I was optimising time and these parents are doing the same thing. I carry a red pen in my handbag and in the car, do you?

Speaking of enrichment centres, we are often too spoiled for choice. We have no idea which are the best centres. We rely on recommendations; we rely on advertisements (wonder where the exhorbitant fees go to?). But are they really THAT GOOD? Yes, they produce the results. They show the P6/Sec 4's students' PSLE/O'Levels results in their centre. But more often, you have to take an assessment. They can't guarantee you that your child would be given a place. Then again, an enrichment centre is suppose to help our children and not select. Must have good grades to go in, of course those kids are already smart to begin with + teachers drill drill drill = 279, 283 etc.. results for PSLE.

I did some comparisons over a few schools offering English, sounds like the centres offer almost similiar format to my LILYANN ENRICHMENT TORTURE CENTRE. Parents pay from $280 - $380 per month. Per month!! To think that I'm feeling the heartpain with mei-mei's Shichida class fee. So why pay so much to schools when you can do it yourself? Not forgetting the we face. But if I saved that money, I could use it to buy another pair of Guess jeans for one month and others for the following months. Hee! (but.. by then so busy that I don't even have time to shop)

One mummy asked the teacher conducting the workshop. About a certain centre in UA (no names mentioned), whether it is good and what they do. Nobody had any idea but what the teacher said "it's very assessment paper based. Very unlike here in LW, the children have fun." Actually I do agree with the teacher, children learn through play. Che-che enjoys the lessons (most importantly she don't hug my fat thigh prior to every lessons now) in LW. They can't have strict military centres, I think we parents do a much better job in that so why waste the $$?
School - play
Enrichment centre - play
Home - Military
So why spoil relationship with child and be the bad guy? I'm not trained to be an educator; I don't know how to deliver the lessons in a fun way with my kid.