Feeling sooooo tensed

I haven't felt sooooooo tensed as what I'm experiencing now. I worry and worry and worry and there are a lot of things in my mind lately. Do mommies whose kids who are going to school have the same tensed feeling?

Some of u might have guessed rite. It happened since Destinee entered kindy the past 3 weeks. I've been calling her class teacher 3 times since Des started school (so far once every week) to know how Des was progressing *geks*.

We have to sleep early which I'm really not used to. We used to sleep at about 12 midnite and sometimes at 1 a.m. cos I usually bring my work back from office but now we have to go to bed at about 10 p.m., the latest by 10.30 p.m., so far no late exceptional cases. Not only dat, I have to get up early in the morning at about 7 a.m. (I used to get up at 8.30 a.m.). One thing good about Des is dat she'll immediately get up once I wake her and yes WITHOUT any fuss. If there's something good, there's bound to be something bad – one thing bad is dat she has to watch T.V. (her favourite POCOYO on Astrol Channel 63) while getting ready (drinks her milo or cereal or milk and changing) in which I don't mind as long as she doesn't put on a 'struggle' (refusing this and dat) in getting ready.

The 1st few days were not too pleasing cos she did refuse to go to school. On the 2nd day, she told me she cried in class and when I asked her why, she told me a 'kor kor' took her book. I called the class teacher and she explained to me dat the boy doesn't know how to read his name and accidentally took Des's book. The teacher did ask the boy to apologise to Des. Okay, I accepted the explanation.

One day during the 2nd week of school, Des brought back an exercise book in which I need to fill our (Pappy and mine) particulars (name, address, h/p no.) and there was the name and phone of Des's class teacher written in it too. I asked Des what the book was for but Des didn't seem to understand why she had brought the book back. I called her teacher and she told me the exercise book acts as a communication between the school and the parents. I asked her how Des was in class and I was informed Des was doing fine (gee, was I happy to hear dat).

Another day, when I was in the office, I called Des (I call her everyday when she's back from school, *blek*) and she told me she cried in class again. *Gaks!* I asked her why, she said she misses Mommy, Pappy and Kakak. Gosh! Oh dear, I've to call her class teacher again. Teacher Mary was very nice and explained to me dat Des wasn't crying but tears were overwhelming her eyes only (oh, dat's not crying eh?). I was told dat Des doesn't like to join kids who are a bit 'rough' and who are loud spoken. She told me there's another teacher teaching the class English and both she and the other teacher will take turns. The other teacher is a loud spoken lady in which Des is scared of and Des's always asking for Teacher Mary. Des is not very cooperative in interacting with the rest of the kids too. When the kids are singing and playing, she will stand at one end and keep watching only. *dead* I know this girl of mine too well. She's not warm up yet. I'm sure some of the bloggers know my girl doesn't like to mix and play at the beginning. Teacher Mary did advised Des dat she has to sing and play along with the other kids. I informed the teacher of Des 'weird' character and she said just give Des some time. Except for this, Des is fine with her writings and readings. I was really consoled by Teacher Mary's words. She's a very understanding and responsible teacher *keeping my fingers crossed*. Teacher Mary oso told me dat Des and a Malay girl will always stick together cos the Malay girl is oso small in size and she's soft spoken. The Malay girl likes her becos Des can speak Malay with her (heehee).

When I went home dat nite, I had a good talk with Des, advising her dat she needs to cooperate with the rest of her little friends a school and whenever there's music lesson, she needs to sing loudly. I assured her dat teacher will praise her for dat. The next day, Des told me she did sing loudly and sang along with her other friends (Yippeee!).

I wonder why Des was given so much homework everyday. Do other kindies give much homework too? *wondering* Des is not the one getting stressed about this, MOMMY IS THE ONE! At work, I worry what and how much homework she has and I will call her everyday whether there's homework or not and I will ask my maid to help my girl out and I will finish guiding her with whatever she has not finished when I go home. There are colouring, writings in Chinese, English and Bahasa. Reading her school books, I will read with her in bed before she goes to sleep. And sometimes I've to read her stories (in which she loves to listen and I've been doing this since she was in her baby days) before sleeping so as to reward her for being a good girl and finishing her homework. Phew! there's so much to do every day and I feel my high blood pressure 'shooting' up and I'm tiring out!

Sometimes when Des brings her books back, I don't know if ALL the work must be finished cos some of the pages were marked in red 'HW' (Homework) or 'RK' (Rumah Kerja) but some were not marked but the work has been done half way in class, so, need she finish them at home? I usually make her finish ALL the work, just in case. If she's in a good mood, she'll finish her homework very fast but when she's not in the mood, she'll not only dilly dally and giving all sorts of excuses, she'll simply scribble until which I've to praise her, 'bride' her to finish and do her work properly. Am I pressuring my girl? I don't need my girl to be a genius but as long as she follows and understands, I'll be sooooo thankful.

I always wonder how the kids who can't write and read well going to cope with the heavy workload of homework. I'm not saying dat my girl can write and read well but I've observed a few kids in Des's class who are just starting to read (ABCs) and Teacher Mary did tell me dat some cannot even hold the pencils properly. How?

Today, there's Chinese spelling test! *dead* The words are not too difficult to write but still ..... can she remember and can she write what I've revised with her? *duh* Looks at if I'm the one going back to school! *double duh*

Other mommies whom I know who are feeling the pressure of kids going to school are Mott ; Jess ; Desperatemummy ; LaundryAmah

Getting her registered in Primary school is another tensed matter. Chinese or Kebangsaan school? Pappy and I have been debating since 2 years ago. I want my girl to go to a Kebangsaan school and Pappy wants her to go to a Chinese school. Sorry to say I don't know Chinese (I can even get the dots and strokes wrong), how to teach my girl? Don't expect Pappy to have the time to sit down and teach her – no way! Pappy did analyse dat the usage of Chinese language will be in great demand in future (really?).

I'm oredi so tensed now, what if Des is going to Primary, Secondary, College ........??? *dead, dead, dead*. Need to go somewhere to shout out loud otherwise my whole head will be filled with 'uban' (grey hair) and I need some air to breathe.

Arrrggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! Heeeeellllllppppppp!!!!!!!

updated 5.44 p.m: Just read LaundryAmah's post on her Kieran's homework. Gosh oh Gosh! 10 pages of homework from a Chinese school and the boy is only 7 years old! I'm really going to have 2nd thoughts and going to 'brainwash' Pappy from sending Des to a Chinese school! Do Kebangsaan schools 'pressure' kids with so much homework? Can someone out there enlighten me?