Alycia has been bugging me to fetch her to school and ditch the transporter as Aunty J, the transporter has been late in picking her up for school lately. As she is a school prefect and needs to be in school by 7am for duty everyday, her daily 10-15 minutes late has been drawing queries and flak from her seniors. She is very unhappy over this. I have asked her many times if she’d like to quit her appointment as a school prefect as this added responsibility seems to be giving her some inconveniences and I always get the same reassuring answer from her that she still likes to be a prefect. She also needs to eat hurriedly during recess so that she can go for her rounds during recess time. On top of all these, she needs to have an exemplary attitude in school at all times. But she is reluctant to throw in the towel just yet. In their school, the school prefect title is something that is admirable and respectable. She told me that the teacher in charged of the prefects have warned the prefects not to quit and those who do so would be penalized and caned!   I do not know how true this is. Maybe she just cooked up a story to stop me from encouraging her to quit. Well, Chinese schools are well known for their draconian and fear-instilling ways of punishing their students.
If I were to fetch Alycia and Sherilyn to school, I would have to sacrifice at least an hour of my time in the morning, which I really relish. It is during this pre dawn time that I find so much peace engaging in my daily exercise regimen, when it is still dark outside and so serene. I jog within the compound of my condo and thereafter proceed to the gym. It is also during this time that I de-stress myself, do some problem-solving thinking and soul-searching and to get myself ready for yet another long and tiring day. If I were to fetch them to school, by the time I reach home from school in the morning, I would need to prepare Cass for school and after Cass goes off to school, it would be too sunny for me to run outside. If you know me well, I do NOT like the sun. So I am still keeping Aunty J the transporter so that I can still have my quiet ME TIME for another 1.5 years before Cass goes to Standard 1. It would be more cost-wise to fetch the 3 girls myself then, else I would need to fork out RM660 just on transportation for my 3 girls to and from school!
What would you do if you were me?
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Can u check with the Aunty Transporter lady if she could pick up earlier? Is there an option to switch to another lady who can do an earlier trip?
Abt the “caning”, I do hope such garbage does not exist anymore. I would go and ask the principal myself if such cruelty is still practised and if they can show any research that this helps a child grow. I can show that so-called principal official studies that caning does not benefit anyone.
I so agree “me time” is very important. It makes you a better mum, and keeps you sane. And no one, but no one, can deny you that!
Chris, I have spoken to Aunty J before and requested that she comes about 10 mins earlier. Initially, she did accede to our request and was early. Lately, she’s getting late. Also,a few of the kids in the van have terrible discipline and make everyone in the van wait for them every day! Blame it on their mummy for not waking them up earlier. And there is also this boy in the van who would ask Aunty J to stop at our condo or other condos to POO POO for 15 mins almost everyday!!
if I were you, I will fetch.
Time is precious. A little bit more bonding, losing / sacrifice myself for a better relationship, save some transporter $.. why not. how many times can P be 6yo, or 7yo…
I would agree with Littlelamb. It is good fellowship with the girls. You can also say a short prayer aloud with the girls while driving them to school. I know you need to destress given your situation with your business and housework. But, try to work things around for the benefit of your girls.
Agree w little lamb, i would fetch them myself but it might be stressful for you. It not only saves money but also a time for bonding for you and your kids plus you do not need to worry out the transporter forgetting your kids.
I would fetch them myself too..That’s what we are doing right now..sometimes having breakfast in the canteen together and send them off to their classrooms with a little hug and kisses..walking up and down the stairs carrying their bag and walk back to the car is part of my daily exercise too..
I would fetch them myself for reasons similar to those mentioned by agnes, kristen, joanne and little lamb.
I would fetch them myself too….that’s what I’m doing now. Although sometimes i feel a bit tired but I can manage theirs time easily by fetching them myself. I dun have to worry that they will miss the bus or hang out with friends end up come home late.
Any possibility daddy can fetch them? Tell daddy he can enjoy the bonding with the girls. Haha.
Seriously, I think its okay to let them continue with the transporter but since it is a stress for Alycia to be late since she is a prefect, you would have to nag Aunty J to come on time or change to one that makes an earlier trip.
IMHO we spend so much time with the kids that the extra bonding time we can have on the way to or from school really isn’t so crucial. It is quantity time that matters after all, not quality time. For all you know, instead of bonding you may end up screaming at them for being late, not being around to wait for you etc.
I also think that taking a little ME time for yourself is not selfish. It is essential for survival. Haha.
You can fetch them next year when all 3 are in the school since it makes more sense monetarily as well as schedule wise.
Thanks friends and mum for all your comments.
Chris, yes I really think we busy mothers need a little ME time everyday, else that would affect our mood negatively.
MG, I think we are some what in the same wave length in terms of raising our kids 😉
My final decision is that I will continue with Aunty J and in 2015, will drive the girls to school myself. I will have at least 6 yrs for Aly, 8 yrs for Sher and 11 yrs for Cass to bond with them in the car, to and fro school!! LOL!
I remember when I was younger my parents got a neighbour to fetch me to school. Then somehow when I was 10, my Mum started fetching me to school all the way til I’m 17. She had to wake up earlier, rush to work and all.. but I remember those car rides. That’s when we really bonded. Of course, my teenage-self wasn’t all the time pleasant to bond with.. but now as a Mum myself, I truly appreciate how much my Mum sacrificed to send me to school safely.. and I love those car moments! Just sharing from the “possible-future-point-of-view” from your girls’ perspective. 🙂
Evon, thanks for sharing your story 🙂
what a dilemma huh? can you find another transporter? would driving them to school stress you out? i agree with Chris that you need your ME time or else you would go bonkers.
true or not, caned and fined for quiting the perfect post?! That’s sound too harsh.
There are always problem children in the school bus.
Me time is so so so important. We are selfish but it is for the kid’s happiness too. If we are too stress, we can easily snap at small trival stuff.
I take the kids to school because we don’t have an Aunty J. If I were you, I’d bug Aunty J to come earlier. If she can do it before, she can do it again.
Bonding happens after school because it’s STRESSFUL getting ready and driving to school in the morning.
I am still trying to find a slot for my exercise!!!