Today I have been talking to a group of moms since morning in my bbm group, I started a topic about how to teach our kid small letters in alphabet. Caleb has recognized all the 26 letters in alphabets but they are all in big letters, and he seems to be confused when I try to teach him small letters. These moms that I asked for an advice, are actually moms with older kids (let's say 2-4 years old) whom I assumed should be able to give me some tips. To my surprise, not all of their 3-4 year old kids have learned the alphabets well. But that's not my point of today's sharing. Out of the topic I brought in, one mom commented and cynically accused me for giving Caleb such a hard time studying in such a young age! She said Caleb should have all his time for playing and not studying as once he starts school, it's a long way and years to go so let him have the fun while he can get one.
Instead of giving me the tips that I asked for, she gave me an advice to step back and relax, don't push too hard on my son. yeah right!
She also gave me a lecture about how moms tend to compare their kids, and if another kid is able to master something earlier than the others, they get panic and try to push their kids to do better by signing them up to phonic class, tuition, etc and resulting unecessary stress for the kid.
ehem... first, let me explain...I have been teaching my son with alphabets, numbers, flashcards since he was able to sit and cruise, which means before he was 1 year old. My reason is because I don't want my son to spend all his time having fun with toys that do not educate him well and then pass the responsibility to teach him academic lesson to his teacher later on. Isn't it shameful when you're not working, a stay at home mom, but there is nothing you do to make a good progress in your son? I'd rather go back to full time working then!
Secondly, if the kid himself is willing to learn, is interested, is curious..wouldn't you want to use this opportunity to teach?
It's not like I sign him in to classes or playgroups. I am teaching him myself and he gets to spend the time with me and not someone else.
my son enjoys his learning time! He has fun! He giggles in victory whenever he guess the alphabet or the picture in the card correctly. what's the stress you're talking about, mom??
Lastly, I hate comparing! and that's why I seldom ask other moms who have children at the same age as Caleb about what their kids have mastered/ can do. I am also not the type of mom who would pressure my son to study and have so many tuitions. If you know Singapore, you know for sure how the education system here is tough! school alone is stressful enough, I wish my son would not need additional tuition so he can have his free time to relax.
Seriously, that was a very ridiculous and unbelievable accuse!
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