Cherie Hearts

[eemommy]

Junkfood,


How’s your girl doing in the childcare so far?
Which class your girl in now?

I also thinking to put mime there but wish can get some feedback from you first.
Thanks.

[winth]

Hi there,


I've been to CherieHearts and changed my son from Jurong East Branch to CherieHearts from HarbourFront.

He was with JE branch for a year before I changed him out because my son was bullied there, he came back with a big 'nail-scratch' bruise near his eye and had his tooth filling dropped out. Had no problem with the teachers in CH in Jurong East if not for that bully. Just to be fair, my child wasn't the only one who was bullied by the same boy there. Else, the teachers there are really good and caring. Would seriously have considered continued there.

Changed him to HarbourFront (their supposedly HeadQuarters) and they had their webcam for that school and it was fully air-conditioned. Few concerns that I had: 1) the childcare centre's door is unlocked and the bigger kids who are strong enough and somehow open the glass door (somemore it's a glass door, so dangerous) and head to the lift lobby to get out of the building. 2) The entrance can be opened by any stranger and the teacher don't even recognise whether it is a parent or a stranger who has come to fetch the kid 3) Most teachers there are foreigners (China and India)

My personal experience at HarbourFront:
- I was quite late, and reached the childcare at 7:30pm (their latest pickup was 8pm); by then most teachers and students were gone for the day. The administrator office was empty and I went in and saw my boy and 2 other children at the table. I took my boy and took him out of the childcare centre without anyone (not a single soul from the childcare centre) to note that I've come to fetch my boy.
- Another occasion, my boy had opened the doors and was waiting for me at the lift lobby when I came. I asked how come he's not at the childcare centre, he said he was bored and came out to look for me. No one had saw him come out :roll:

Within 3 months from this childcare centre, I had him taken out and put him in into a neighbourhood school as he was 3 by then and had qualified for a school and I've made arrangements so that someone is there to pick him up. I've never looked back since and I won't be putting my 2nd boy into this childcare (at least not in HarbourFront).

I do hope standards there have improved since they do quite a lot of marketing. But I actually don't like their uniform colour (dirty yellow and purplish-red shorts).

[eemommy]

Thanks Winth for sharing. It I were you, I will withdraw my child from the childcare too. How can them leave the kid in the center alone without any guardian? You should feedback it to the branch director.


Yeah. Actually I personally find pre-school / kindergarden teacher are more caring and nice to the student compared with the teacher in childcare. Perhaps it because the working hours for them shorter?
My boy attending some playground in a church kindergarden and his teacher is very very nice. But it is only 3 hours class.

You are right. I visited some childcare and noticed most of the teachers/helper there are from China/india. And I saw some helpers in certain center really shout to the children too.

[winth]

Hi eemommy,


No pro at all! Thot I should inform parents about my ‘scary experience’ there. Was even thinking of putting my 2nd boy into infant care back then. Phew

I would definitely vote for the schools. They are better (and definitely cheaper too). The teachers are usually locals and this school (locks their wooden door). Hehe…

We can save those $$ for more enrichment classes rather than go for the branded childcare centres.

[mintcc]

Thanks winth! I was actually quite tempted to switch my kid to CH at JE or Harbourfront a few months back. I tour the JE branch and replace is spacious and nice. Now I am glad I let my boi stay in his current childcare.


Can share which school you boi is in? You mean they have child care services for 3 year olds in school?

[winth]

Hi mincy,


I like the teachers at CH at JE branch but am not sure if there is any change since I left like 2 years ago. But if your child has no problem in his current daycare, suggest you don’t make any switch.

Now my boy is in Queenstown Good Shepherd. It’s a school with no childcare services. I had to arrange for someone to pick him up after school.

If you could arrange for help to pick your child up, would suggest that they go for half-day (and not a full day), bec most centres don’t conduct any lessons in the afternoon. After the child has had their afternoon nap, tea break and then that’s it - free time. Might as well leave your child home with your helper or your parent’s.

My boy was bullied right after I converted him from half day to full day, and he fell sick more often than when he was in half day morning, not to mention all the mosquito and insect bites he got from those mattresses he slept on.

[mintcc]

yes, the teachers I tlk to was nice. In fact she also suggest that it is best not to change if my kid is already settled in his current school.


In general, I am happy with his current school too, just that it is a bit of a rush to pick him up after work.

I have heard good things about Queenstown Good Shepherd, in fact from one of the other mums of my boi’s current child care who feels the curriculum is not sufficient in the childcare. Unfortunately, have to pick him up myself so school is probably not such a good choice for me…

[Pauline]

[Moderator's note: Topics merged.]


Dear mommies,

Any of you have kids with Golden Kids at Blk 262 Boon Lay Drive?
I was told it will be taken over by Cherie Hearts officially in Oct 08, and existing curriculums would be changed.
How was everything in Golden Kids then, wondering if you have any concerns with the take over...?

I have registered my girl with Golden Kids, might put her there after she turns 18 months old, due to 0.5km proximity between our home and my mom's, in case emergency needed.

However, realised the new principal could not write grammatically correct English - extracted from her actual emails: \"the teacher will still remain the same and there will be a few more new teacher due more intake of students\"; \"total we had 7 teachers all is experience and qualiify teachers who had been 8 to 9 year with Golden-kids\". She probably meant they have been around that long and will stay put.

It makes me wonder on the standard of langauges of the centre/s... I would not want my girl to adapt to Sing-lish prior to proper English

[kwcllf]

Hi,


I have not logged in for quite a while. However, we have a bad experience at CH which I think I would like to share.

Before we enrolled our 2 kids there, SAF Depot Rd branch, we were promised that we can visit our children during our lunch time. In fact, we were specifically told that it was encouraged for bonding purposes. Anyway, we can’t stay around for long during the lunch visit as we are working in town and have to rush back.

During the initial period, everything was OK. But then we discovered some lapses duirng our daily visit there during lunch. Like missing ingredients in food and my daughter was hardly told to drink any water and etc…

When such things were finally brought up (cannot tahan already), we were barred from entering the premises to catch a look at our child. The HQ said it was their policy that no parents are allowed to enter the premises???

I am surprised to read here that their HQ at Harbourfront is so lax with security. You know, another reason they said we cannot enter its premises is due to security reason.

Now, I know what bullshit it is!!!

[winth]

[quote]Like missing ingredients in food and my daughter was hardly told to drink any water and etc........ [/quote]
Hi, my child's small water bottle can last him the whole day while he's there at the childcare... And it's those medium sized bottles. When I saw that he always come back with unfinished water, I told him that he needs to finish it and get the teacher to refill.

My child followed the instruction of finishing his water. But no teacher ever helped him to refill the water. I had to tell teacher when I came to collect him to help refill his water bottle. But still no change.

For breakfast, he was given only a small cup of milo and 2 pieces of biscuits, which was barely enough for him. And his mouth really stinks from lack of water. Cannot take it down either.