okmum:

I am sure everyone buys staff from Popular bookstores. What are your experiences?


My favourite one is definitely the one at Bras Basah. Being a kiasu parent, I like to buy assessment books, and I can nearly always find the ones I want over there. And if there is any title that is out-of-stock, the staff will always help me place an order, and then reserve the books for me.

Unfortunately, the outlet nearest to my home is the one at Heartland Mall, and I have very negative experiences there! For a start, I can't find many assessment books. When I asked for help, the unfriendly staff will just say, \"Oh, we don't sell this book here.\" Sigh. A real typical example of bad customer service!

I am staying between Hougang Mall and Heartland Mall, but I always go to Heartland Mall Popular if I want to buy assessment books. The staff at Heartland Mall definitely need to buck up in terms of their attitude.

Hi SmileyKalona and Janet_lee88, I am concerned with the additional academic workload in secondary school. But I am also worried about my child’s possible attitude change. I have friends who told me that as their child reaches puberty, they are not so receptive to advice and instructions. In primary school, the child will do everything that the parents ask, but in secondary school, they start to rebel a little. I guess it’s not easy being a teenager today. I don’t know what will happen.

I have a friend who let her child slack in Secondary 1. A bit of the honeymoon period as they call it. But the problem is that the child finds it really hard to pick himself up in Secondary 2, and get into serious studying. So I guess there must be a balance, and as you said, at least be in line with the syllabus.

Letting a child slack (presumably unsupervised?) for a year is really not a good idea. Most kids cannot adjust to independence so quickly, and if they have been closely supervised up to P6, I think it's probably too much freedom for most to handle wisely. A gradual backing off by parents is probably the safest way to go, with boundaries and guidelines set and gradually-reducing supervision. It also depends very much on the child, and not every child is capable at 13yo of being independent. My older daughter still needed quite a bit of guidance at 13yo, and it's been a long, slow process of backing off (she's 17yo now). My younger girl (15yo now) is very different, and was pretty independent from early Pr school with little input from me. I'm more her cheerleader than supervisor. I only act the heavy mum once in a long while.

Totally agree

From now till release of psle results, take a good break.

As for reading straits times, select some articles to read...like what slmkhoo mentioned, the entire ST is too much for a 12 year old. Politics and business will be boring. News like new Indonesian president, haze, food scandals (Taiwan tainted oil), Singapore jubilee will be useful to know...the relationship between Britain and s'pore (our president is in England).

Absolutely agree with your comment on the Singapore jubilee :))

I guess I am more of the kiasu type. Hahaha. But I am just also worried that she cannot cope with the jump from P6 to Sec 1. If she is going from one level to another level in primary school, or in secondary school, I might be less anxious. :roll:

Speaking from my experiences of 2 kids - one matured n the other still like a little boy, both survived in Secondary school n I didn't even prepare them for anything.

What your child needs is a 100% BREAK from studies now (post PSLE is the best time to take a complete rest from school), be fully recharged n then take on the challenge of Sec School next year.

Trust me, Sec 1 is like Pri 1 - playing time. Studies get more serious in Sec 2. But of course, your child must continue to stay on her toes in Sec 1 so as to keep abreast with the circulum (sorry, wrong sp).

I understand. I agree that there should be a break, esp since the PSLE is just over. But maybe an hour of studying a day is still all right.

I have a friend who let her child slack in Secondary 1. A bit of the honeymoon period as they call it. But the problem is that the child finds it really hard to pick himself up in Secondary 2, and get into serious studying. So I guess there must be a balance, and as you said, at least be in line with the syllabus.

I guess I am more of the kiasu type. Hahaha. But I am just also worried that she cannot cope with the jump from P6 to Sec 1. If she is going from one level to another level in primary school, or in secondary school, I might be less anxious. :roll:

Unless your child is one of the less mature ones (I have one relatively immature, and one quite 'with it' for their respective ages), you can probably let her be. There will be a lot of others just like her, and the teachers will expect it. If your child is immature, there may be things you need to prepare her for, but it would be in the areas of independence, asking questions, time management, social skills etc, not so much in the academics. I believe in letting kids find out for themselves what they can handle academically, and then help them keep up if they struggle. Teaching ahead gives an illusory sense of confidence which could be bad in the long run (would you be prepared to teach ahead for A levels, or university?). The ideal is for a student to be able to learn mostly by themselves, and recognise their strengths and limitations and how to cope with them. Teaching them ahead masks the reality, but it will hit them sooner or later, and be harder to overcome.

Reading newspapers - most of the news is probably not within the scope of a P6 child, and with the thickness of the newspapers these days, it's daunting to most. You can select one or 2 short articles a day for her to read, but select those where the subject will be of interest to her. This is just to start her off. She may browse other pages as well while she is at it. And encourage her to read other things as well.

Thank you You are absolutely right about the newspapers reading part. I didn't exactly start reading the serious aspects of Straits Times until I was in JC.

By the way, Mind Stretchers have been advertising on radio about getting kids ready for Secondary 1. Have any parents enrolled their child? Any feedback? Thank you.

I heard that psle results will be released only around 21st - 24th November this year. But there is nothing much to do for now, and I am thinking of giving my daughter a headstart.


For English, I am planning on registering her with British Council for their November/December programme.

For Science, I have bought Science guidebooks from Smashing Exams, based on the positive feedback that I read from fellow parents. In fact, I have gone through chapters 1 and 2 with her.

For Maths, my hubby has started going through basic algebra concepts.

I am not sure if I am doing a bit too much. Or is it too little? My girl is my only child, so I don't have prior experience with regards to secondary curriculum. Would fellow parents like to share what they have done?

I don't teach ahead. During vacations, I only ask my kids to read, do their hobbies, and limit their screen time. For the long year-end vacations, I will ask them to do a little revision (not new work) a few days before term begins just to refresh their memories. They may glance at the beginnings of their new textbooks if they feel like it, but they usually don't and I don't make them. Time enough to do the work when school starts.

Thank you for sharing your experience, simkhoo. Totally appreciate it

I guess I am more of the kiasu type. Hahaha. But I am just also worried that she cannot cope with the jump from P6 to Sec 1. If she is going from one level to another level in primary school, or in secondary school, I might be less anxious. :roll:

I am not sure if I am doing a bit too much. Or is it too little? My girl is my only child, so I don't have prior experience with regards to secondary curriculum. Would fellow parents like to share what they have done?

get her to read newspapers everyday.

Thank you, Janet_lee88. :rahrah:

I am not quite able to get her to read newspapers. She gets bored easily. Guess I will have to get her to get used to it.

I heard that psle results will be released only around 21st - 24th November this year. But there is nothing much to do for now, and I am thinking of giving my daughter a headstart.


For English, I am planning on registering her with British Council for their November/December programme.

For Science, I have bought Science guidebooks from Smashing Exams, based on the positive feedback that I read from fellow parents. In fact, I have gone through chapters 1 and 2 with her.

For Maths, my hubby has started going through basic algebra concepts.

I am not sure if I am doing a bit too much. Or is it too little? My girl is my only child, so I don’t have prior experience with regards to secondary curriculum. Would fellow parents like to share what they have done?