Canadian Moms & Moms to be!

[Vickie]

same with us as the school Hannah's going to this year isn't French immersion. We are hoping to move anyways though so that will more than likely change our school district anyways I guess.

So different here than it was where I grew up that's for sure There were only 5 or 6 elementary schools, 1 middle school and 1 high school.

 

[readynwilling]

i went to FI when i was young and started in Kindergarten (there was no jk/sk then) i would like to put J in FI, but i dont think my hubby would let me.

 

[Tiff]

I would love to put C into FI, but neither P or I really speak it.

My brother did FI up until Grade 8 and I remember how hard of a time he had because neither of my parents could speak french and couldn't help him with his homework.

 

[Vickie]

that's my one concern Tiff, I don't speak it at all. I understand some Spanish but that probably won't be much help Stan knows/remembers a little of it but I'm not sure it'd be enough to help her out?

We'll probably try it and see and if she's really struggling with it move her out, I dunno. I guess we still have a few years to decide

 

[readynwilling]

thats part of it too Tiff. NEither or my parents speak it... so it was more difficult. and even though i don't speak french very well now, i do seem to pick it up easier... like if i put in effort, i think i would learn it pretty quickly.

 

[Sarahkka]

Just spent an amazing day at the new penguin exhibit.
Penguin LOVE!!!!!

 

[BlackBerry25]

I just spent hours at the park talking to a dad about Waldorf school. Not my cup of tea, but I would like something in between Waldorf and standard school. Was a good conversation though.

I already said this but Helena is probably going to Chinese Bilingual school. It is not Immersion because they do Mandarin one day and English the next, and so forth.

I feel that Brian and I are smarter than the average person so I am not too worried about being able to help her with homework. I can tell with her personality and how she is, that she will excel at school. I am more worried about school not being challenging enough, because I find that already with preschool.

Obviously, could be totally different with Elliot.

 

[Newt4]

Just spent an amazing day at the new penguin exhibit.
Penguin LOVE!!!!!

Me too! Love Love Loved it!

Anna just stood there and said wow the whole time. Plus she got wet lol crazy penguins.

 

[Sarahkka]

Ack! Newt!!!! Were you there today?

 

[Sarahkka]

And aren't they hilarious?
They come right up and launch a flipperful of water at people. So funny!

 

[Melissa_M]

I just spent hours at the park talking to a dad about Waldorf school. Not my cup of tea, but I would like something in between Waldorf and standard school. Was a good conversation though.

I already said this but Helena is probably going to Chinese Bilingual school. It is not Immersion because they do Mandarin one day and English the next, and so forth.

I feel that Brian and I are smarter than the average person so I am not too worried about being able to help her with homework. I can tell with her personality and how she is, that she will excel at school. I am more worried about school not being challenging enough, because I find that already with preschool.

Obviously, could be totally different with Elliot.

I'm actually afraid of Alia not being challenged enough at school as well.

 

[Newt4]

Yeah at the 3pm show.

 

[ryder]

I hope that they don't cancel the all day kindergarten! I will be devastated... LOL... Jasmine really needs to go all day everyday! Although maybe it will come down to funding for appropriate staffing etc or something Jasmine is pretty smart as well and her naughty behaviour usually comes from boredom.

 

[Sarahkka]

Newt - we missed each other by minutes! I was off at 3. I did the two shows previous to yours!

 

[Newt4]

LOL too bad. I think we are going to go again on Tuesday.

My aunt is a Waldorf teacher and my cousins went to waldorf school until high school were they were tested and put back by 2 years. I hear a lot of positives from my aunt but what happened to my cousins makes me cautious. (BTW they are both very successful now lol)

 

[ryder]

I've heard alot of good things about montessori and other schools, but then i've heard alot of bad things haha. But I think that is like with anything.

I can't actually remember when my babysitter said about the montessori school. I don't really care because with 3 kids we couldn't afford private school anyways LOL it costs a fortune.

 

[Sarahkka]

I want to do French Immersion with Simon because it's part of his heritage and I think studying a second language is important. Researching a few more options for pre-school in Sept is on my list, but I am just as inclined to send him to the neighbourhood pre-school (if I can get in) as I am to shell out for Montessori. Education $$ will be going towards activities like music and gymnastics, etc.
It's just too expensive to do both.

You guys would love the penguin exhibit, by the way. They are so close that you get splashed by them, and all of the viewing is really well-designed and exciting. I think the Zoo has done a really really good job on this one. I'm excited to work that exhibit!

Off to my uncle's funeral in Spokane on Thu, so I have a lot of cleaning and packing to do. Somehow I need to go find something appropriate to wear, as well. My one black suit is too small, as I've gained back 10 lbs of the weight I lost last year, due to terrible snacking and being lazy!!! And everything else is several years old and looking very worn. I really didn't want to have to spend any cash on this kind of thing right now. Grrrr.... I hate shopping under pressure. I especially hate it when you are feeling gross and flabby and pissed off at yourself for letting yourself get that way! Plus, I somehow have to get this damn shopping done with two toddlers in tow.
Daunting task!
Hope everyone as a good day. We are heading off to music class shortly, then errands.

 

[ryder]

Good luck with the shopping sarah!!! I usually have to take both kids and want to pull my hair out within 5 mins lol!

I agree with saving the money for extra curricular things too, it is all so expensive! I like having the horses and being able to go to my aunts farm, I think farming for kids is really great. I will probably encourage them to do 4-h too

I'd also like to be able to take them to diffent places and stuff too. So I could never pay for private school with all that lol

 

[Sarahkka]

I have confidence in our public schools. I have worked i a lot of them and feel that the curriculum and most of the teachers are great, so I don't think I'm compromising my children's development or whatever by not sending them to a private or charter school. It's about priorities. The reality is that, while we are comfortable (and I am grateful for that), we are financially nowhere near being able to do both extra-currics and private school. I think that may be for the 1% I keep hearing about...

Hey, maybe Melissa knows this?
I was looking up the T778 Childcare Expenses Form and the info said that you can claim pre-schools as a daycare cost? I'm going to see my tax lady tomorrow and I'll ask her then, but if that means I can claim ~$5-6k of the cost of Montessori as childcare expense (you are allowed $7k per child per year), that would suddenly put it in the affordable category....
Do you happen to know, Melissa?

 

[ryder]

That's a big return! I'm not sure how that works but having childcare to claim has never given me much of a tx break. I always end up still paying