Quit Shichida

M & I have decided that we are going the end the Shichida Class for the girls. This month will be our last month with Shichida. 

The girls are excited to "go" Shichida, but I become aware of the absence of their attention even though they are physically presence in the class. I might be wrong, somehow I feel when Cs happily told us that "Yes, I want to go Shichida", it could just mean "Yes, I want to go OUT of the house". Hahaha...Hey, this is not a lame excuse trying to be defensive of my parenting! LOL

True enough, I am feeling a little wearied of attending classes every weekend. But I don't mind if it's something less stressful. I can't help feeling the pressure running in the class. Children at Big C's age can do addition & subtraction so easily while I am just trying to get Big C to COUNT properly. I have no issues with this, sooner or later, she will know how to count and do her math. Just that, I feel Big C is not really into the "thing" and Little C is never paying a single attention and always fought with me for something really trivial, we always got stuck in one game practise while others already proceeded the next stage and the next. I was always reminded not to compare my children with others, and that my children are very special in their own way, WHICH I AGREE WITH MY HANDS & LEGS RAISED! So, rather than forcing them (and US) to adhere to the stringent time schedule of ours, why not let's it be free and have some other activities in replacement of Shichida. We are looking for Swimming lesson, or perhaps just let them have a dip in the pool on weekly basis.

But M is a nuisance. He needs to PAY in order to make things happen, which means I have to engage a proper swim instructor and PAY him/her, so that M would appear on time for the children. Without a proper arrangement as said, and I would end up very depressed because I have to beg and call and then get yelling from him for not being patient. His 5 minutes can be an hour long, his half and hour can be forever. Anyway, I intend to change it to something more physical, it doesn't need to be restricted to swimming only, maybe park walking, cycling, outdoor activities! It would be a perfect timing for outdoor activities on a Saturday 4 - 6 pm.  

During the 4 terms of Shichida, I have been changing "sensei" (teacher). 

Big C had her first sensei who can't speak english and Little C had a very friendly and experience sensei. However, I can't stand keeping Big C in the class, so I switched both Cs to another class. 

Due the our limited time schedule, we were restricted to a few classes to choose from, which end up a Saturday 4.30pm class. Luckily, Big C is attached to a sensei with unlimited patient, and Sensei YY is still Big C's sensei till now 

Unfortunately, Little C has been changing sensei every term. The second term, Little C was placed into Sensei R's class who posses superb english command. Nevertheless, we decided to change another class in her third term because Little C was not able to click with the class and the Sensei. Most of the time, Little C was very restless and refused to sit still during the class. When the third term came, we had another sensei. She was rather good, with perfect flow of class. Little C enjoyed and managed to keep herself down to go through the class. The good moment didn't stay long though because Sensei W came to us and informed us that she is leaving Shichida. The fourth term is replaced by another Sensei SW. Geezz, it's getting a little hopeless and tiring to look at how Sensei SW got stuck with her flashcard every week and didn't know what to narrate. Someone with absolute zero patient and trying to rush things out to end the class ON TIME. The memory game is horrendous. She didn't care if everyone's ready to LOOK, and she said CHIT CHAK in a second, while Little C was looking away and she expected her to REMEMBER what she had not seen? WELL, she is the main reason that I quit! :P Sorry!!!! But it's true. 

The fees are not cheap, especially when we are paying for TWO. We don't mind the time and the fees, but we feel it is not justifiable. I am not saying that there are no good teachers in Shichida. Before we decided to quit, we were trying to seek for another class with GOOD TEACHER. We do not want to have trial and error session anymore, so we asked straight to the reception that we want only good teacher. *sigh* Yes, there are. But their classes are always FULL and don't expect there will be seats for my girls. In the end, we have come to a consensus that we should jsut end it here and have the fees to pay for some other activities.