Actually, I'm not writing a tip but asking for tips. K will be Std. 1 next year and I was wondering what you parents out there do about pocket money? How much do you give your child? I've been trying to teach K how to handle (count and stuff) money but she hasn't really shown me that she can handle money. Do I just give her anyway and let her learn through experience?
Also, do you pack food for them or do you let them eat canteen food? If you pack food, what sort of food do you pack everyday?
And regarding uniform, she will be in a school that has 99.9% Malay students. Think I should get all baju kurung for her? This is so weird coz' during my school days, hardly non-Malay wear baju kurung uniform. But now it's like a norm.
Anything else I need to know about starting Std.1?????
Lian,
ReplyDeleteMy eldest will be in Std. One next year too.
I have asked my neighbour about pocket money. She gives her son RM4 every Monday and it's for a week. It's really your own decision because I know that my FIL used to give my husband whatever he asked for and my husband would never go over limit but I don't really agree on that. I prefer my neighbour's method but I think I will give my son RM5 per week.
As for lunch box, I plan to pack bread for my boy for the first year because usually when they are new at school, they are always slower than others in purchasing food from the canteen. Moreover Recess time is short.
I think it's fine wearing baju kurung but maybe you can ask the teachers about this.
Lian, Mine starts the following year so by then you'll have some tips for me? Hehe.
ReplyDeletehmm...I also waiting for your tips hi hi...
ReplyDeletemaybe you can start giving her daily money and a piggy bank..once she is ok, then you can give weekly allowance.
Food, you can pack simple food like sandwiches etc...
In term of uniform, how about a mix of normal uniform with baju kurung?
Care to share your experience on http://chanelwong.blogspot.com/2007/11/tag-spare-rod-spoil-child.html
LOL! All so big ledi. I guess I just don't have to worry about it right now. hehe.
ReplyDeleteHowever, my mum always spare me some money when I am in primary. If your girl is not good at handling money, then, why don't you just give her everyday? Then, wait till she can handle it well, then only you pay her once a week.
And, If it's my girl, I will always let her bring her own lunch box. May be until she request to eat in the canteen cause I still remember how children got hurt by the hot soups and dishes in the canteen while I am young. It's quite dangerous for newbie to be in the canteen.
This is just what I feel according to my own experience. You can always practice your own style. hehe....
Actually, I come here to inform you that "you've got tag".
http://everydaylizzy.com/?p=47
See you around, Lian! :)
hmm... no personal experience yet but my nephews gets around RM5 per week and they learned to save the balance (to buy things that they would like to get).
ReplyDeleteI used to pack a snack and give small allowance (50 sen), but that was some years ago. You need to check what they can get with RM1 and adjust accordingly. RM1 is a good round figure to teach tithing also. Daily allowance is a better start compared to weekly. Piggy bank for left over is very nice. My children use part of this saving to purchase fav things too.
ReplyDeleteYou might want to let her begin to buy things at the nearby gerai and experience handling money.
For my forgetful and careless boys, I have purse/wallet with a chain that can hook securely to the belt loop on their pants. They are told to always keep their money in the wallet/purse and never in the school bag or pencil box.
Such a long comment! But welcome to the world of parenting school children! You can begin by opening a small stationery shop in your house and make your children buy erasers, pencil, ruler etc from you when they lost them in school. Trust me, you can make money out of their pocket money! LOL
Hmm....I'm no expert but this is what I would do.
ReplyDeleteScout around school canteen to find out the prices of food. Then add price of average food (not treat) plus 50-100% for savings or whatever she wants to do with the money, eg buy more expensive food. So is nasi lemak costs RM1 then I'd give her RM1.50-RM2 but I'd remind her that she'd be able to save all of RM2 if she brought her own food from home. As for water, definitely bring from home.
As for bringing food from home, I'd have a fixed menu every week. Something like fried rice Monday, Nuggets and Veg Tuesdays, pasta Wednesdays, Sandwich Thursdays and Surprise Fridays!!!
For uniform, I'd ask her which she prefers and let her know that is she choose normal uniform, she'd be the odd one out. Let her decide....I actually used to LIKE wearing baju kurung when in school but that was in secondary lah....
Good luck, Lian! keep us posted!
this is something that i really want to find out too. Things in canteen is getting expensive nowadays, like Big pumpkin say, it is really wise to go look around at the price of food canteen yourself to decide how much your lil one shud be getting. I still remember a bowl of mee at my time is only 20sen, but now, with Rm1, i think they can hardly get to eat anything :(
ReplyDeleteYa better pack food or order catering food at canteen. It's hard for young student queue to buy their food. Pocket money is needed when they wanna snack on or use for emergency.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to wear her baju kurung, just switch in between everyday, it should be fine.
Teach her use public phone in case she has emergency things to reach you. Teach her safety issue, do not follow other stranger. Contact you to double check whether mommy has asked someone to pick her up & etc.
Wah, wah , wah... so many wonderful tips.
ReplyDeletejo-n:
Ya, have to decide whether to give daily or weekly allowance. Think I will try both and experiment which is better for her.
Easiest is to pack bread. Just don't want her to complain "bread again!" just because mommy not so resourceful. Hahahah.
mumsgather:
Ya, I'm sure there'll be stories to tell too.
chanelwong:
Piggy bank... must find a really nice one. Keep a look out for me when you go shopping k?
Oh, and thanks for the tag. Will get to it soon.
everydayhealy:
Yes, yes, the danger of fighting for canteen food is my worry too. Plus my girl not the kind to fight for her rights. When we're at the supermarket and ask her to take things to weigh, the aunty's and uncles always bully her. She will stand there and give way to all of them.
And thanks for another tag. I think I'll have to dedicate 1 week to finish my tags. Heheheh. I'm a big tag procrastinator.
sting:
Sounds like the amount most parents are giving now. Thanks for sharing.
singapore girl:
Great ideas. Must add wallet with chain to my shopping list now. Also like the idea of the stationary shop :)
big pumpkin:
Yes, thought of doing that when we have the orientation day. Must check out what kind of food they sell too. Another great idea on fixing the menu for the week. Hopefully this mommy can wake up early to fix nice food for her. Hahahah. If not it will be bread and instant noodles.
mummy to qiqi:
Yes, I remember those wonderful 20 sen meals. Sigh!
vickylow:
Thanks for sharing, especially about the public telephone thing. Nowadays kids are more exposed to handphone but not public phone.
Have already arranged a van to transport her to and from school. Hope she don't get into the wrong van. (fingers crossed). Sigh! Worry, worry, worry. Wish I could put a tracking device on her. Hahahah.
- baju kurung not a problem...but must explain that it is only an attire not your beliefs.
ReplyDelete- In K.Kinabalu, even in an SK or SRK school, students are not yet discriminated over their uniforms yet but in certain polytechnic school..no baju kurung means no class for them???!! democratic? idontthinkso..
- I always do a survey around the school yard before enrolling them to a new school..canteen/ cleanliness, teacher/s , and will check out the friendliness of the school canteen staff...children friendly or not...so can assist the students in any way..honest or not..( me? very fussy!!)
- I hv my DD ( std 3 nxtyr) RM1.50 since primary 1..and also some meal from home...up to her to spend and told her that the balance will go into her bank a/c..so far..okayla...
- handphone?? not yet..but soon i guess in the next few years...
Lian
ReplyDeleteWhen my boy started school, safety is my main concern.
Just sharing what I've experienced in http://momslessonsfromkids.blogspot.com/2007/11/child-safety-in-school.html
I'd like to share more encounters which I'd like to share in future.
thanks for the great tips you offer.