Buy US property and study for secondary school?

[East Lover]

Initially my friend wants to migrate from US to SG, but she turned hesitated now due to the sky high property price here, and complicated education system. One of the reasons could be scared by my frustration, as I'm struggling for my boy boy's PSLE.

Instead, she started to convince me to migrate to US for studying secondary school, she said it would be easier for boy to adopt high school life if we go now. But that means i have to be 陪读妈妈for 6 years!

What do you think?

I would like to seek some advice from fellow forumers:
1. What's the academic path in SG if my boy can't go to express stream?
2. Are we able to take a housing loan in US?
3. Is it worthy to spend US$600K - US$700K fully paid for a house near the top school? I heard the property tax in the good district is huge.

[hopeful]

your anxiety are causing undue stress on your boy, which affects his mental performance.
if you are relax, your boy will be relax.
studying in top school is not everything.

why dont you spend the money on donation to school?
easier than migrating to US. but hush-hush, dont brag to others ok.

[indomie]

The worst secondary school in sg has the best teacher. Ur boy will learn so much more in worst school than the best secondary.

[East Lover]

your anxiety are causing undue stress on your boy, which affects his mental performance.
if you are relax, your boy will be relax.
studying in top school is not everything.

why dont you spend the money on donation to school?
easier than migrating to US. but hush-hush, dont brag to others ok.

can donate money to good school? really???

no need top school lah, but at least can't mix with those 明成一派，right??

[East Lover]

The worst secondary school in sg has the best teacher. Ur boy will learn so much more in worst school than the best secondary.

i doubt so... would you mind to elaborate a bit more?

[CondoWE]

Nowsaday..you can see many PSLE A's student are from neighbourhood school so why you so worry. If your kid can't scope here, I doubt he can scope in any part of the world when he/she grow up.. !

[yowetan]

your anxiety are causing undue stress on your boy, which affects his mental performance.
if you are relax, your boy will be relax.
studying in top school is not everything.

why dont you spend the money on donation to school?
easier than migrating to US. but hush-hush, dont brag to others ok.

Hi. What can I do if I do not have any more cash for donation purpose?

[hopeful]

can donate money to good school? really???

no need top school lah, but at least can't mix with those 明成一派，right??

1) select the school u want your boy to go to
2) make friend with principal, vice-principal. get somebody to introduce you.
3) wait for some time.
4) then tell your old friend (the principal/vice-principal) about your problem, getting your boy in their school. before you approach for their help, make sure you are close to them already.

every principal/vice-principal will reject outright "bribery" from unknown person, but if donation from old friend, they will help.

[phantom_opera]

know your son's real interest and groom him, PSLE is not the end of the world

[Laguna]

1. What's the academic path in SG if my boy can't go to express stream?

Don't need to stress so much. My son got on 218 for his PSLE and almost a perfect score of 4 at poly. Boys, generally, they open their threadhole late in their teens.

2. Are we able to take a housing loan in US?

If u don't hv no credit history in US, then u can forget about it.


3. Is it worthy to spend US$600K - US$700K fully paid for a house near the top school? I heard the property tax in the good district is huge.

rental near to the top schools are also very high.
next, u need to consider the currency risk.

There are many other considerations.
Also u must plan the education path for your kids. Don't close their doors here too early. The schools in US also have a lot of problems in value building.

[hopeful]

Hi. What can I do if I do not have any more cash for donation purpose?

if no money, then depend on luck for pri1 and sec1 places. these places are closely monitored.

if have money, wait to transfer pri2 and sec2. transfer students not that closely monitored by public and system.
people will question how can psle score 200 enter RI or RGS sec1.
however nobody question if the same student transferred during RI/RGS sec2. no more scrutiny already see.

[indomie]

i doubt so... would you mind to elaborate a bit more?

From my own experience... The teachers assigned to the bad secondary school usually older and more experience. They usually are better teachers, whereas those assigned to top school are younger and less experienced (the students already smart... What). In bad school u got a lot of remedial lessons, no need private tutoring.

[radha08]

Initially my friend wants to migrate from US to SG, but she turned hesitated now due to the sky high property price here, and complicated education system. One of the reasons could be scared by my frustration, as I'm struggling for my boy boy's PSLE.

Instead, she started to convince me to migrate to US for studying secondary school, she said it would be easier for boy to adopt high school life if we go now. But that means i have to be 陪读妈妈for 6 years!

What do you think?

I would like to seek some advice from fellow forumers:
1. What's the academic path in SG if my boy can't go to express stream?
2. Are we able to take a housing loan in US?
3. Is it worthy to spend US$600K - US$700K fully paid for a house near the top school? I heard the property tax in the good district is huge.

your boys psle=my girls psle...

i am not struggling only my girl and my wife...

[East Lover]

Dear Laguna,

Thanks a lot for your detailed analysis. I like your input as always!

I strongly feel SG education system punish 晚熟的孩子！

1. What's the academic path in SG if my boy can't go to express stream?

Don't need to stress so much. My son got on 218 for his PSLE and almost a perfect score of 4 at poly. Boys, generally, they open their threadhole late in their teens.

2. Are we able to take a housing loan in US?

If u don't hv no credit history in US, then u can forget about it.


3. Is it worthy to spend US$600K - US$700K fully paid for a house near the top school? I heard the property tax in the good district is huge.

rental near to the top schools are also very high.
next, u need to consider the currency risk.

There are many other considerations.
Also u must plan the education path for your kids. Don't close their doors here too early. The schools in US also have a lot of problems in value building.

[East Lover]

Nowsaday..you can see many PSLE A's student are from neighbourhood school so why you so worry. If your kid can't scope here, I doubt he can scope in any part of the world when he/she grow up.. !

not true. only here PSLE killed a lot of 晚熟的孩子的自信心！

[East Lover]

your boys psle=my girls psle...

i am not struggling only my girl and my wife...

how lucky you are....
no matter what, PSLE is going to oooooooooooover soon! finally!!!

[phantom_opera]

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow…he loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by…the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me” the tree asked the boy. "I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more” the boy replied.
“I want toys. I need money to buy them.” “Sorry, but I do not have money… but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.” The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited “Come and play with me” the tree said. “I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?” “ Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!” the tree said. “I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man. "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.” So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you …” the tree said. "No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite" the man replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on” “I am too old for that now” the man said. "I really cannot give you anything... the only thing left is my dying roots” the tree said with tears. "I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years” the man replied. "Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, Come, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears…

[phantom_opera]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giving_Tree

Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 8/9, 1999), was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books


====================================================

Our Singapore education system can never produce this kind of person because everyday the kid will have homework homework homework, test test test, exam exam exam, tuition tuition tuition

Our kid has no time to appreciate Nature, has no time to play with other kids, has no time to play with the animals, has no time to sit under a tree to day-dream, has no time to play his toys, has no time to run the dog, has no time to travel, has never learn how to relax under the stars ...

All our kids know is write flowery bombastic English composition that will score in PSLE but failed to touch the heart of anybody ... a tiny fraction of them will become elites that lead Singapore one day and these leaders will know nothing but economic numbers

[East Lover]

Well said! Nowadays my boy smiled less and less. Not only me but many parents are same - all the 烤生，烤妈心力交瘁啊！！

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Giving_Tree

Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 8/9, 1999), was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books


====================================================

Our Singapore education system can never produce this kind of person because everyday the kid will have homework homework homework, test test test, exam exam exam, tuition tuition tuition

Our kid has no time to appreciate Nature, has no time to play with other kids, has no time to play with the animals, has no time to sit under a tree to day-dream, has no time to play his toys, has no time to run the dog, has no time to travel, has never learn how to relax under the stars ...

All our kids know is write flowery bombastic English composition that will score in PSLE but failed to touch the heart of anybody ... a tiny fraction of them will become elites that lead Singapore one day and these leaders will know nothing but economic numbers

[indomie]

Smart people get to learn at good school
Stupid people get learn at the street

Smart people get a good job
Stupid people must set up own business

Smart people aiming for promotion
Stupid people aim to make money

Stupid people hire smart people to run business
Smart people work for stupid people

[buttercarp]

I strongly feel SG education system punish 晚熟的孩子！

I feel that SG education system benefits all rounders.
I feel it is too rigid.
Look at the scoring system.
At O level you have to choose english or HMT + 1 humanities subject + 1 math + 1 science + 2 other relavant subjects.

So if a student excels in math and sci but sucks at languages and humanities or vice versa, there is no way he gonna get a good aggregate.

[Laguna]

Story of Giving Tree

When I found this book in the library 20+ years back, I was so happy, and repeatedly borrowed and read to my children over many years.

It was such a wonderful book to build value in children.

Can u believe, my girl, now 26, still remember this book....

[Laguna]

how lucky you are....
no matter what, PSLE is going to oooooooooooover soon! finally!!!

take it easy, PSLE is just a small mountain.....

I shall recommend u a few good books for u and your children....

[CondoWE]

take it easy, PSLE is just a small mountain.....

I shall recommend u a few good books for u and your children....

I agreed. There are still many mountains ahead.. !

[graveyard]

Story of Giving Tree

When I found this book in the library 20+ years back, I was so happy, and repeatedly borrowed and read to my children over many years.

It was such a wonderful book to build value in children.

Can u believe, my girl, now 26, still remember this book....

Lui will be happy to share the story of the big old tree and the poisonous mushrooms with the kids

[Arcachon]

I feel that SG education system benefits all rounders.
I feel it is too rigid.
Look at the scoring system.
At O level you have to choose english or HMT + 1 humanities subject + 1 math + 1 science + 2 other relavant subjects.

So if a student excels in math and sci but sucks at languages and humanities or vice versa, there is no way he gonna get a good aggregate.

It break my heart when I bring my son to France when he tell me he don't want to go.

He have just completed his Lycee (A level) this year and back in Singapore for his NS medical check up while his former classmate in DHS is busy preparing for the A-level.

[carbuncle]

Your son name Jun Jie?

[carbuncle]

the giving tree is touching indeed. sadly or fortunately rather, I was never brought up that day. there's always a catch. there's always a condition. you must feed us when we are old. you must give us at least x x x dollars. you must.....you must.....

anyway I grew up on Enid Blyton, Hardy Boys and Tin Tin.

[carbuncle]

did east lover just write BBQ students and BBQ moms?

[East Lover]

did east lover just write BBQ students and BBQ moms?

Yes！烤生 instead of 考生 恨死这个万恶的PSLE...
I cut and paste something from other 烤妈's blog here, she described the PSLE mom's frustration very precisely:

唯一的区别是，天朝最残酷的淘汰赛发生在孩子们18岁的时候，坡县残酷的第一轮淘汰赛发生在孩子们12岁的时候。到真正高考的时候已经没有太多人关心了。因为大部分孩子已经被淘汰掉，没有机会参加这个游戏了。

当然，有关当局说了，孩子们还有很多途径可以上大学的，条条大路通罗马。可是你要知道，坡县的好中学和差中学跟国内的重点和非重点可不一样。国内的学校，好坏都是统一教材，大家被教导的东西是一样的。坡县可不同，好中学会开11门甚至更多门课，差中学只有8门甚至更少的课。好中学就是朝着大学方向教的，差中学就朝着拿个中学文凭走向社会做劳动力的方向教的。尼玛这差别可大了。

在差中学要学到能进大学门，必须比那些走快捷道路的同龄人付出几倍甚至几十倍的努力，才能跨越这些人为设置的壕沟。这是对他们不早熟的惩罚。

所以新加坡才有那么多怕输的家长，孩子才几个月就抱去上补习。前两天，我看到院子里的两个4岁小女生背起了“苦闷”的小书包。（kumon，国内译作公文班。）我立刻苦闷了，儿子那么幼稚，到现在也不肯用功读书，我该从小就去培养女儿，避免她重蹈覆辙吗？

随着考试一天天临近，我觉得天渐渐亮了。我已经不关心儿子可以考多少分，考什么学校了。现在我最大的愿望是：

快TNND考完吧！