Sat, 2 Dec - Registration for NAFA Art Classes

$plurge Weekend Part 2

Aiyah, we are becoming typical Singapore kiasu parents... We wanted to sign up Cheryl for art lessons at NAFA so we needed to queue up to register. Art lessons are so popular now, parents are just signing up their kids for all kinds of enrichment classes. Our purpose was for Cheryl to enjoy these classes, because she liked to draw. It would be good if she could learn more ways to express her creativity. We were surprised she objected violently to attending the classes, saying, "but I already know how to draw!!!" We are signing her up anyway because we're quite sure she probably would enjoy the lessons eventually. It was the same thing for her music classes. She used to raise a hue and cry about having to go for music classes, but ever since she discovered she could play some decent music on the keyboard with both hands, she said she wanted to continue. Anyway, TT & I decided if she really didn't enjoy the art lessons, we would pull her out.

Registration starts at 9am, and you must be in the mailing list to even qualify to register. That's how hot the lessons are. The school has a good programme and the lessons are quite reasonably priced ($336 for 20 weeks). I thought my sister's kids could register too, but found out they can't because my sister was not in the mailing list :(

TT & I had to wake up earlier than we ever do on normal days! The kids were still asleep when we left the house. We reached NAFA at 8am and there was already a queue of about 45 parents in front of us! Everybody came prepared with foldable chairs, mats and newspapers! I wish I had taken photos, but I was scared people come and "hammer" me for taking their picture! TT went to take breakfast first while I stayed in the queue. By the time registration open at 9am, the queue was already snaking to quite some distance away. Places were limited because favourable time slots were already taken up by existing students and siblings. We decided on an afternoon time slot on Sunday because we didn't want Cheryl to have too many lessons back-to-back on Saturday.

Fortunately by 10.15am we were done,and then I had a hearty breakfast of nasi lemak at the nearby Fong Seng stall. We didn't tell Cheryl we had signed her up in case she made a ruckus, so we just said we went out for breakfast. The kids were happily decorating the tree while we were out. Later, TT brought the kids to the fun pool at the NTU Alumin Clubhouse (at One North) while my sis and I went to the Arena swimwear sale at Henderson Industrial park. I bought a swimsuit for myself and Cheryl. Then we all had lunch at the clubhouse.

I managed to build the tracks around the tree and now battery-operated Thomas runs around it. Isaac really loves watching it go round, and he presses the button to play the "Jungle Bells" tune. I also helped Cheryl rebuild her Lego town under the tree. We built 4 stations/tunnels using the larger Megablocks/Lego bricks: Green (Buona Vista), Yellow (Commonwealth), Blue (Queenstown), Red (Redhill). A little bit sick of the 3-year old decor, but with the lights on, I think the tree still looks really nice.

Art lessons + registration = $377
My swimsuit = $10 (original $50+)
Cheryl's swimsuit = $19
Total = $406