moving to singapore with a 3ys old and a 4 months old

[laurakay]

Hi,
we are moving to Singapore in a month or two.
Currently living in China, we've got tired of pollution (my old one has asthma attacks and we ended up having to put him on steroids!) and all the food scares.
I have been living in asia for quite some time, but mostly in China and HK, so I feel a bit nervous about trying a new country and I know that life in Singapore is not cheap, but I am hoping to find a good quality of life for my kids and my family.
Now, I need to learn pretty much everything:
1) nurseries: what should I expect price-wise? are local ones decent? I would like my child to keep studying Chinese + English. I also would like to know if there is an Italian school or an Itlaian community (he is bilingual to start with)
2) baby food: I am going to wean my second in Singapore. My mum sent me a few supplies to China... can I find the rest there? Is it safe to buy baby food there or is it like China?
3) nappies: tomas is a huge boy and still needs a nappy during the night, but Chinese nappies are tiny and we have many many wet beds a week. Should I consider sending nappies from the UK or can I fin big sizes in Singapore?
4) activities and groups for mums and kids: any?
5) do they have creches in yoga schools? drop in service where I can leave the little one while I exercise? We have a full time maid here, but I guess we won't be able to afford one in Singapore...

Thanks fo your help. You can also write to [email protected]

[momeen]

hi!
i can't answer all ur questions but i can try with some of the others
i just moved here less than 2 mnths ago myself.
with regard to schools there are plenty here to choose from. i'm not sure abt local but there are many International Schools where english is a main
language and they teach mandarin as a 2nd. my daughter is at scool like this. as for baby food-my kids r a bit older, but singapore imports a lot of things from the uk. so i'm guessin u wud find wat u need.
as for playgroups- again there are plenty. u won't have a prob findin sumthin. there's plenty of yoga around 2-but i'm not sure abt a creche.
the schools are pricey- well from my opinion- but we not payin so it's ok.
my daughter's is abt $600-700 a mnth.
and fulltime maids is more or less the norm here.
the foreign domestic workers are cheaper than gettin local part-time maids.
can't think of anything else rite now
anyway, hope this helps
i'm no expert tho.
good luck.

[laurakay]

thanks! the price for schooling is the same as we pay in the kindergarten in China so not too bad (we pay ourselves here, but they probably will include it in the new contract).
what about housing? is 3500 singap dollars enough?
and how much is a full time maid?
is it really too hot for kids to play outside? are there plenty of parks? is public transportation easy with a little one?
i am going to give everybody a headache.

[momeen]

with regards to a maid- the salary range is $350-500 but u still have to pay the govnt levy of $265 a mnth.plus initially there are agency fees and things u have to pay.
rent i'm not so sure abt- we hadcompany housin and our rent is higher than 3500. but a realtor can help u with that.
it gets really hot here
i wudn't let the kids play outside during the day. early morn and aftrnoon is ok. there's lots of playgym type things inside the malls so u cud go there during the day.
it's not so bad gettin around. u have to plan a bit first. and if u live fairly close to a bus stop u shud b ok. it mite be a bit more difficult if u use a stroller. my kids are 3 and 4 so i don't have one but still it can b a mission on ur own tryin to get them on and off the bus
but taxis are all over the place so like my little one says- when u lost take a cab!
any other questions?

[road.not.taken]

with regards to a maid- the salary range is $350-500

Or much, much higher depending on their experience and qualifications. You also have to factor in their food, medical expenses, CPF and other odds and ends. More like $1000/month.

[aussiemeg]

HI there

Everyone I know who ahs moved here from hk or china has loved it down here.

Now, I need to learn pretty much everything:
1) nurseries:
I am not sure about the italian school but I am sure there is one. You could consider the German European school as I have some italian friends up there in the English section. MOst of the preschools do a mandarin option

2) baby food: Everything is very western down here with regard to food...even fresh pasta in Jason marketplace


3) nappies: tomas
No problem with have pampers of all sized and then those goodnight nappies for 4+
4) activities and groups for mums and kids: any?

Too many to mention.

5) ? We have a full time maid here, but I guess we won't be able to afford one in Singapore...

Yeah you'll get a maid if you have one up there. The prices are in some cases a little cheaper down here


One thing that isn't cheaper is rent. It is sooo high for what you get down here. What are you living in up there?

Hope this helps
Megan

[laurakay]

we have a 3 bds flat, quite big, in teh best compound in town. we are like downtown expatville, but suzhou is very cheap, our apartment is only like 1000 euro.

SCHOOL> i saw there is an integrative saturday school for italian kids, but i am fine with an International School as tomas' dad is english. only, i would like him to keep his chinese.

AYI (MAID): the difference here is that you don't have to do any papers and documents to get ready.

NAPPIES: great!

FOOD: is food more expensive to buy than in Europe? I am talking dairy (which as you know is very bad here at the moment), meat (same same)...

CLOTHES: i'm an after pregnancy size 12 (UK)... I am still wearing pregnancy clothes here as it is hard to find the size. Same for shoes....

[aussiemeg]

we have a 3 bds flat, quite big, in teh best compound in town. we are like downtown expatville, but suzhou is very cheap, our apartment is only like 1000 euro.

Hmmm best cond in town, 3 bedrooms in singapore $8500 to $10000pm

SCHOOL> i saw there is an integrative saturday school for italian kids, but i am fine with an International School as tomas' dad is english. only, i would like him to keep his chinese.

Then I think you have a plethora of choice and it will be quite easy to view and make the decision when you get here

AYI (MAID): the difference here is that you don't have to do any papers and documents to get ready.

the documenation takes just a few days but you have to do an online test as a first time employer in singapore. It is really easy things like perhaps it is better to talk to your maid than pour hot wax over her!

NAPPIES: great!

FOOD: is food more expensive to buy than in Europe? I am talking dairy (which as you know is very bad here at the moment), meat (same same)...

It would be virtually impossible for food to be more expensive than europe sorry for confusion. Food is cheap but for imported items you obviously pay a premium. There is no problem getting anything here if you look around. Organic food is easily found too. Bascially there is a chain of supermarkets that carry mainline british supermarket goods, there are the wet markets ot get great fish and meat, and Australian dairy products are in abundance.

CLOTHES: i'm an after pregnancy size 12 (UK)... I am still wearing pregnancy clothes here as it is hard to find the size. Same for shoes....

Shoes can be difficult but then again we live in birkenstocks and sandals and since you ahve to take them off all the time they last a long time. Clothes ..well we ahve marks and spencer and designer stores and a few expat malls that carry big size but mainly it is resort wear for mummies and that is pretty easy to find. Welcome to the tropical paradise that is Singapore

[laurakay]

yeeeeeeeeah! we leave tomorrow, first KL and Tionman, we should be in Singapore around the 2nd for a exploration trip. Can't wait!

If my husband works near Jurong, it is more convenient to leave there or it is a fast trip to get anywhere in town by MTR?

I am in hate with China at the moment.
PS: any advice on a good hospital? I would like my child to be tested (ultrasound?) to see if he has been damaged by having SO MUCH CRAPPY MILK for such a long time.

[aussiemeg]

my husband also works at Jurong. It has great MRT links if the office is near to the station. You can stay out that way but you probably would find it easier to have a car but saying that taxi's are cheap.

I think the absolute best radiography at singapore is at NUH (national university hosptial). You can go there as a foreigner. I personally think it is one of the best hospitals in the world.

[ninabc]

Hi
I have 2 children at that age as well. (The older is 3 years and the little one is 5 months)

Nurseries here are all right. My older girl goes to a local one and we're pretty happy with it. They speak english but also teach them madarin. It is very clean and they have a lot of activities for the children. The only thing i'm not happy with is the unhealthy food they are allowed to bring and are served there.
Prices are reasonable.

Food wise there is a lot of western brands here and there's a german shop where you can buy organic european baby food.

Don't know about an italian community.

Nappies i'm not sure about either but my girl is 3 years old and she is a big girl too compared to asian kids and we've had no trouble finding night nappies for her.

Hope that was helpful and welcome to singapore when you get here

[Maria K]

Hi LauraKa,
I tried to PM you but was not allowed as I have just joined and don´t have enough posts. Just wanted to say I hope everything is going to be alright with your little boy after the crappy milk in China. My thoughts go out to you guys. I have a few friends in China and they are worried to death. I think the people who were knowingly involved in poisoing baby milk should be literally given a taste of their own milk for the rest of their lives. There are a millon ways to con people but to take advantage of the most vulnerable is more than a whipping offence in my opinion. This matter makes me ashamed to be Chinese. (British Chinese).

We are coming to Singapore from Germany very soon and I had visions of having to load the suitcases with European milk powder but have found out that the German brand we use is also available in Singapore.

I hope your first month has been a happy and healthy one in Singapore. I am sure it is a relief to be there despite the hot weather. As one of the other put it, Singapore is really THE expats paradise in Asia. All the best to you.