Does your child really need Enrichment classes?

Does your child really need Enrichment classes?

I sent my older girl to  right brain left brain enrichment class at 18 months. And she was bored after 3 months despite my hubby and i took turns to accompany her. The class was super expensive $50 plus for 45 mins. The teacher talked very fast and changed activities after another every 10 mins. Thereafter, i tried sending her to 1.5 hr enrichment class at 2.5 yrs old. After 3 months, the teacher at the enrichment class told us our girl was "too active", "kept walking around", "cannot focus".  We withdrew her from the class as my hubby felt that the teacher could not manage her. At that time, i had little knowledge of special needs, but i was worried that my girl may be a bit  "hyperactive". 

When she was 3 yrs old, i did not send her to any enrichment class any more until i felt she was more ready to stay seated. It was a difficult skill for her to learn , to follow routines and stay focused. She had to keep changing her activities every 15 mins. i was worried and told my hubby , we need to do something to get her more focused.

I prayed and asked God for wisdom to teach my child. 

God said " Accept her as who she is first."

simple instruction right? 

I searched deep within me, I was worried of how others would look at my child , the actual fact i was worried how people look at me as a mother. I did not accept her as my child, I was trying to make her as how i want her to be .

I gave up trying to mould her as i want her to be. 

I ACCEPT her as who she is. 

Active , cheerful, creative

And because i accepted her as who is 

I began to see her potential and what she can do.

Now at 9yrs old,

she is an artist , a baker, a scientist, a animal lover, a horse rider .

She attended art enrichment, CMA, berries, baking , horse riding , swimming classes.

Let your child explore.

If he or she does not like it, i greatly suggest DO NOT force it down their throat.

My reflection : CMA helped her focus a lot. but the method of mental calculation caused her to think too fast and she tend to get answers correct for maths problem sums but skipped so many steps. Berries helped her recognise many chinese characters, she can read quite well but her accent and oral speaking still dependent on home environment. She seldom speaks mandarin at home despite i used to be a mother tongue teacher.

The rest of enrichment classes , she loved them all. Haha