Singapòre with a 9 year old
 

Hi All

We might be relocating to Singapore soon and have been offered a look and see visit by my husband's company. We should have about five days. Most of our time will be taken up by viewing houses and schools, checking out neighborhoods and estimating commute times. We will have our 9 year old son with us and would like to show him some FUN, maybe convince him that leaving his friends behind and moving half a worl away won't be all bad! We could probably manage at least one full day trip if that helps.

I know I should be able to research this on my own but my head is filled with all the other moving logistics and I'm a bit frazzled! Help!

Thank you!

Singapore is a great place for expat families with children. The schools, medical care and public transportation are all good and at least compared to many American cities, it's safe, orderly and clean. Most expats have a live in domestic helper. It's a good launching pad for travel throughout the region.

Remember, though, that jet lag, heat and humidity can really be exhausting, especially for a child, so don't over plan. Allow for ample downtime at the pool, reading or watching movies or TV. You can arrange for a child sitter through your hotel.

How your son reacts to the change in environment really depends on how different it is from your current living arrangement. If you have a back yard, live in a neighborhood in which he can ride his bike or play sports nearby, he may feel constrained by Singapore's high rise living. (I hope you don't have a pet!)

Although there are many kid friendly attractions -- like the night safari, the zoo and the various water parks on Sentosa Island -- that you could visit while you're there, I think the best way to acclimate is to try to give your son a feeling for what daily life will be like.

Take him to visit the schools. If your husband's contract allows you to join a club, spend a day there at the pool. If he has any special interests like sports, Boy Scouts, music or computers let him see that he can continue these activities. Arrange for him have a Skype video call with a friend or relative back home to show him how easy it is to stay in touch.

If your husband's company employs several expat families, most likely someone will have a child of the same age who will fill you in on details or invite you to join them for an event or meal. Expats have all gone through an adjustment period and are generally happy to share information with newcomers.

I can't really think of any place that would make a good day trip from Singapore, but if you can spare a few days you could fly home through Bali.

marmot -- thank you! Excellent suggestions. We definitely want him to see what normal life will be like. I really appreciate the suggestion of visiting a club. We belong to a club/gym here at home and it really is a focal point of our lives.

Let me ask you a question, we're dual citizens, US and UK. My husband and I are very obviously American (accents and big smiles all around) but my son has spent 7 of his 9 years in the UK and is very British (accent and an affinity for proper football). I'd prefer to join the British club because I think he will relate to those peers more than Americans. Would the Brits think we were crazy?

The only club I'm familiar with in Singapore is the American Club. It's a bit crowded, but seems to be a good place for social interaction for American expats of all ages.

The chances are you've already been to these parks in other parts of the world but there is a LegoLand in Johor Bahru which is just across the Causeway and easy to get to, also Universal Studios at Sentosa, I haven't been but it looks like a cut down version of the LA one.

There is a Kidzania opening next year, my son when he was 7 went to the one in KL and he really enjoyed it.

Clubs in Singapore are pretty expensive, I'm a member at the Tanah Merah country club and I use it almost entirely for the golf. I would think that the school you choose would introduce you to a new circle of friends who are in a similar position.

Warm morning greetings, BKP, and congratulations on potential move to our fine home of Singapore. Our sweet city-state of SIN is most certainly not for everyone (holiday and/or work and residence), but will say that, to-date, Singapore has far exceeded my expectations as a place for work, family, friends and residence. The main downside, to-date, is that I don't get to spend enough time in SIN, as my current work has me on the road ~ 75 percent of the time.

You have already received some good, thoughtful information. Not certain if you have a SIN hotel lined up; if not, will give another promotion to my old and primary Singapore business travel property, the Four Seasons. Another option is her "little sister" and relatively close neighbour, the Regent. It's been quite sometime since my last Regent stay for meetings; she was always most acceptable (and always less dear than her big sister).

Wherever you stay and eventually end up residing, all the best. Should you desire additional Singapore info (including our fine Singaporean carrier), honoured to assist. Warm Friday morning and early weekend wishes to you and all from on the road,

macintosh (robert)


... Singapore Airlines, You're a Great Way to Fly ...

Thanks all for the suggestions. We have been to Legoland Windsor a few times and will probably give it a miss but Universal Studios looks fun and there seems to be lots to do out on Sentosa.

The clubs are expensive and I'm not quite sure how much we'd actually use one. I'm a bit of a gym rat but my husband doesn't really go in for any kind of artificial social gathering. I think we will wait to see what the school social circle is like before we make any decisions.

It is nice to know that there are some Singapore experts on this board. If we do make the move (fingers crossed) I'm sure I'll be back with lots more questions!

My husband has been following your thread with interest -- he was 9 when his family moved to Singapore for a three-year stay (his dad was one of the original managing engineers for the Raffles redevelopment project). Once he adapted to the heat, he loved Singapore. His family belonged to the British Club (his mother's British) but many of his friends from school belonged to the American club. There was some rivalry between adult members of the two clubs, mostly light-hearted, sometimes a bit snide.

Good luck with the move!

Hi WeisserTee (and husband)! Quick question -- they were members of the British club but went to an American school or to an international school with a big American population? We're thinking of a British school but the American club - to sort of cover all our bases!

I'm glad he loved it eventually. We've been expats in the UK for seven years but as our son is only nine, it's really the only place he's ever called home! He does seem really excited and is up for the adventure, I think he gets that from his parents!

The school he went to was a British school at the time (Prince Charles was a patron and came to visit the school while DH was there) but had a lot of American kids. And sorry, DH tells me I was wrong, he moved to Singapore at age 11, not 9. He was living in Hong Kong at age 9.

This is the Singapore school: https://www.uwcsea.edu.sg/

Hi BKP, are you still moving? Have you had a chance to go do a look-see in Singapore?

Sorry WT -- I haven't been on here recently because of the big move! We completed the look/see and decided it was the place for us! We've been here a month and are starting to feel settled.

Parts of this place I absolutely love. It's 930pm in October and I'm sitting on our balcony, overhead fan blowing, sipping a cold drink and looking down on the swimming pool. However, some times it feels like Singapore is just one mall running into another. There has to be more in life than shopping! But we've had fun day trips to the beach, a Malaysian waterfall, and the jungle/rainforest reserve here in SG where we spotted monkeys!

We're planning our first little trip for the end of month. Spoiled for choice, but it's driving me crazy. I sit down to research and I feel like a kid in a candy store! Bali! No, Borneo! Wait, what about Vietnam!? :)

Great! What neighbourhood are you in? I might be doing a work rotation there for a few months, which means I'd be in the Tiong Bahru area.

I know what you mean about the shopping. Crazy! But I really liked the TWG tea salon at Ion.

Ooh, I like everything at Ion! We had brunch there last weekend. Coming from England where breakfast is a cup of tea or a full fry up, it's nice to find brunch again. Although I never expected to find Eggs Benedict on every menu!

We ended up in Bukit Timah. It's not in the middle of all the malls and busy life but the mrt is 10 minutes so we can be anywhere in a flash. I run in the Botanic Gardens and it's like a little tropical paradise in the middle of the city!

I'm so glad to hear that it is working out well for you. Singapore is a place that I always thought I'd be willing to move to... of course that was when the dollar was much stronger!

Have you been biking yet on Puala Ubin, ( you get the little bum boat over from near Changi village) my friend ( who us from the Uk and has lived in SP for some years now) does this quite often. When I was over just a few weeks ago we did this and I really enjoyed it.
So glad your move went well, I love SP and would consider moving there if I could get the right job.
I LOVE the Botanic Gardens , so lucky you to have that as your running track.:)