April 9, 2021 | Lobang Guru Singapore

Are International Schools Expensive: What You Need To Know

Lobang: https://www.moneydigest.sg/are-international-schools-expensive-what-you-need-to-know/

Most parents think all the international schools are expensive and the reason is because of the facilities it has to offer. Well, you can say that due to the facilities like swimming pool, music rooms, playgrounds are expensive to maintain, but this is not the only reason.

So, why do international schools are expensive? The answer is simple.

More than 80% of the student’s fees are given to the teachers in salary. Face it, you cannot recruit a good teacher with low salaries. And as we know, international schools are all about having trained and qualified teachers.

In addition to these salaries, students are covered with medical insurance benefits, housing allowances, books’ costs, and study materials.

Why Is the International Education System Expensive?

This is a question that almost every parent would like to know the answer to. However, before you ask this same question, you must understand why these international schools are so expensive.

When we talk about international schools, there is an old saying, “You get what you pay for”. This saying perfectly complements the doubts over the international school being too expensive. Despite that you want to look for a budgeted school, this might be one of the affordable international school in Singapore.

There are many aspects of an international school that is reflected in the high term fees. The following might be able to make your understanding better.

1. Best Teacher

International schools are all about having the best teachers to guide the students. No matter which international you take, you will find that most teachers have experience teaching from all around the world. This makes them carry a lot of teaching experience that can help the students.

If teachers like those are being invited to teach in school, it is obvious that they will look for a salary that satisfies their needs. This is one of the main reasons why international schools are expensive.

2. Top Class Amenities

An international school means your child will have top-class amenities at their disposal. Whether we are talking about a swimming pool, playgrounds, canteen, medical facilities, science lab, and library, there is no way you will not have to pay for all of these.

The international school ensures that students have adequate space to perform several activities to help them learn and grow. In addition to that, these are considerable investments that need contact maintenance.

3. Supporting Staff

What do you think, an international school is where your children will cook and clean on their own? No! For that, every international school has supportive staff members responsible for taking care of the children and school.

With roles like:

Campus security.
Office staff.
Medical staff.
Maintenance staff.

The school will more likely employ local people to take off the schools and its areas. This certainly needs investment to some extent.

4. School Dinner

Of course, the international school needs to have a fully functional kitchen to ensure every student is well fed. When you are not around your child, you would expect that your child would get the right food at the right time. International schools invest a lot in food to ensure all the students eat healthily and remain healthy.

5. Teacher-Student Ratio

With the local public schools, you might find one teacher teaching more than 100 students. But that is not the case of international schools. With the international school, the student-teacher ratio is maintained to ensure good communication between student and teacher.

Hence, keeping classes small means the cost of one class must be shared with fewer parents. This also adds to the value of international school fees.

Benefits Of An International School

The best thing about the international school is that it offers high-quality educational facilities that prepare the students to face the world from the get-go. In addition to that, if your child passes an international school with 3 A level passes, he/she will literally get the chance of choosing the university to continue with their higher studies.

International schools are not the investment you make; it’s an investment that you make on your children for their bright future.

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6 ways to approach someone who has lost a baby

Lobang: https://www.moneydigest.sg/6-ways-to-approach-someone-who-has-lost-a-baby/

Long-awaited pregnancies can bring immense joy to expecting parents.

But when one faces a miscarriage, the feelings of loss can be tough to cope with. Whether it’s a loss at three months or a miscarriage at six months, it’s indeed an incident to grief over. It can be even more challenging as a bystander if one does not know how to approach the situation.

If you have a friend or a close relative going through such an unfortunate situation recently, read on.

#1: Keep it simple

In a situation where someone you know has lost a baby, the most effective way to communicate is to keep your sentiments brief and straightforward.

Lengthy messages can be emotionally taxing for people who have just experienced a tremendous loss, even if the messages intended to provide comfort. Simple statements such as, “we are here for you if you need to talk” or “we are thinking of you, and your family” are easy to process, sincere, and meaningful.

#2: Acknowledge the reality

Losing a baby causes tremendous, deep-rooted grief. When a person mourns a lost baby, it is crucial to understand that there is no replacement for the baby that they bore.

While no single prayer or conversation can ease their grief instantly, we mustn’t simply pull away from reality. Yes, it might be difficult and awkward to talk about it. However, acknowledging the miscarriage and being present with a grieving friend can provide a safe space for them to talk about their loss openly.

“When you bring a healthy baby home from the hospital, everyone wants to come over and see the baby and talk about the baby. When your baby dies, people don’t want to come (to) visit; they don’t want to talk about your baby — and that hurts. I wish people didn’t assume we didn’t want to talk about her,” shared a mum who lost her daughter at six months.

#3: Read the room

Image Credits: helpguide.org

This is a time to be sensitive, and one way to do that is to read the room. Whatever situation you find yourself in, it is okay to follow the parents’ lead.

Listen to their tone and the language they use, then try to mirror their chosen words and phrases in your conversation. If the parents are referring to their baby by name, follow suit. If they are using another term, such as “our baby”, follow their preference.

For those holding on to religious or spiritual beliefs, listen and subtly acknowledge their thoughts even if you may disagree. This is not the time to share your views, start preaching to them on what you trust or oppose the bereaved’s feelings.

#4: Allow silence

Know that there may not always be the right words for a mother who has lost a precious child. If you do not know what to say, keep silent.

Gossip, meaningless chatter, over excessive verbal sympathies may sometimes do more harm than good. Everyone grieves differently, and as a bystander, simply being present and tolerating silence can make a massive difference to the affected parties.

With that said, do avoid such phrases:

It’s meant to be.
This is all God’s will.
Maybe it’s for the best.
He/she is in a better place.
Everything happens for a reason.

#5: Present open-ended offers

It can be hard to know what to offer to someone who has lost a baby. Sometimes, we might try to guess what they need out of goodwill and miss the mark completely.

Thus, sometimes it may work if you ask them directly. An open-ended question is best. For example, “What can I do to help you?” or “Is there anything you need?” is an excellent way to open a direct line of communication.

Another way to make an open-ended offer is to volunteer for a specific task that might need to be done. If they have a young child to take care of, offer to babysit them after school so they can get some quiet time. Or you could also help pick up their groceries from the supermarket or even share a dish for dinner.

#6: Check-in regularly

Image Credits: themakingofamillionaire.com

A psychologist shared in her book that it can take a few years for a mother to conclude the episode of her baby’s death.

Since no one person is wired in the same way, different individuals may get over the intense grief at various periods. If there’s something you can do, it is to check in regularly with them. Make it a habit to listen rather than just comfort whether you’re on the phone or seeing them face-to-face.

Being available to listen, especially when paired with an acknowledgement of what happened, can be a powerful way to help someone who is processing the loss of their baby.

Final thoughts

Facing a miscarriage is a heartbreak no one can understand unless they’ve been through it before. Even so, it can be very different between mothers who carry their own stories and pregnancy histories.

More often than not, well-intended words and phrases offered as comfort may come across as belittling, downplaying, or simply just unhelpful. Heed the advice given above if you know not where to start, but if you’re too afraid, then sometimes just being silent but physically available can be an appropriate way to approach a friend who has lost a precious one.

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