Me, the playgroup helper

Yesterday went to do my "duty" at J's playgroup for the first time. It was scorching hot and when we got there at 9:20 as stipulated, there was no one there to open the gates. Stood around for 10 minutes before an amah type person emerged to let us in.

There was 12 kids in all yesterday, and here is their schedule of activities:

9:30 - 10:30 Free play
10:30 - 11:00 Circle time
11:00 - 11:15 Snack time
11:15 - 11:30 Arts and crafts time
11:30 - 12:00 Outside play time
12:00 - 12:30 Story time

My duties include: "interacting" with the children, wipe table with disinfectant, laid out stuff for snack time, hoover the floor after snack time, tidy up toys with the kids, supervise kids' play in the playground.

A rather mysterious amah called ar Yin showed up to help with the washing up. She was dishing out heaps of advice to me, the newbie, regarding what to bring for snack time. She made cups of tea for the two teachers, saying "Na... if I'm here, I usually will make tea for them ga... just milk, no sugar... they like it like this ga... it's up to you la, if I'm not here, you make yau duck, um make yau duck..." and "Na... the kids are very picky ga, they like some variety ga, just one type of food is um duck ga...." etc... Yawn.... man... I was so bored my eyes were actually tearing up. I did not feel myself relevant to the whole experience.

And that's it. I was bored. I was sleepy. I was hungry too. It's such a huge great big BORE being a playgroup teacher, and it's not just me, judging from the rather misearble looking teacher. She was very gentle and proper and approriate in everything she said and done, but she looked BLOODY miserable. Not a single twitch of a smile could be detected from her blotchy face the whole time I was there.

Oh, and apparently one of the mums who was supposed to be doing her duties was a bit of a skiver and has been making excuses for the past month. Apparently I'll be doing double duty this month because of the lazy bitch! The two teachers had spent quite a bit of time quietly bitching about it. I, of course, said, "I don't mind, it's okay".... lying through my teeth...