british club membership

[Condos]

I agree that with five children any help anywhere is to be appreciated.  However, I still like the fact that maids aren't allowed at the Brit (an other expat) clubs.  It does keep it a strictly family based atmosphere and stops people dropping their children off with the maid while they go to the gym etc.  There are age appropriate rooms where children can be left for that so really there is no need.

I guess if i had five children, i would definitely want to be living in a condo with all of the facilities and ready made playmates.  Kudos to you PP for managing!

[Creche]

I like the 'no maids' policy in theory (but I don't have 5 children under 5), but I wish they had a decent creche so that I could drop off a child while I got some exercise.  I hate leaving young children at home with a helper on a regular basis and actually got much more exercise when we lived in the UK because our club has an excellent creche; could drop off the little one(s) while I nipped to pilates or the pool for 30-60 minutes.  Did not have to leave them at home for about twice as long while I allowed time to drive, park etc. 

I reallse that the British Club has a supervised playroom, but the supervision is very basic.  When watching from outside the door, you can see children pop in and out without anyone noticing very regularly.  The only thing that I prefer about the American Club here is that at least children have to be signed in and out.  If you could leave your child there in confidence, you could do your 'own time' then go for a swim, have lunch together etc., rather than dumping your child with the hired help all of the time.

[couldn't agree more]

the British Club seriously needs to smarten up its act with the playroom. I just don't feel safe leaving my youngest there, as they seem to let the children come and go as they please.I thought it would be a safe place to leave the kids while I got showered and changed after a swim in peace, or at least to let them go and play after lunch whilst digesting etc, but they just vanish!

[i think]

if you make it very clear to the regular ladies in there that your child is not to come out then they will make sure it doesn't happen.  I also presume if you're going to pop off for 60 minutes to the pool or gym it would probably be earlier during the day when there's no one there anyway so there's no chance of children slipping out while older children are letting themselves out.

They need to put the button where no child can reach it so only adults can open it. 

I would also like to leave my daughter there for 25 mins while i swim a few laps but there's never anyone in there and i feel she might as well be at home with someone she knows well than on her own and supervised by a stranger.

[onlooker]

I don't understand the difference between leaving a child in a playroom with a stranger for an hour plus sitting for half an hour each way strapped into a car seat is better than leaving the same child at home in familiar surroundings for a couple of hours with your helper.  Why is the first one 'dropping off' and the second one 'dumping'?

I've noticed people like to use very emotive language like 'dumping your child with the hired help' when it suits them, but the language changes to 'dropping off the child at the creche" when it describes their particular circumstances. 

There's nothing wrong with having some 'me time' but don't kid yourself that you're being less selfish by leaving them in the creche.

[creche]

I don't understand the difference between leaving a child in a playroom with a stranger for an hour plus sitting for half an hour each way strapped into a car seat is better than leaving the same child at home in familiar surroundings for a couple of hours with your helper.  Why is the first one 'dropping off' and the second one 'dumping'?

I've noticed people like to use very emotive language like 'dumping your child with the hired help' when it suits them, but the language changes to 'dropping off the child at the creche" when it describes their particular circumstances. 

There's nothing wrong with having some 'me time' but don't kid yourself that you're being less selfish by leaving them in the creche.

I suppose people think they're doing the child a favour by leaving them in the creche rather than at home where it's just the same old same old.  When I had my children back in the UK, our local gym had a creche and the children were very well looked after in there but mine didn't particularly like going (so I stopped going to the gym in the daytime because of that).  If they'd had the option to stay at home with their dad I reckon they would have preferred it but he was always at work, so if you live here and have a maid, perhaps as you say, they would actually be happier to stay at home. 

[well...]

I think the point was that if they had a decent creche where the child could play with other children for 25 minutes to an hour, then the parent could swim or go to the gym, play tennis  or whatever AND get to have lunch, go to the playground or pool and so on with her child(ren) as part of the same trip.  Sure, if your children don't like it, then it would be a case of 'dumping' them but if they could play with others and be stimulated and well cared for by professionals, then it's IMHO a much better option than being left at home with someone who's chatting on her mobile.  Conversely, if you've got an excellent helper who gives her full attention, that's not 'dumping' either.  For those of us with access to neither, the 'me' time does not happen.  So I guess the next jibe will be the 'fat expat wives' label. 

[Brit]

Why would you pay such stupid fees??? we are Brits and lived here going on 20 years without setting foot in the British Club. You can have a great social life without paying joining fees, not to mention your monthly fees....

[to Brit]

Why would you pay such stupid fees??? we are Brits and lived here going on 20 years without setting foot in the British Club. You can have a great social life without paying joining fees, not to mention your monthly fees....

So if you had bitten the bullet all it costs net is the transfer fee (about 3k-4k which is hardly stupid), so about 50c per day for your time here.  Even if you were only here 2 years 5 SGD a day is not much different to what a lot of people spend on a gym alone.

Clubs have gyms, pools, squash, tennis plus bar and restaurants and other activities, increasingly things like onsite spas.  Some condos cover much of this but not all and quality is generally lower.  F&B is generally a lot cheaper than outside as well.

Generally there are monthly minimum spends, they are low anyway if you ever actually go.

Some clubs do have stupid fees (e.g. SICC) British Club isn't one of them and not everyone lives in a condo with good facilities.  Costs actually work out pretty cheap in the long run, you may wish to open your mind a little.

[twizzle stick]

Like: the pool when it is quiet (i.e inside school hours). the sports verandah. the gym. The massages at the spa. Easy parking. The indian food. The library. The ever friendly staff in the cafe - I dont know how they keep it up.

Dislike: the pool when it is busy (outside school hours). the verandah cafe when it is busy (imagine 100 toddlers chucking food around).  The food in the pub - not good. 'special days' when you turn up for a quiet swim only to find a swim carnival/family day/open day/national day or similar & the place packed and pool not usable. The food in general could improve.

(All of these dislikes I would overlook if I could get a decent coffe there - unfortunately not).