diff --git a/examples/child-id.html b/examples/child-id.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ad240204e0f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/child-id.html
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+    <head>
+        <title></title>
+        <meta charset="utf-8">
+        <script src="../dist/seed.js"></script>
+    </head>
+    <body>
+        <div id="parent">
+            <div sd-id="child" sd-viewmodel="child">
+                {{msg}}
+            </div>
+        </div>
+        <script>
+            Seed.viewmodel('child', Seed.extend({
+                init: function () {
+                    console.log('child init!')
+                },
+                proto: {
+                    hi: function () {
+                        console.log('hi from child!')
+                    }
+                },
+                scope: {
+                    msg: 'I am a child'
+                }
+            }))
+            var app = new Seed({el:'#parent'})
+        </script>
+    </body>
+</html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/simple-dir.html b/examples/simple-dir.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..10a7d08bd49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/simple-dir.html
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en">
+    <head>
+        <title></title>
+        <meta charset="utf-8">
+        <script src="../dist/seed.js"></script>
+    </head>
+    <body>
+        <div id="hi" sd-test sd-test2></div>
+        <script>
+            var a = new Seed({
+                el: '#hi',
+                directives: {
+                    test: {
+                        bind: function () {
+                            console.log('bind')
+                        },
+                        unbind: function () {
+                            console.log('unbind')
+                        }
+                    },
+                    test2: function () {
+                        console.log('test2 bind')
+                    }
+                }
+            })
+            a.$destroy()
+        </script>
+    </body>
+</html>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/compiler.js b/src/compiler.js
index eb0081552ff..489371e67d3 100644
--- a/src/compiler.js
+++ b/src/compiler.js
@@ -7,14 +7,20 @@ var Emitter     = require('./emitter'),
     TextParser  = require('./text-parser'),
     DepsParser  = require('./deps-parser'),
     ExpParser   = require('./exp-parser'),
+
+    // cache methods
     slice       = Array.prototype.slice,
     log         = utils.log,
     def         = utils.defProtected,
+
+    // special directives
+    idAttr,
     vmAttr,
+    preAttr,
     repeatAttr,
     partialAttr,
-    transitionAttr,
-    preAttr
+    transitionAttr
+
 
 /**
  *  The DOM compiler
@@ -40,8 +46,9 @@ function Compiler (vm, options) {
 
     compiler.vm  = vm
     // special VM properties are inumerable
-    def(vm, '$compiler', compiler)
+    def(vm, '$', {})
     def(vm, '$el', compiler.el)
+    def(vm, '$compiler', compiler)
 
     // keep track of directives and expressions
     // so they can be unbound during destroy()
@@ -65,6 +72,12 @@ function Compiler (vm, options) {
         ? getRoot(parent)
         : compiler
 
+    // register child id on parent
+    var childId = compiler.el.getAttribute(idAttr)
+    if (childId && parent) {
+        parent.vm.$[childId] = vm
+    }
+
     // setup observer
     compiler.setupObserver()
 
@@ -182,12 +195,14 @@ CompilerProto.compile = function (node, root) {
     if (node.nodeType === 1) {
         // a normal node
         if (node.hasAttribute(preAttr)) return
-        var repeatExp  = node.getAttribute(repeatAttr),
-            vmId       = node.getAttribute(vmAttr),
+        var vmId       = node.getAttribute(vmAttr),
+            repeatExp  = node.getAttribute(repeatAttr),
             partialId  = node.getAttribute(partialAttr)
         // we need to check for any possbile special directives
         // e.g. sd-repeat, sd-viewmodel & sd-partial
         if (repeatExp) { // repeat block
+            // repeat block cannot have sd-id at the same time.
+            node.removeAttribute(idAttr)
             var directive = Directive.parse(repeatAttr, repeatExp, compiler, node)
             if (directive) {
                 compiler.bindDirective(directive)
@@ -592,11 +607,12 @@ CompilerProto.destroy = function () {
  */
 function refreshPrefix () {
     var prefix     = config.prefix
-    repeatAttr     = prefix + '-repeat'
+    idAttr         = prefix + '-id'
     vmAttr         = prefix + '-viewmodel'
+    preAttr        = prefix + '-pre'
+    repeatAttr     = prefix + '-repeat'
     partialAttr    = prefix + '-partial'
     transitionAttr = prefix + '-transition'
-    preAttr        = prefix + '-pre'
 }
 
 /**
