In 28 days, my mothering skills will be tested to their absolute maximum. My eldest child starts school. And I don't know if either of us are ready for this {"us" being my boy and me}.
Master X was so used to the routine of Childcare {which he attended for 5 years} and then 2013's kinder routine. He was used to spending time during the day at home and at his grandmother's. But now, that will only be reserved for weekends and school holidays. That's right, I've only just realized that I'll need to actually know when Victorian school holidays are now!
How do you explain to your child that school is a permanent arrangement for a few years? {hopefully more into the university years, but trying not to get too proud and ahead of myself}. I've tried saying that he'll go to primary school til he's around 12. But he seems to think the hours will be more like "as he pleases" rather than 9-330pm like every other primary school-aged child.
I've tried explaining homework, school bells, listening, concentrating, the new friendships he'll be able to make, sport, art, music, his teachers and their role. I've gone over school books, reading, maths, learning about the world. It won't sink in until he gets into about 3rd term I reckon.
My boy is switched on and I know he'll be fine. He's on the sensitive side and is emotional like me. He is quiet at times but is learning to speak up for himself and he asks lots of questions like any 5 year old does. He's a good writer and is interested in reading. Yet I'm still worried and clearly like every other mother of the Nearly-Preppie in Australia would be right now.
The end of an era, my boy is almost at school. Packed lunches, excursions, school camps, uniforms, homework and a whole new ball game for us to work out. No more nappies, first steps, first words, childcare, kinder, 24hr protection from me! A whole new array of firsts will come our way and we'll be so proud of him but it's still hard and sets a ginormous lump in my throat to think that only 5 years ago, I left the Women's Hospital with a brand new baby boy in my arms as a Mother for the first time. Now he's a toothless, gangly {yet cute} fit 5 year old, ready to tackle anything he wants to. God bless him!
I don't want to cry in front of him, but I know as I let go of his hand and he leaves me for that first time that my heart will break a little. My baby is no longer, my growing boy is here to stay. I won't be able to sit still until he's home that afternoon, I can feel it already. He's so much like me and I loved school. I hope he does too. I hope he makes some lovely friends, stays out of trouble and some of my fears don't rear their ugly heads- he gets picked on or he turns into a bully. I hope he manages to keep a calm level head in times of peer pressure and when he needs to make social and academic decisions.
Wish us luck. And you can send tissues my way any time from now........
L
xo
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