Starting school is a big deal - for all
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Starting school for the first time is a milestone in a child’s life but - as I’m now in this very situation, I’ve realised it’s just as momentous occasion for a parent!
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- Starting school is a big deal - for all
Starting school for the first time is a milestone in a child’s life but - as I’m now in this very situation, I’ve realised it’s just as momentous occasion for a parent! There is a huge sense of pride and achievement when I think about just how far my son has come in five short years- from a tiny, totally dependent baby with little verbal proficiency to a chatty, witty, semi self-sufficient little boy.
There is also a side of me that gets emotional and a bit wobbly when I think of him donning a school uniform and walking into those school gates - for real, that first time. Although he attended preschool, starting primary school is a big step up. It’s now a five day a week commitment and he’ll be at school until he is, basically, a young man.
So that first day I’ll be waving goodbye to my baby and to some experiences we shared, like playing idly in his toy room at 10 am on a Thursday and swimming together during Friday lunch. I’ll miss such quality times along with his voice and laugh echoing around the place and I know his sister will feel a void, that absence of having her big brother and best friend to hang out with all day.
Of course, I’m hugely excited about what lies ahead. School is the start of the rest of a child’s life and feeling emotional about it all is not uncommon - it’s just an expression of how deep parental love is. So, for any other mums and dads out there experiencing similar feelings I’ve jotted down a few things that I hope will make the day run as smoothly as possible. Ok - and so I can avoid being a blubbering, emotional mess when the day finally rolls around!
Tips for school starting parents:
- Do a trial run of going to school for morning start time – including doing a packed lunch, dressing kid/s and parking.
- Prepare uniform – wash and (if so inclined) iron school clothes a few days before, making sure clothes and hats are labeled.
- Talk to your child about the day and read information on what to expect – check out your state/territory education department’s website.
- If you are feeling emotional talk to your child about it, so they don’t think there is something wrong i.e. tell them mummy might get upset because she feels so proud of them.
- Try to arrange, if appropriate, that both mum and dad are on hand for the first day a child starts school.
- Have a plan of what to do after dropping a child off for the first day – something nice like coffee at a favourite café with a friend or partner can be a good way to mark and share the special occasion.
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