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Written by Jo Windsor
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On Monday 11th September we started school! I say we because although it was my four year old son Robert who
physically went into the school building for his first school day, the
family routine changed for everyone; mum, dad and two year old brother.
Preparations had been going on for weeks. We filled in school
application forms and purchased uniform. We practised little tasks
together like doing up buttons and zips, putting on shoes, pulling up
trousers and wiping bottoms! And then there were the visits! Home
visits from school, school visits from home, Pre-School visits,
parents' visits…and so on. It was also becoming increasingly difficult
to keep Robert occupied at home and he was ready for the next stage. We
felt we were well-prepared.
Robert was excited on his first day and very independent. I was proud of him, but it was with mixed feelings that I hugged and kissed him and left him behind for the first time. Robert let go easily with a smile. It was his mum who was feeling the wrench! Little cameos of his first four years came to mind; first smile, first words, first steps....First day at school seemed so far away in the beginning! He had attended Pre-School, but this felt different. No matter how prepared I felt, or how much I joked about the extra 'free' time it would bring, I felt quite emotional now the day had finally arrived.
Then there were the little worries about how he would settle. Would he fit in? Would he make friends? Would he be happy? ...And with memories of those toddler years still close to hand, would he do as he was told by the teacher?!
As our first week progressed other small, but noticeable changes developed.
What to do with Nicholas, the toddler brother left behind! Nicholas, at two and a half, had always had his brother to play with, a 'live-in' friend if you like, who he played with, fought with, adored and copied. Although he attended his own Pre-School sessions, he now missed Robert terribly and asked for him constantly during the morning when he wasn't there.
On the plus side, we (his parents) now have more time and opportunity to get to know Nicholas as an individual, rather than as Robert's brother, extra time which we all enjoy; and hopefully with our help, Nicholas will learn to adapt to coping on his own independently of his big brother.
Nicholas also had to come to terms with the fact that after his morning at school, Robert was so pale and tired during those first few days that he wasn't up for much playing when he got home! Always a sound sleeper with a good twelve hours unbroken sleep every night, he nevertheless developed faint dark rings under his eyes and was a little more cranky than usual when he came home.
In fact, after a longer than usual Summer holiday break, the sudden shift to weekday early mornings surprised us all! With an 8.35am start, getting everyone organised in the morning ran like a military operation! What with washing, dressing and breakfast; checks for coats, bags and gym kit, getting out of the door and to school on time seems like a small miracle each time we achieve it!
Nicholas has now been at school for a few weeks, and despite my initial concerns, he has of course settled well and made new friends. He enjoys school and is happy, and that of course makes us happy. I watch him in his new routine in the classroom when I drop him off in the morning, and remember to stand back as he goes through the motions of putting things away in their correct places, confident in his new found independence.
We encourage Robert to talk about his time at school and the things he has done there, but already little changes are creeping in that we can't track like we used to. A new word or phrase, a new concept he has learned at school, a new friend he has played with or a new game. Sometimes at home he even forgets where he is and puts his hand up to speak!!!!
On Monday 11th September, we not only started school – we began a new and exciting phase of our lives.
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