Where does the time go?

[citizentwiglet]

My teeny-tiny 5lb baby starts preschool on Monday.........

Err, where exactly did that time go?

Place your bets now - how many tissues will I go through on Monday morning? I can't BEAR the thought of him being a big boy and taking this massive step towards being less dependent on me. That's really sad, isn't it?

I KNOW he's ready - he is obsessed with other children, is very sociable and (even if I do say so myself) really quite bright after a slow start. He is - frankly - getting bored at home; and I'm sure he's going to love it there. But where has my tiny, fragile little baby gone? I well up with tears every time I see his uniform. (I actually burst into tears today, but that was because I spent an hour hand hemming his trousers and then, duh, realised I'd forgotten to turn the ruddy things inside out.... )

Does everyone feel like this? I know this is when his perfect little world starts to change - that he will realise that people can be cruel, and hurtful and that - shock horror - he'll be expected to do as he's told and that he can't always wangle his own way (and can't get away with running around naked all day.. ). But he is SO excited, that it an absolute pleasure to see.

How the hell do I deal with it if he actually hates it and doesn't want to go back on Tuesday?

[grubbysoles]

Oh Twiglet, I know exactly how you are feeling. My little munchkin starts preschool on September 9th. She doesn't need a uniform, but I have bought her first pair of plimsolls, and some little tubs with smiley faces on them to put her fruit in. She is proudly wearing her 'school shoes' around the house and reminding me all the time that we need to get grapes to put in her tubs for Little School.

She is also clearly getting pretty bored of being stuck with me all day (especially since the new baby turned up....), and is chomping at the bit to mix with some other little people. Oh, and I have warned her that she will be expected to help with tidying up the toys at little school - something she gets out of too often at home! She's really excited and I just have horrible visions of some nasty little brat being mean to her and this whole exciting adventure turning into something she hates.

Actually, a friend of mine is a preschool teacher. She says the first day is always full of crying mums, and the kids just get stuck in. She says the children realise immediately that they have to 'save face' and, even when they are this little, they are aware that they have to be as brave as the other children about their first day and they just get on with it. I will be trying very, very hard not to cry, but I'll have a good weep when I get home, I'm sure

It's really hard seeing them start to break away from you. I think that's why I got cracking with another one! Couldn't quite let go of the baby days just yet...

[citizentwiglet]

Awwww Grubbysoles ((((((((((((((((((((((hug)))))))))))))))))))). I'm so glad you're feeling the same as me.

Funnily enough, Ellis has been so different since Fin was born. He adores his brother, don't get me wrong, but I think that things changed when he realised he wasn't the 'baby' anymore, IYSWIM. He has more tantrums, yes, but he has also completely blossomed - his sense of humour, his helpfulness, his grasp of new things ( he explained to his 6 year old neighbour what a semi-circle was the other day 'because semi means half of something', LOL!. When he's a rotter, he's a complete nightmare. When he's sweet, and lovely, and kind, he's just the most adorable child in the World. I'm going to miss him so much.

I know I'm going to blink and I'm going to have girlfriends on my doorstep and him harping on about getting a motorbike. The older your children get, the faster the time goes by.

I shall let you know how it goes tomorrow..........

[MrsD'ville mkII]

Thinking of you today CT!

DD heads in Year 3 in a fortnight and Max is only eight months so we're quietly in the midst of things, but DD is talking about school again so I know she's starting to get nervous. She enjoys school and is happy there, but even so she likes being at home. She had big problems with her erstwhile best friend last year, the little cow began waging a hate campaign against her, but thank god they've moved abroad so she won't have to deal with that this year. It is just the pits when someone is horrible to your gorgeous, innocent child but at the same time they need to learn about the world.

[citizentwiglet]

Well, it went brilliantly. He seemed to get a bit nervous just as we were heading out of the house, but I think he caught me welling up.

We got to nursery, he dashed through the door and left me outside queuing up!

The parents sat in another room for our introductory talk, sign all the forms etc so we could be on standby in case any key-worker had a nervous breakdown; when I went back for him at 10.45am he was happily playing with his new friends on the adventure playground and didn't want to come home....
He had painted a picture (and most of his sleeves) and got a smiley sticker for washing his paint pot out nicely without having to be asked..

I just have to remember that Tuesday is Fruit Day for the green table, and remember to give him some apples to take in to make fruit salad tomorrow.

He cannot wait to go back tomorrow - let's hope this enthusiasm stays for a while, eh?

[MrsD'ville mkII]

Excellent, really pleased to hear he enjoyed it and you survived the day. Now school will test your mental faculties to the limit by changing which day is fruit day, then adding wellies day, and once in a while asking for contributions of home-made cakes at short notice, not to mention the Angel Gabriel costume you'll be asked to whip up while making sure Fin has learnt his lines, all while looking after a baby. Simple!

[citizentwiglet]

ROFL! I'm afraid that health and safety means that anything home baked is not allowed anywhere near said nursery; even a birthday cake needs to be shop-bought, and still sealed into its box or they won't let it through the door!

Honestly, I've already had to sign about 9 forms to let him do everything from being accompanied to the toilet, being allowed to have a plaster if he falls over, and to be able to use the internet........

[grubbysoles]

Only just got a chance to read through this - ran off to Devon with 'The Kids' for a bit. Pleased to hear it went well for him! I'm sure it's far easier for the children than it is for the parents Scarlett's big day is this Wednesday. Hopefully she'll love it but knowing Scarlett she'll either burst into tears and cling on to me, or bark at me to leave her alone. She's always one extreme or the other. I think she gets it from me