Not only is tomorrow the first page of a new chapter in Erin’s life, but also the first page of a new chapter in mine. As of tomorrow morning, I will go from being Mum to a baby and a Pre-Schooler to being a School Mum, and it’s not something I am quite prepared for.

Here’s the 10 types of School Mum I am destined to become…

1. I will be *that* School Mum who has to get their child ready for school about an hour early on the first day to allow time for all those right of passage “first day at school shots”. Photo of cheeky pose with bookbag, photo with new shoes, photo standing on drive or outside the front door (obviously) and the staple walking hand in hand shot to the school gates. All this to be achieved before actually walking to school.
2. I will be *that* School Mum who hovers for a tad too long at drop off. The one who waves like a loon and tries to resist the urge to yell “I LOVE YOU POPPET!!!” as her teacher prizes my hand out of hers. The one who will most likely be told by the teacher that “She is fine”, and I “can go now”, whilst Erin is probably no where to be seen, or has wondered off to play with her new super best friend who she has known for all of five minutes and already bonded with over their love of the colour purple.
3. I will be *that* School Mum who sobs like a banshee the second the school gates have closed behind me, and sets off the other parents who were otherwise holding themselves together. Having sobbed watching someone ELSE’S school children walk to school last year (they were so small!!!), I don’t hold out much hope when it’s my own.
4. I will be *that* School Mum who realises at 10.30pm the night before the first day that I haven’t actually read ‘The Folder’ that was given to us on the open evening many months ago, and as such, I am not entirely sure what time drop off is, or indeed what time we need to collect. I should probably check.
5. I will be *that* School Mum who deliberates between making myself look nice for drop off (in a lame attempt at impressing parents of potential new best friends), or accepting that this wont last any longer than the first week at a push, and opting for going au natural, to show that this is what you get 90% of the time.
6. I will be *that* School Mum who leaves the house at 2pm just to ensure I am not late for pick up (once I have established what time it is!). I will then pace the floor like a caged lion until Erin comes running out the gates – hopefully with a big smile and excited to tell me about her day.
7. On a more long term basis, I will be *that* School Mum who gets excited by homework. The one who is letting out a little inner squeeeal at the prospect of making paper mache volcanos and helping Erin read her very first book. The one who sees homework as the perfect excuse to visit Hobbycraft a little more often than it’s already frequent normal, within the guise of it being for educational purposes.
8. I will be *that* School Mum who volunteers to set up a parents What’s App group, and as such, is wrongly assumed to be an organised and proactive parent. I will actually do this so that all the other parents can prevent me from forgetting non school uniform days, or remind me of the PTA meeting I agreed to attend when my eyes were half open during drop off.
9. I will be *that* School Mum who gets a little too competitive at World Book Day, only to realise that my creations look much better in my head than they do in reality. I’m expecting Pinterest fails a plenty – thank god for Supermarkets!
10. I will be *that* School Mum who is winging it, 90% of the time, and leaves celebrating the mere fact I got them there and back in one piece without forgetting to check she had knickers on. The good news? So is everybody else!!

So to all the reception Mamas (and of course Daddys!) who have put their pre-schoolers to bed for the very last time tonight. Good luck. Keep smiling, WE TOTALLY GOT THIS!!!

*runs off to get the tissues…..*