To the Mum who's child is starting school...

To the Mum who’s child is about to start school. I know how you feel. That nervous wait for the start of September. That was me, and trust me when I say, I remember it like it was yesterday.

You’ll be holding that hand in yours just a little bit tighter, looking at them just that little bit longer when you kiss them goodnight and most of all you’ll be wondering how exactly this has happened.. your baby, heading off to full time education when they were literally born yesterday.

Whilst your child themselves may be mentally ready for the transition from nursery to big school, are you? Here are my hints and tips for getting YOU ready (both physically and emotionally!) for the day your child starts school.

Don’t leave things till the last minute! – Trust me when I say, you do not want to be that parent that is in the shops stressing about trying to find a pair of school shoes that fit, or wondering why you cant find a single grey pinnafore ANYWHERE in your child’s size just a few days before the start of term. Save yourself the stress and get your uniform sooner rather than later. Just try not to sob too much when you see it ready and waiting all ironed and crisp in the wardrobe.
Don’t forget to capture the moment – That First Day at School photograph is an absolute essential right of passage, and one that you are pretty much guaranteed to role out on many an embarrassing occasion in your child’s immediate future, such as the day the first girlfriend is bought home, or when all of his super cool uni friends come to visit. Make it a good one, and allow yourself a little bit longer on that first morning, cos you may need to reapply your mascara once or twice. I love the little handheld sign saying “first day at school” and the date. There’s also the standard “outside the front door” and “outside the school gates” obligatory snaps.
That initial drop off will feel weird – walking away and leaving your child in someone else’s care, someone that you barely know from Adam, can feel really very strange, especially if your child gives you that slightly nervous glance as you depart. Even if your child looks tentative and gives you a nervous second glance, try not too linger too long – no one wants to be the parent that gets asked to leave by the teacher!
If you haven’t already – you should probably read that massive A4 folder you were given during the parent’s information evening. You know the one, the one that you briefly skim read when you went to buy the uniform and pretty much haven’t looked at since. If you’ve mislaid it, now is probably the time to track it down. It contains some pretty crucial information about drop offs and pick ups, and knowing what time to collect your child on one of the most daunting days of their short life to date, well yes, that’s pretty damn important.
Label label label – From the shoes to the lunchbox to the PE kit, label everything. All their back to school essentials. Trust me when I say, your child will be coming home without their cardigan by day two. Save yourself the hassle of a needle and thread and buy iron on. So much easier and its no longer 1983.
Those after school conversations are precious – as hard as it is watching your child take their first steps into this new milestone, their school days are so rewarding – watching their eyes light up as they tell you about the friends that they made, the conversations with their teacher and the things they have learned. It’s an exciting time, and so lovely to watch them blossom. As with every stage of parenting, every day is a new adventure – enjoy it.