My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Primary education

"My first child starts this September" - General Agh! thread

31 replies

ArthurSixpence · 11/06/2013 11:09

So the time is almost here. DD is still only three, but she'll be four soon and will be starting school in September.

Pre-school has got us all used to it a little because she goes two days a week, so already she comes out with things that haven't come from us or friends we know, so we know they must have come from school, but come September she will spend more of her waking hours in the week away from us than with us, and yet she seems so young.

So there is existential parental angst of 'letting go' along with more prosaic worries such as what size uniform to buy, how she'll cope with five days in a row given that pre-school tires her so much, how she'll cope with the slightly more formal style in school, if she'll get on with her teacher, if her teacher will be as good as the ones in pre-school, who will be in her class, will she get on with them, how sad it is that she will rarely get a park or a beach to herself again for many years, if she'll be stimulated enough in things she is good at, if she'll be able to keep up with things she isn't so good at ..

Here's the thread for all your pre-September parental-angst. Hopefully. Or maybe it'll just be me, fretting.

OP posts:
Report
GhostOfTheRobStark · 11/06/2013 11:18

Trying not to think about my pfb going off to full time school! Sad

I'm excited to see how she gets on, but doesn't time fly!

Report
MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 11/06/2013 11:19

My youngest starts in September too. Trying not to think about labelling all the bloody uniform.

Report
caffeinated · 11/06/2013 11:51

My youngest starts in September too. I have most of the uniform and am trying to encourage independent dressing. (Late aug birthday).

Report
ArthurSixpence · 11/06/2013 11:59

Uniform is a worry - she is mid-July birthday and is already in 5-6, but all the signs are that she is about to have a growth spurt again (more tired and grumpier than normal) but she can't start in age 6-7 when she's only just four, can she?!

We haven't bought any yet, just in case ....

OP posts:
Report
ArthurSixpence · 11/06/2013 12:02

Caffeinated DD is a bit older than your DC, and we're nearly there with independent dressing - just the odd frustrated strop when she can't find an arm hole now, but buttons are still an issue. It's all started to come together in the last few weeks so fingers crossed for you :)

OP posts:
Report
caffeinated · 11/06/2013 12:05

Thanks arthur it's the getting inside out clothes back on after pe that is going to be our biggest hurdle.

Report
ReallyTired · 11/06/2013 12:10

Most reception teachers are lovely and reception is designed to teach children things like getting dressed. Summer borns are allowed to do half days if they are getting too tired.

My youngest is starting reception and I won't know what to do with myself.

Report
caffeinated · 11/06/2013 12:22

Ours have always been very specific about the areas they want children to be independent in before starting. Dressing and toileting are top of the list.

Report
WingDefence · 11/06/2013 12:25

My oldest is starting this September and we had a new parents meeting yesterday afternoon. He'll be 5 in December though and is very bright so is more than ready to go and we and he are excited for him.

I'm sure I'll be tearful on his first day though - when the reception teacher laid out the uniform they'd need yesterday it all looked so little and formal!

Report
Periwinkle007 · 11/06/2013 12:52

my youngest starts in september too, my eldest is currently in reception.

my daughter started in age 7 uniform because she is extremely tall and her summer dress which only just reaches her knees is age 8...

Report
MadeOfStarDust · 11/06/2013 13:10

mine are now Y6 and secondary Y7 - can I just say - Sharpies rule... forget the labels -
a) easy to write a name on the inside of a collar, or on a clothing label
b) some unscrupulous parents go through the lost property box and clip sewn in labels off....

make sure they can dress themselves, use the toilet unaided - and are not scared to flush! Put a spare set of undies in a plastic bag in their pe kit for accidents.

Write their name in marker pen on the INSIDE of their lunchboxes if they are having one - that way the dinner ladies know their name....

It is not as bad as it first feels - such an exciting phase for everyone!!!!

Report
Pyrrah · 12/06/2013 11:07

I sent DD off to the full-time nursery at one of the local Primaries when she was 3.5 and it has been pretty much Reception-lite all year. All the kids seem to have had no issues with a full school day. I am HOPING DD comes home zonked next year, would make a nice change.

Some of the things that I found helpful - especially for girls:

Jersey pinafores - pinafores are much easier to manage than skirts and the jersey ones pull on easily and wash well. Trousers are to be avoided due to them getting soaked on the bathroom floors when they let them drop round their ankles.

Buy more than you think you will need clothes wise - they get filthy, especially white polos/shirts and jumpers/cardigans made out of the fleecy stuff rather than the knit ones.

The teachers are used to kids who can't do their buttons up/wipe their bottoms/occasionally wet themselves and in my experience are really kind and helpful with them at this age.

Buying uniform too big is not a problem. My DD is tiny and even with the smallest size uniform I could find it was ridiculously long but she grew into it gradually.

Report
JustOneMoreBite · 12/06/2013 12:51

My main 'agh!' at the moment is that the school can't tell me yet what the starting arrangements are (when they start and on what basis), and the nursery are chivvying me for a finish date. Hopefully I'll find out more once the induction things start at the end of this month, but I'd like to have some idea of how much leave DH and I will need to take between us and when.

Report
BoysRule · 12/06/2013 20:58

Just reading your post OP made me well up. I am feeling very sad about this. My DS1 is very young (late August) and struggles with going to preschool 2 and a half days a week.

I am in denial - no uniform yet! He has a meet the teacher session soon and maybe then I will have to face up to it.

Report
superbagpuss · 12/06/2013 21:04

my DT start in sept
still waiting to hear about uniform, start dates etc although we have a afternoon meeting to attend so that should help

my issue is that my boys are tiny - do school clothes come in trouser size age 2?

saw a list of what they should know by now, little bit worried about them starting behind the others

Report
FishfingersAreOK · 12/06/2013 22:00

My DS started reception last year (my last to go, DD now in Y2) and I can remember feeling exactly like you.

He started in age 3 trousers and age 4 jumpers/tops Sainsbury's stuff has been great. The may even do younger stuff (as some nurseries/Pre-school have a uniform).

As for tiredness at the end of the day (if they are not used to full days) they will be knackered and possibly grumpy. Have in your mind to make bedtime half an hour earlier - they may well need it. Also have a snack with you at pick up - their blood sugars will be low - starve those grumps of with a flapjack/raisins and let them eat them on the way home (we abandoned the "We don't eat in the street/whilst walking home" rule for the first half term). They will not remember what they did. They will not want to talk about it. They may not want to talk at all on their way home. Grant them a recharge time (with snack) and then a big cuddle when you get home. You may then find out what they did over tea. But don't count on it Grin.

And you will be there. You will be mummy. And they will have (hopefully) behaved well all day - so when they see you they will let all the grumpiness land on your lap. Because they know you love them.

Have a bottle chilling for their first night...for you obviously Wine

Report
recall · 12/06/2013 22:06

these STIKINS are really good for name tags. You can just stick them on clothes, shoes drinks bottles?.anything.

Report
SizzleSazz · 12/06/2013 22:09

DD2 is still in age 3-4 cardigans and nearly at the end of reception!

Report
recall · 12/06/2013 22:30

I agree with fishfingersareok about them being grumpy after school, and not remembering what they did or wanting to talk about it.

Report
FishfingersAreOK · 13/06/2013 09:37

And name tags/labels....nah....sharpie pen or a laundry pen from the dry cleaners. Seriously everything labelled/written on by the time it would take you to get the sewing stuff out. Check it everyfew months to amke sure not faded. Do the first initials really thick/dense so even when faded they are stronger. Life is toooo short! [Grin]

Report
FishfingersAreOK · 13/06/2013 09:39

Oh and if they are going to be having packed lunches start teaching them now how to shut their drink bottle.....leftover drink dripping and schlooping around lunch bags is a PITA.

Report
MadeOfStarDust · 13/06/2013 09:41

Sooooooo right Fish....... ALSO with packed lunches - actually go through what to do to eat it - we had one gorgeous little boy start reception a couple of years ago - he sat with his hands on his lap waiting for a plate to be put out for his food...

Report

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

crazydrunkevilhamster · 13/06/2013 09:52

My Ds will still be 4 when he starts reception , but he has been doing 4 days full time nursery at the school he starts in September so im hoping the transition won't be to bad .
Met his teacher etc yesterday & got given a list of what uniform he will need , just hope he doesn't hate me for making him leave nursery as he loves his teacher

Report
lottieandmia · 13/06/2013 10:10

My youngest dc will start school in September. My tips are

Label everything twice (we have Stuck On You)
Get a keyring that will easily identify your child's book bag for them
shoe labels
teach your child to hang their coat on their peg before they start
if they have a lunch box, get one that is easy to clean
Avoid after school activities for at least the first term
Bring a snack at pick up time

Report
ExasperatedSigh · 13/06/2013 10:21

My PFB starts in September too. I am teary but excited for him (and me tbh Grin). Very grateful though that he was a week overdue and arrived in September instead of end of August, as he will be 5 when he starts and the difference in him between now and this time last year is just staggering.

He's ready for it all...I know I will cry though when I first drop him off Blush I'm also sad that he's not going to the same school as his best friend from nursery. DS is quite cautious socially and has formed a real bond with this little lad, so naturally I am now having all the 'will he make friends?' worries.

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.