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Did/will you cry when your child leaves primary school?

44 replies

anon1987 · 12/05/2017 01:09

My dd is going on to secondary school soon.
I'm not sad because she's growing up, I'm just sad that it will be the end of an era.
She's been there since she was 2yrs9mnths in nursery, and although I have 2 other dds who will continue on at the same school (one just starting) I just feel really sad about it.

I'll probably cry like a baby on leavers assembly, and again on her last day.
I will miss the familiar mums faces, as I'm not particularly close with any of the mums in my other dd class.

Will you cry or did you cry and feel upset?

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Trb17 · 12/05/2017 06:41

I only have one DD and she's in Y6. Like you I'm not sad about her going to high school. That's exciting. I'm sad about the end of a 7 year part of my life. I'll miss the playground chats and familiar Mum faces. The rushed conversations to finish before the bell goes. The group moaning about whatever has annoyed us. And I'll miss feeling involved I think. I'm probably going to cry.

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ProfYaffle · 12/05/2017 06:44

My youngest is in yr 5, eldest yr 8. No I will most definitely not cry - I can't wait! Next year will be my 10th and final year of being a primary parent and I'm done - more than ready to move on to the next stage.

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user1492287253 · 12/05/2017 06:46

My dd leaves her lower school at yr 4 this year. It had been wonderful. However i cannot bear the way they whip up the emotion and she is a sensitive child. Luckily we have a wedding to go to so she is missing the last 2 days.

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LooksBetterWithAFilter · 12/05/2017 07:16

I thought I would. Ds2 had his nursery leavers assembly in the morning and dd's primarybleavers assembly was in the evening so I thought I'd be emotional that day. I wasn't I was absolutely fine.
Last day of school for the summer waiting outside for them to come out and all dd's class started coming or crying. That was it I was off. Then I went in to see ds1's fantastic teacher who was moving schools for a promotion and she was crying and I was off again.
Still makes me fill up now. Like you I wasn't sad about them growing up just the end of an era and it was a happy sad day. Dd was growing into a lovely girl and her primary school is still a fantastic warm nurturing place and there was a bit of sadness that she was leaving that and going out into the big bad world a bit.
Got it all to do again next year with ds1.

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Berrybakecake1 · 12/05/2017 07:27

I cried happy tears. The leavers assembly was so funny though they were all given silly certicates eg the one who are the most on camp or the one who moans the most in class etc...it was funny.
They all said what they enjoyed most about being in yr6. Then they sung Chris de burgh 'I have been here' they all had their names on a card and when the chorus came they held their name stick up in the air. it made the girls cry soI was blubbering by this time.
Unfortunately for me my whole face goes bright red the moment I get choked up so I can't cry discreetly or just simply have a tear rolling down my cheek.
I was only one of 2 who cried. And we had a massive class bbq straight after so everyone was hugging me. It was slightly embarrassing but they were happy tears because I was so proud of ds and celebrating the end of an era and a new start for us all.
I recommend sunglasses on your head so you can put them on quickly for the playground collection afterwards.

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Berrybakecake1 · 12/05/2017 07:28

Ate the most on camp not are

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Theresnonamesleft · 12/05/2017 07:29

no. Even though primary has been my longest relationship of 20 years, I didn't cry when the others left and I won't be crying this time. I shall however celebrate that I am finally free. I've done my time.

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AllTheWittyNamesAreGone · 12/05/2017 07:29

No I felt excited for him, I've never felt sad about mine growing up, just pride in the people they are becoming

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Brokenbiscuit · 12/05/2017 07:32

Yes, I cried. So did lots of other parents - and most of the children. I wasn't sad that dd was growing up and moving on, as she was ready for the next step, but it was the end of an era, and I was very fond of her primary school.

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SmokeCloak · 12/05/2017 07:34

I was sad when my youngest left primary school. I had 3 DOcs go through the school and it was the end of that era.

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TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince · 12/05/2017 07:37

Mine moves up in September. I'm upset now. Not that she's moving on, but the fact that her innocence, and calling me mummy will disappear soon. The toy rabbits that are her soothers that she can't live without, will be cast aside as being babyish in a couple of years. But at the moment they are essential to her.

I will miss her childhood🙁

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DrDreReturns · 12/05/2017 07:38

I didn't!

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ASDismynormality · 12/05/2017 07:40

I did for both my daughters at the leavers assembly, the kids and other parents set me off! On the last day I didn't as they both were ready to move on, and it wasn't the end for me as DS is still there.

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nigelsbigface · 12/05/2017 10:39

I didn't think I would but just this week I've started to feel really sad-just that dd really isn't my 'little' girl anymore. I'm excited for her going on to her new chapter but feel quite tearful already about how big she is getting and how she needs me less.

We are also in the process of trying to sell our house-where she has lived since she was 19 months old-their dad moved it last year.It feels like a lot of change (all good and moving forward) and a lot of doors shutting all at once-lots of positives but still really sad in some ways.

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CMOTDibbler · 12/05/2017 10:50

No, I won't. Mine is 11 next week, but as we live in a middle school area we have another year before high school.
When he left his first school I didn't cry either .

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megletthesecond · 12/05/2017 10:55

I've already cried at the older kids in leaving assembly Blush .

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Floggingmolly · 12/05/2017 10:57

Yes, I did/will. Any "firsts" or "lasts" has me bawling, irregardless of how attached I actually am. Maybe I don't deal with change very well...

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Myfanwyprice · 12/05/2017 12:52

I know I will, a couple of years ago I went to the end of term assembly not realising that it would be focused on the leavers. Ds was in year 4 at the time and dd early years.

The year 6 children all sang hall of fame by the script while photos of them throughout their time at the school were shown on the projector - they weren't even my children and I cried!!

I do feel quite prepared now for ds to leave, he's definitely ready, but I do feel sad that his primary years are coming to an end.

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lonelysaddo · 12/05/2017 12:57

My ds was piped out of his school to highland cathedral on his last day, northern Scotland so used to the bag pipes but my god was I a sobbing mess.

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anon1987 · 12/05/2017 13:00

I'm crying already reading these comments Sad

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Oblomov17 · 12/05/2017 13:02

Nope for Ds2. Ds1 has already moved up to secondary. It's fine.

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OvO · 12/05/2017 13:02

My eldest starts high school this year. I don't think I'll cry. He was deferred (will be 12y 9m when he starts) so is definitely ready.

I think with him being that little bit older I don't feel like he's still my little boy, iykwim. Last year (when he should have gone) I definitely felt he was still my tiny little too precious for the rough and tumble of high school boy. BlushGrin

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barrygetamoveonplease · 12/05/2017 13:10

No. I showed her how to shake the dust from her feet as she stepped out of their premises for the last time.

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turkeyboots · 12/05/2017 13:12

DC really pushes all emotional buttons at the leavers assembly. I was helping in school for the last one and caught 5mins of it and was all teary. And I didn't know any of them!

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angeldiver · 12/05/2017 13:17

No. My dd1 left 4 years ago and there were no tears from us.
Dd2 leaves this year and I may cry happy tears as she is leaving an awful bunch of girls behind. Only in year 6 have they included her in anything, she has hung out with boys her whole time there, she has learned to love football Wink.
She is the only one going to the mixed grammar. I sincerely hope her senior school experience is better than her primary one.
I can't fault the school, they have provided her with a great education and she didn't have one dud teacher!
Can't wait for her to leave!! She too is excited but trepidatious to be moving on.

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