Hate it now Dd is at school

OP your bond will change as she gets older whatever she's doing school wise.

I also think you need to reevaluate the ‘change in your bond’ thing. I suspect she doesn’t feel this at all, you do, because she’s no longer quite as reliant on you as she once was and you enjoy being relied upon by a small child.

Again my mum was like this, she loved small babies and toddlers because she was their world and didn’t like it when we gained more independence. It became a bit of a source of conflict over the years as she didn’t want us to grow up, so please tread carefully. Celebrate the fact you’ve been privileged enough to raise her to a point where she can go to school, make her own friends, take her first steps into the world outside the house.

Absolutely 100% keep her part time for the last couple of months. She'd rather have that bit more time with you and you'd rather it too! She'll have no choice soon so absolutely make the most of it now. You'd be mad to do anything else IMO. She's only 5 and you're a teacher so she won't be missing out on anything!
Her teacher might feel differently though if the school only gets funding on the days she attends.....

Enjoy every minute ! But don't worry that your bond is getting weaker. My DD is going to be 37 next week, and yet we still have a wonderful bond despite her having her own husband and children. We still make time for mother / daughter time . You'll do that as time goes on - they move away from you and then they come back.

Well my mum was very trapped in the baby/preschool stage with all of us, she gave up all her interests for a very long time to be ‘mummy’ and as we got older she just wasn’t somebody who you could really go to for advice on anything, because her personal experience of life became so limited to caring for small children. Mums like this tend to then work part time forever and retreat into their houses because they’re not really sure how to get back out into the world any more.

I completely understand, OP. It’s normal to miss a time in your child’s life/your life as a mother. Can you think of something new you and your daughter can do together - something that will be fun for both of you, and that she couldn’t do when she was younger? Or come up with some outing for the two of you and schedule it on the calendar.

@Thesunscomingout But the principle is the same.

My ds is August born which meant in the UK, he started full time primary school at 4years 3weeks.

You have to adapt with them if you don't want to spend the years at a loose end and feeling lonely..

I understand OP. I think you are perhaps experiencing some loss about the life stage that your DD (and you) have been through. My Dd is 10 and I often think parenting is like a process of gradually letting go. It’s OK to feel this and completely normal. Yes some people do try and delay this feeling by having more children but some can’t or don’t want to do this. Either way there will always be a sense of loss with the youngest.

I think as your kids get older it's more important to have your own interests. You need to be a person to them and not just mum.

@Thesunscomingout

I think when it started school were more unsure around the workings.

One mum talks of them being tricky with her eldest but much more of a joint effort now.

It's a sort of hybrid of school and home school.

They don't like us to take Monday, which is fine. That's the learning plan for week day.

There a few of us so Friday we all tend to meet. Either join in with home school activities or set our own, always outside.

Thursday is our day, varies each week.

Lots are on farms, so the kids help there. Mine are but a little young yet. Some are working in other outdoor areas. Horses are a big thing for lots of people.

School are good so like this week it's closed Monday Tuesday so mine can go in Thursday and Friday if I wanted to keep her school hours much the same.

A Friday here is PE and wind down anyway so nothing missed.

I found out the animal and play park we spent so many of my days off at do a reduced rate after school. Sometimes on my day off I pick up the eldest and we go for a quick play and an ice cream after school. It feels like old times, can you do something like that? Bring her scooter or bike and go out after school, or see if there's any activities on you can do before you get home from the school run?

You now need to become somebody who can guide your DD through the future stages of her life rather than just being ‘mummy’ to a little one. Become independent, have your own interests, be a bit knowledgeable about the workplace. It’s lovely doing the messy place stuff when they’re pre school but you also need to be somebody capable of guiding them as they get older.

I'm guessing g preschool is a lot more formal where you live if you're talking about workbooks and turning 6 (its for 3/4yos in England, and just play based really, school starts at 4 but again us play based).

Does she enjoy preschool? That's the most important thing.

Children grow and their world gets bigger. You can't hold her back. My ds is 15, he's taller than me now and starts 6th form in September.

He heads off for whole weeks at a time - school exchanges and skiing. In two years he'll disappear off to university and I'll only see him a few weeks a year.

The trick is to plan your newly available time in advance. Get a job or do a course in something. Start a business or volunteer for a charity. Life moves on and you have to move with it. xx

I think you need to start putting yourself first a bit more, can’t you work more hours? What did you do before you had her? Just because you’re a parent don’t lose sight of being you.

It's an adjustment OP and adjustments can be really hard even if it's the right thing to do.

She's 5, not 15.....