40 years of school ends today.

Me too! My youngest is in y12 and my eldest started school in 1995. I'm really looking forward to not have to deal with a school ever again. Of course just as she leaves my gs starts school. I'm wishing my dd luck with that!

Maybe a mumsnet collective on how parenting has changed or stayed the same.

Op you need to write a book!

It's almost like having a career in parenthood isn't it.

37 years and this is my youngest’s last summer holiday. I really understand how you feel. To have the year no longer regulated by the school day and especially the school holidays, so strange after so long.

Goodness. What a marathon!

I have a friend whose children were at school for 34 years. She had five altogether, born over a period of 20 years.

Even now she is not able to take term-time holidays because she is a teacher!

Wow, I’ve never actually thought about it like this until your post. I started reception in 1999, my youngest sister will finish Year 11 in 2032 🤯 that’s actually insane! My son will only be four years behind her in 2036!

Ahhh you will have grandkids soon enough! Enjoy the peace! Well done on successfully getting them all through school. Celebrate!!

Wow, incredible! Time to do something for just you! Mark the milestone

So am I, quite a few grandparents here too. I still hate doing the afternoon pick up, so much hanging around.

And us but we're in good company with other grandparents.

It doesn’t sound silly at all. The school run and having children who are school-aged has been a huge part of your life and daily routines, it’s understandable that you will feel a sense of loss/sadness/anxiety around such a big change. I hope you are OK. Hopefully it will start to feel more normal.

I started the school run in 1975, and still doing it now with the grandkids,so I think I get the medal. 🤣I'm also loco parentis for emergencies.

I was much more cynical about modern day education, rolled my eyes a lot. Carried on doing a lot of reading with the third every evening. Ignored phonics. Bought Peter and Jane books, Famous Five etc. He was tested at 10 , had a reading age of 16. Amazing they said 🙄.

No not bloody amazing when you've lowered the bar so far.

It's been useful when my grandchildren parents have been upset by the school attitude. I've said carry on reading, handwriting practice, spellings, make it fun which is so much easier these days with the internet lessons. Don't be fooled when they're top in class. Again how low is the bar.

Kids are individuals treat them as such they may eat up the maths so is it too easy? Struggle elsewhere. Are they bored?

Lots of exercise and free play. They're like puppies.

Almost the same! Our child full life ended last year and the freedom is good. It's also very sad at times though! They're all happy and leading good lives which means we did it OK, despite the long years of insanity!

We had 15 years between youngest and oldest and amazingly they are incredibly close as adults
I had forgotten the relentless 'test me mum- at exam times though...

There’s 26 years between my eldest and youngest too although I didn’t have one in the middle! My youngest will start school next year and, although I actually enjoyed the school run and getting involved with my eldest’s education, I’m not sure how I feel about starting all over again and part of me wants to run away and do world schooling or something unconventional this time! I think it’s probably the 12 year break I’ll have had! My eldest did carry on studying for 10 years after school but I’d long stopped being able to help
him! It will be interesting to see what has changed though - there were no WhatsApp groups in 1999 which is the biggest difference I’ve noticed so far!

Love this. I am same age as your oldest. How did you find being a young mum in the 80s compared to an older mum 20 years later in terms of the primary school years?

Had my first 1980 , second 1982, third in 2001 . Did 39 years of childcare at home. Education changed considerably over the years. It really is two generations eldest was 21 doing his finals, second one heading off to university when the third was born. We're now paying for his final year of university because he had a two year working gap between his degree and his master's.

Have five grandchildren eldest ten, youngest 6.

The day I took my youngest to school for the first time walked through the same gates in 2005 that I'd walked through in 1984. A surreal feeling.

Roll your eyes all you want but it’s a genuine question. If she hasn’t had a job then yes she’ll feel like a spare part as that’s all she’s done for 40 years, most people feel like that when they retire.

Also how much parenting are you actually doing when your child is in high school? You’re not taking them to school or making their packed lunch, they do that themselves. I would be highly embarrassed if my mother was still walking me to school at 16, all teenagers would be. School life routine usually ends when your child leaves ordinary school, in secondary school you should be teaching independence and how to do things for yourself like a responsible adult.

I was weirded out after 15 years, OP. Including Covid.

Sending you big hugs. You'll get through it.

Wow, I've just finished 30 years of school run, and thought I was very unusual.😁
School started 1995 for DD, 2 DC in 00's and now youngest DS has just finished and will be at College in September. I am so looking forward to just getting in my car and driving to work without the extra detour, and getting up a bit later when on WFH days.

Crikey 40 years! By the time DD finishes Year 13, I will have had a child at school for 28 years & I thought that was a long time 😂.

Oh wow that's incredible @RapunzelsSplitEnds and here's me over here just starting out and im already tired. My little one is in reception and welcomed another baby earlier last year.

Hope you do something lovely to celebrate. X