40 years of school ends today.

The kids and their school is part of your identity, it is literally ingrained in you and is your norm.

Its a huge change to have in part of your identity taken away from you.

It’s also the realisation that they’ve grown up so quickly.

You still have so much to look forward to and to experience both as a parent and an individual.

Think of it as the next exciting chapter in yours and your kids lives, rather than be too sad that it’s over.

I'm done with primary school on Friday after 19 years - I can barely wait!

Have to say though that I've spent most of this final year of drop offs and pick ups having nightmares about me turning up heavily pregnant on the final day and the headteacher bursting into tears at the idea of another Little PPP starting in 5 years time! I'm 48 so whilst not inconceivable, it would definitely be disastrous!

Roll on the end of big school too.

Wow @RapunzelsSplitEnds - 40 years of school stuff! I only did 17 years and that was truly enough. V relieved when it was all over, but nothing much changed for me as I was working and I didn't physically do school runs in secondary. Covid also marred the last two years of my youngest's school 'career'.

My mum did the same thing as she had me in her early 40s, rare back in the day. Women collected their pension at 60 and I was still at school (just). I remember buying her 60th bday card with a friend and her thinking WTF.

I agree with others that you could book a term time holiday. My parents were teachers and it was a great joy to me to be able to go holiday when children were at school as I chose another career. I am retired now and hate being anywhere if children are on holiday .I relish going away in September and seeing children are at school when we are on days out.

Wow @RapunzelsSplitEnds that’s amazing!

Please consider writing a book. Seriously. You will have such a unique perspective on the changes over that period of time. It would be fascinating!

Maybe @mnhq could back it - I live what you said about the “cathedral of wisdom”😁

Hats off to you I’m 52 and have an 18 year old.

wow congrats OP this is an amazing story 💖

Congratulations on completing an amazing milestone!! It takes a while to decompress form that type of routine though, good job you have plans to be busy.
I had a similar thing with primary schools as we had used the same school across a 20 yr period for our 4 children. I was crying as I handed out gifts to the teachers - I am a teacher myself!! I still have contact personally with a couple of the teachers.
I am now totally attached to my youngest child's secondary specialist school !! I am making the most of the next few years he is there but will likely still support them moving forward.

I can't even begin to imagine dealing with school stuff for so long, and the stress that goes with it.

DD was an only (infertility) and when she left school I was quite relieved that I didn't have other children to have to go through it all again.

When DD went to university I joined a book group and a charity. At 66 I still work and am enjoying a good life/work balance.

When I retire I will have a look at what the local U3A group has to offer.

Wow OP! I am 2 years older than your eldest and my daughter is 2 years younger than your youngest!

When I think how school was when I started and how it is now, it's amazing to think you've watched it evolve! Enjoy this new phase of life!

I studied it for my own GCSEs, taught it as a new teacher and all 3DCs have studied it including Y10 DD currently.

What an achievement OP - I'm in the opposite situation with 3DC across only 4 school years (though 5 'real' years age gap) Secondary school is going by in a flash with DC2 leaving this year. I work in primary now though so will be still be in school mode for quite a while yet.

Hi op, I was pondering this situation myself yesterday. My first child started school in 2000 and my youngest is in year 5. When she finishes school, I will have had a child in school for 31-33 years depending on her staying on till 18. It will be a massive change, no more uniform to buy or iron on a Sunday. No more chasing up homework or planning holidays around term times. I can't imagine it but I hope it's a positive change.

The lady asking if the op had a job. 🙄

I've always managed to work around my kids and made it work, I was working from home happily long before it became the norm! 🙂

Maybe op was a sahp , maybe not but either way when you do "school life" for such a long period of time it is a big change when it ends!

There were 4 of us with quite a big gap from eldest to youngest and all went to Uni.

My mum was very happy and celebrating when the youngest did his final Uni exam!

Blimey! I have 3 kids but had mine all within four years which was hectic but wonderful watching them grow up as a little team.

hats off to you OP though I can’t imagine anything worse than 40 years of kids in school…. It must be almost like bringing a child up from new born to teenager and then starting all over again. And then again! 😬

An Inspector Calls.....absolutely the only play in the English language, ever.

I’m just glad I do t have to iron uniform anymore, last batch done last Sunday hurray I won’t miss the Sunday 7pm diabolical chore

This gives me hope as I’m 46 and desperate for my rainbow baby after baby loss. My own DS just finished GCSEs and I feel heartbroken

Of course people work when they have kids. But most usually go back when the kids start nursery. If op hasn’t had a job during this time then it’s understandable to feel out of sorts as this is all she’s done. But it’s rare to be a SAHP when kids are in school.

People work while kids are in school. She didn't say she was a SAHP.
I did 40 years of school runs as a nurse. I worked for private companies and finished in time for school pick up. Then did after school care for other kids and my boss's son meaning I always made it out in time.

I still do keep up roughly with when the school holidays are even though I have no school aged children anymore.

I do it purely so that we can ensure to book our holidays in school term time rather than at any of the peaks of the season. 😃🤣

Oh wow just wanted to say I was born in 82 and my ds in 2007. What a shift you've put in, amazing 😍

Did you not have a job during this 40 year period op?