To wonder what are the biggest differences once your children start school?

[CaptainFabulous]

DD is starting school this year and it feels like a weird mix of 'she can't go, she's my baby!' and 'oh thank god'.

So I thought I'd ask you all, what are the positive and negative differences you've found once your children have started school? I can only think of practicalities just now.

Positive
She'll learn how to read (exciting)
Less clothes required
Childcare costs come down, thank god
She will have loads of pals already from nursery and can make more

Negative
I'll have to finally give in and start ironing uniforms...
Homework (urgh)
Tiredness
No more nice afternoons together after nursery
The cliques, bullying, the playground...

These might be way off base, I've really no idea!

Ommm that made me laugh :)

This is a lovely thread. Mine are September born so I have anothe whole year before they start full time. Must bookmark this to remember to make the most of it.

Not sure if it is positive, or negative (depends....) but my two sounded just like me and their Dad (me RP English, him, soft Scots) until they went to school where DD in particular picked up a very local accent (lovely) but also lots of local ways of saying things and dialect words.

No pencil case

I'm Scotland too so my DS will be 4.8 bit still the youngest in the class. Hope he'll be ok.

I work full tkme so I'm used to DS having information and a life I'm not part of. He came home from nursery yesterday and told me about Harry styles! I was

DD1 has loved school since day one. DD2 due to start in September. I teeter between feeling excited for her as her adventure is about to begin, and feeling weepy that my baby is off to school. But looking forward (hopefully?) to life getting a little easier once both DCs at school.

My DC2 started P1 this year (Scotland)

Positives
Dropping him off at school on way to work and seeing his little figure,swamped by the massive school bag on his back, saunter in through the school gate and knowing he'll be well cared for by his teacher and all the other lovely staff
Being amazed at how much he can read now
Seeing all of the kids after Easter who all seem to have got so much taller than on their first day
Meeting new people and some old faces from baby & toddler groups 4yrs previous

Negatives
Homework
Price of feckin school shoes
Time going by way too fast now

Yes Toodles, their giant rucksacks making them look so wee and vulnerable...

Seeing their enthusiasm for all of their topics and telling you interesting facts that you actually don't know. Enjoying being stimulated so much and hoping this enthusiasm lasts as long as possible.

Watching them chatting to friends and learning social skills. So very sweet.

Having a lovely caring teacher who is so good with them all.

Appreciating the time you have outside of school a lot more.

Helping with their reading at home (once you've got to grips with phonics!) and the pleasure of seeing them read independently, or do a simple maths problem.

Seeing their work at parents evening and being in awe of the fantastic teaching staff who have made this happen.

We do have fewer clothes and don't do any ironing.

Feeling their pain when they have friendship issues at school and knowing this is a part of growing up they have to get through, realising some of the harder parts of life.

Wondering how they're doing at playtime and lunchtime while you're at work, hoping today they have friends to play with.

Not knowing how much they have eaten at school and whether it's actually tasty or not.

Logistics of what to do with the 13 weeks of school holidays every year.

The morning school run and rushing off to work every day because I don't get to know the other parents as much (a few SAHPs and lots on maternity leave or part-time with younger siblings at home).

Seeing time go by even quicker (especially when you see the older children at the school) and hoping it will slow down a bit.

I really looked forward to ds1 starting school. I'm a sahm and just felt that school would provide more social interactions and learning than I could at home. He started last September and loves it!
I don't iron uniforms and the only homework he gets is his reading books.
He's very sociable and has made lots of friends.
He and his younger brother fought constantly and now they see each other less, they fight far less and adore each other. I feel less stressed and am a better parent.
He was very tired for the first half term and he has had times where he's been hit by another child etc but the school deals with things like this really well.
When I dropped him off on his first day I didn't feel sad at all and felt a bit guilty when I saw parents crying on the way home! DS was really looking forward to it so I guess I was just excited for him.
I do miss him a bit as he's such a lovely child but school hasn't changed or influenced who he is.

At pick up he runs up to me with a huge smile on his face, shouts "MUMMY I LOVE YOU"! slams into my leg and gives me "100 kisses" (not actually 100) then excitedly shows me his new reading books or pictures he's drawn etc. It's wonderful and it's lovely to hear what he's been up to that day.

"Hoping today they have friends to play with."

Waahhhh that's why I should be able to pause the kids at their pre-school ages!

I thought I would hate it. But, on balance it has been a very positive experience. DD is in reception

Positives: seeing her grow in independence and confidence, and learning to 'manage' herself, both practically and emotionally
Seeing her making friends without my help - such a confidence boost for me as I am awful at making friends and worried she would struggle too
Having a routine, and more set times for playing together. I find this much easier than the long days of a preschooler and we actually do more together.
Doing her hair in the mornings (shallow I know), and seeing how excited she was when I finally mastered the "Elsa" plait.
Going to work and not feeling guilty that she is in childcare because I know she is where she is supposed to be as opposed to me "choosing" to send her to nursery.
Seeing how much she enjoys school. I always thought I would HE (I was HE'd) but DD hated being taught by me. She adores learning from her teacher and being a "good girl". Different dynamic I suppose.

Negatives: rushed mornings that get shouty too often.
Being tied to the strict times of the school run, especially the pick up when parking is a nightmare and it is all very stressful
Feeling out of control and in the dark about DD's progress and education.
Feeling helpless to do anything when she falls out with a friend or someone is mean to her.
Trying to fit everything in and make time for her to just play when every second is accounted for.

But on balance, I am enjoying it more than I thought. ??

DS starts school in sept. I am currently 33wks with ds2, so will be on mat leave for the first term and a half.

Concerns initially:

1. School run logistics - school is (according to googlemaps) 3.3km away, including a big hill. We are living in suburbs but school is closer into the city. I can foresee my life becoming a lot of walking or sitting in traffic! God knows how i will manage when back at work.
2. DS managing clothes/shoes/ independent toileting. I know its really basic but he has been very resistant and irritating about all this.
3. DS being 'behind' and struggling. No idea if this might happen but i just don't want him to find everything a huge stress. His pre school at present does a little but of educational stuff but is mostly learning through play so it might be a shock.

Positives:

1. Between 3-9mo of DS2s life it should be just us for a few hours a day, so i can go to baby groups etc.
2. I suspect Ds1 will make friends okay ( has done at nursery and preschool) and generally have a great time romping with them.
3. I think him being more tired out might be quite positive for our evenings - might get him into bed a teeny bit earlier.
4. Different activities - start instruments, sports, french ( wish i'd started languages earlier), drama etc so he can see what kind of things he likes.

Dreading sorting childcare for return to work.......head in sand at present......