Youngest starting school-hand hold needed

[emotionalupnorth]

Shamelessly posting here as I can't find anything similar in parenting, primary education or in my active thread. Just need to talk really and see if anyone else is feeling the same.

My youngest dc starts reception on Monday and I'm feeling very emotional so about it tonight. He's my last child (single mum and now 43 so definitely no more) so I'm very conscious of the fact that he will be in school for what seems like forever from now on. Last year he did 2.5 days a week at the nursery in the same school. My eldest started high school when he started nursery and that was an emotional wrench but knowing he's my last to start school properly is really getting to me. He's still so little! I've no worries about him at all, it's just me He's got lots of friends there and knows the school well. He'll love it and I'll love having time to myself finally and hopefully finding a job and getting back to being not just mummy but someone with a life outside of home and school.

Part of my feelings stem from him not having a dad and therefore I have no one to share my feelings with. Well, he does have a dad but he's only seen him once as he didn't want another child. So all the milestones have been just me and my DDs. It makes me sad sometimes and starting school is such a biggie.

He's only on half days for the first week so that's a lot of faffing around going to and from school 3 times a day but he's full time from the 16th. I am going to make a list of all the things I'd like to do that I've not been able to do with him at home. So much paperwork, clothes, and general crap to sort through along with decorating and much needed exercise. I'm looking forward to time to myself but anxious about getting a job as I've not worked for 4.5 years now due to circumstances I'm not going into.

So it's all change and all a bit emotional. I'm perimenopausal too which definitely doesn't help.

Thanks for reading!

Aww op it's totally normal and pretty common to feel this way, especially when it's your last child! I felt exactly the same so you are not alone. Lots of people joke about being happy to send their kids off, lots of people are happy to send their kids off but there also people for who it is a really emotional, sad time.

Wave him off with a cuddle and a smile then have a good cry if you need to! You'll both soon adjust, and in the meantime your list of chores etc is a great idea to keep you occupied. I've waffled on enough but stay strong and wishing you both lots of luck

Ahhhh I know what you mean. Mines a teenager now and I feel so sad that I've lost my little girl. Like you I'm peri menopausal and I'm not having any more. I find a lot of life stages hard tbh x

I know how you feel OP. My son started YR last year and also my dd started secondary school as well. it was so emotional and he his my last baby too and I also been a stay at home mum due to my husband working abroad and I couldn’t afford childcare for 4 children. He is now in year 1. I have enjoyed having me time and now I’m trying to find the term time job.

Thank you everyone for your kind words. He's gone in fine this morning and I'm ok too. I think it will be next week when he's full time that the reality will sink in. I'm sat having a cup of tea and some quiet. The first quiet in 8 weeks so it's almost eerie.

My youngest started school last week and i'm very sad about it too. I've been a SAHM for almost 6 years (since ds was born- he started yr 1 last week)and I'm going to miss dd and the stuff we used to do terribly. I'm starting work in a few of weeks so getting the house straight at the moment. People keep telling me how great it must be to have all of this free time and how pleased I must be having them both 'off my hands'but i've loved being given at home with them tbh.