Son starts school and we have never been apart for more than a couple of hours

[jumpingjules]

My little boy starts school in 10 days. Hours are 845 to 3.30 and he stays for a school lunch. he has only done three mornings a week at Nursery before 8.30 till 12.30 and with a packed lunch.
how on earth will he cope with such a long enforced separation from me? I am in despair as we are joined at the hip and he is so unprepared for this huge amount of time without me. I have of course explained it to him but at not even 5 they simply don't have a concept of time. I know I have made a rod for my own back but he is a late, longed for only child and I have cherished the last five eyars of being with him all the time. He is a very tricky eater which is why I didn't leave him at nursery as he had a melt down but if I go in at lunchtime as they ahve suggested to help him out he will think he is going home. I haven't slept for weeks thinking about it. Anyone else been here?

you could always home educate lol

if you live close enough you could bring him home for dinners to break up his day - i will be doing this with ds who will start reception at 4.5 as my mother did the same for me - i was not a socially well adjusted child and it meant everything to me

Thanks you all who helped and made my first foray into Mum's net so worthwhile. Well to update and sorry for being so slow..... on the friday before he was due to start at posh rigid prep school on the Tuesday I withdrew him. Aagh. My husband was so shocked (proabaly worrying about the £3k they will go afer us for...so am I!) but I went with the gut instinct. Instead DS went off to school were he had been to nursery instead without any bother at all. and gUess what i was really happy and not cut up at all. The withdrawing stuff has been traumatic and as usual it was me who did the dirty stuff like facing down the posh school,asking the other one to take him bcak but it was worth it. you are all so right it wasn't about DS leaving me so much as where he was going and my gut instint told me I had made a big mistake (and an expensive one...no holiday next year) but worth every grey hair, worry and sleepless night to put it right in the end. Happiness beats posh sports fields anyday. Thanks a million to you all.

Wow - well done jules! I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't have had the gumption to make that decision. Reading through - I'm sure you've done the right thing.

I can't tell you how many agonizing conversations we've had about private vs village for dd who started this week. But now it's started I know we made the right choice (we are lucky with our local school). And we get to keep our holidays