Aww, he's growing up!

[MandyD]

Today I dropped in my application for a reception class place for my son (Sept 2003) to my local primary school. The way the secretary checked the details, saw we lived near enough to guarantee a place and smiled from ear to ear made it horribly real that in less than a year my little lad will be of to school! Anyone else felt that since September?

I'm a wicked mum - can't wait until No2 starts school, hoping to be in a better mood, with a clean house and more time for hubby, children and myself! (in an ideal world ...)

MandyD my 8 year old son has just wandered downstairs for a quick minute - he couldn't sleep. He saw your message on screen and wanted to say something:

When i was in reception class I found reception very fun it was my most exciting class of primary school you dont just play in that year at school they teach you how to cook as well.THATS ALL I WANT TO SAY. THANK YOU.

right, back to me again - my ds doesn't usually look over my shoulder when I'm on mumsnet btw -

If I can add to his message: the sadness of seeing my ds grow up is counterbalanced by the pleasure of hearing about all the new experiences school gives him.

Bless! But beware tigermoth - does he know it's a slippery slope ("one post, and he'll soon be in our grasp" )?

emsiewill, being a typical boy, he could do with honing his composition skills, so if that's what it takes.....

On the other hand, no. Mumsnet is sacred!

tigermoth, I love "very fun"!

Buying the first lot of pants.....

Anyone know when you should apply for school nursery places ? dd is only just 2 but I don't want to miss the boat ?

When you are tld to get off the bouncy castle when you have got on to play too (ds 24mths).

Scatterbrain - it varies from area to area. Here they start nursery in September when they are 3 - and applications have to be in by the end of March before that. Phone your local school, and they'll let you know what the system is in your area. Some nursery schools accept applications from birth.

I can't wait for my DS to start school!! I had his name down for nursery at 6 months and primary by 9 months!! He's still only 20 months ..... & I am counting the weeks .......!!

Did you know that here in NZ children start school ON their 5th birthday?

Wouldn't want to be a year 1 teacher and have new children turning up all year round ...

And as DS's (still only nearly 3) birthday is at the end of November he would start school ... go for 2 weeks and then have a 6 week summer holiday!

ghosty, what a way to spend your 5th birthday if you are dreading starting school or don't like it when you get there!

Ghosty - I think that's mean, what are the NZ authorities thinking? Is it meant as a special 'present' for them? Seriously though, I'm interested how children cope with the excitement of having a birthday and a whole new way of life to deal with in just one day? Is it not a big deal over there?

I don't want this to sound awful but I was talking to a 15yr old girl who I came into contact with through my job in schools - she wasn't very happy with her life. She told me that her Mum had always told her that school was there to give parents a break from their kids, as if they were around all the time they would 'do her head in.' So, yeah, I agree it gives Mums a break - but please don't ever tell your children that

PS Tigermoth - what a sweeite you've got!

or sweetie even - haven't got my contacts in!

That's good to know SueW ... it is something that I worry about as I am a teacher and I don't want to be a 'pushy' mum when DS goes to school ...

I know it is a little way off but can't help but think about it ...

But what about the thing that I said about DS having his birthday just before the summer holidays?

When DS was born we were still in the UK and had not yet decided to move here ... in the UK DS would start school at the beginning of the school year and would be one of the oldest in his year group ... now DS will start at the end and be one of the youngest ... just out of interest has anyone found that if their child is one of the youngest in the yeargroup they are at a disadvantage?

PS sorry to highjack your thread MandyD ...

Ghosty, my DS1's birthday is mid-July so when he started school he was 4 and 6 weeks and was the youngest in the year. His brain could cope with the work but his fine motor skills were a bit late developing, he used to hold a pencil like a screwdriver and his writing was like a spider's web.

The only real disadvantage it was to him though is that classes in KS2 in his school are divided by age, so the older children in a year are in a class with the year above, and the younger ones with the year below. The boys he was and is most friendly with are all old ones, so he was never in a class with them, and one or two used to wind him up by not letting him play because he belonged with the little ones. Also, being with the younger ones didn't help him develop more mature behaviour, which he certainly needed!

He is in Y10 now, started GCSE work this year, has legible fairly neat handwriting and so far, touch wood, he has finally realised how he should be behaving - he is working hard and getting good grades - phew.