Starting school - the end of childhood innocence?

[AfterTheGlitterFades]

DD has just started Reception. She is a very happy, kind child who loves Enid Blyton and fairy stories, believes that the world is a good place full of nice people and only a few baddies (who always get their comeuppance), and that there is always a happy ending. Is this all going to get smashed out of her now? I have heard from other Mums that they learn all sorts of horrible things in the playground and you don't feel like they're your child anymore.

I want her to learn about the world of course, and she has to grow up, but she is so happy, everything is sunshine in her world, and I really want that to last as long as possible for her sake.

Can some other Mums who have been through this stage offer up their wisdom?

Well DD1 has just started year 1 and is exactly the same person as she was a year ago 🤷🏻‍♀️. Obviously they learn new things and are subject to other influences, but that’s what happens when they grow up. You can’t keep them babies forever.
Anyway mine is still happy, still lovely, still enjoys the same things and is still my loving little girl. DD2 started reception last week too and it’s been great to see how much she’s enjoying it.

My DD is just like yours, she has also just started school, and I don't like that she will learn that the world kind of sucks. But the thing is - the world does kind of suck, doesn't it? Ultimately if we don't teach them that there are shitty people out there then we're leaving them even more vulnerable to the shitty ones. Sometimes I wish I hadn't had children because life is suffering and I've inflicted that suffering on these sweet, beautiful, innocent people who I would die for

@SoyDora thanks for that! I know I can't keep her a baby forever, and I love seeing her curiousity about the world grow. I suppose there is just some stuff i don't want her to know about yet!

@AvengerDanvers95 Aaargh!!! I do agree and it is true, knowledge is power. On the other hand I want her to know not to go with strangers for example, but I don't want her to know exactly what those strangers might do to her in graphic detail though.

Oh bless you. She's happy and grounded in your love for her. That is all she needs. All of her class mates are tiny young innocents too. Yes the children learn all sorts of things at school that they wouldn't hear at home. But generally not so much in reception. When she does you will be proud of how she reacts to these exchanges as she will probably instinctively know what is right and wrong. She will continue to be happy but now she can enjoy new growth of mind and relationships. Embrace it.

BTW Enid Blyton does tell a cracking good children's story, but I decided to give my son some more contemporary reading after he picked up my husbands binoculars (aged 5) and shouted "Daddy, I found your field glasses"

(Falls upon @rritchie44 's neck and weeps in gratitude) That is a much better way of looking at it, and very reassuring.

I love what you said about the 'field glasses'! We do try and mix it up a bit now. When my daughter was aged 3 we had a big Beatrix Potter phase and she once greeted her granddad at the door with the words "may I take your bonnet"!

I hope she is having a good first week. She probably feels very grown up.

I love the "may I take your bonnet" I wish I had a bonnet.