Reception not going well

[inmyslippers]

Bought the wrong coloured trousers can't find the right ones anywhere. Now we're due a heatwave and can't get shorts either. First day forgot his water bottle. Forgot his
Sun cream today. Is there a knack to this school stuff. Nursery seemed soo much more chilled. Got to put together a roald Dahl costume next week and can't think of anything worse. Like I've not got enough to do I now have to track down a costume.

Our school has a ridiculous uniform list, only buyable from one supplier, and none of it is in stock so are trying to source second hand or find similar stuff elsewhere. Didn’t even think about suncream today oops. Forgot the ballet shoes. Bought a 15cm ruler instead of a 30cm but DC can only count to 20 anyway so meh.

I hate costumes. Strongly recommend Amazon. Do size up slightly so you can reuse for World Book Day, maybe even Halloween (Willy Wonka is creepy AF).

George’s Marvellous Medicine is your saviour here
Also - Two water bottles, filled and in fridge on Sunday night, having two gives me time to get them washed regularly!

When did they start?

Empty book bag as soon as they come home, anything that needs to be dealt with, do it straight away. I write onto a wall calendar. a whiteboard and stick it in my work diary.

Get as much as you can ready the night before.

Wake up early.

No receptions are wearing shorts at our school, they won't melt in a pair of trousers.

Mental checklist when you leave - book bag, lunch, PE Kit, random shit they get you to send in etc.

Sod Roald Dahl costume - print a Golden Ticket, normal clothes and he is Charlie. Don't overthink costumes.

OP we put juice bottles in fridge and I even write a little note to myself to remember (I'm very forgetful) I put all in the bag in the morning and by the front door so we don't forget.
I agree with pp don't overthink costumes they used to stress me out but now I do what I can at short notice but if they tell us in plenty of time I'll order a cheap one as my dd loves dressing up but only if I know it'll get worn again. The normal clothes and be charlie is a great idea!

Not reception, but shorts? Suncream?? Where are you all? I got a message from school today to bring my coat when I needed to cover someone downstairs!!!!
Water bottles never get put away - rinsed and left on the side so I see it.

Costumes! Already!!! That's a bit tough. A pan and you are George? I've also seen someone with 42 shoes printed off and pinned on their clothes as the centipede. But lots of stories just have a young child in them.

Pack everything the evening before, as early as possible (as soon as they get home from the previous day, if you can), and leave the bag somewhere it won't be tripped over/interfered with, but will be remembered. Same for uniform, all laid out the night before, including underwear and hairbands. Anything that can't be packed in advance (e.g. stuff in the fridge), write a note and stick it to the inside of the front door so you see it on the way out in the morning, e.g. 'Don't forget packed lunch'

Roald Dahl costume: worn out old clothes or overall, e.g. old knitted jumper with holes in it, scruffy trousers - he's Danny (the Champion of the World), or, with a homemade/printed golden ticket, Charlie. Bits of chocolate around mouth and crumbs on clothes - he's Bruce Bogtrotter from Matilda or Augustus Gloop from Charlie. Luckily, there's a huge cast of Roald Dahl characters who just look like ordinary children.

Put everything you need by the door the night before, like right in front of the door so you can't leave without falling over it. George from George's Marvelous medicine normal clothes (an apron if you have one) a big pan and a wooden spoon.

It gets easier every year.
For example if you know your school does Roald Dahl Day and World Book Day, you learn to look out for costumes ahead of time. Very common to see posts on FB where people are looking for second hand costumes.

Does your school have an events calendar on their website? Do they put newsletters there? This should give you advance notice of events too.

I wouldn't worry about the shorts - if you are where I am then it's rain and much cooler from
Thursday

Costumes that soon are crap, but please don't send your 4 year old to school with a pan....

Due a heat wave that probably won't happen, he doesn't need shorts or to take sun cream in with him, and there's water in the tap at school.

Chill.

The heatwave is on in the SE. Definitely need sun cream.

John Lewis have loads of shorts available and you can next day deliver them. Same for trousers.

Lunches and drinks made the night before and put in the fridge.

Bags get emptied out as soon as they're in, anything that needs filling out is done and bagged immediately.

Buy a travel size sun lotion and leave it in their peg bag.

Go through the school website and diarise everything, especially inset days. If they have a weekly lunch menu, set a reoccurring event in you phone each week so you know what the lunch menu will be.

Please don't send your child to school with a pan... maybe a peach instead 🍑

Costumes this early in the school year?? Nightmare! Agree with all of the above re. evening before prep but try not to sweat the small stuff. Incorrect trousers, missing water bottles...all part and parcel of the school day and the teachers will have seen it all before.

I was very stressed when DD was in Reception (up until midnight, exhausted, scouring Amazon to get the 'right' world book day costume..). Now DS, who is 3 years behind her, has just started Y1 and I go with the flow. I didn't even get his school shoes sorted in time and so he went in wearing black trainers - unheard of when DD was his age!

@PeonyTime

Not reception, but shorts? Suncream?? Where are you all? I got a message from school today to bring my coat when I needed to cover someone downstairs!!!! Water bottles never get put away - rinsed and left on the side so I see it.

Costumes! Already!!! That's a bit tough. A pan and you are George? I've also seen someone with 42 shoes printed off and pinned on their clothes as the centipede. But lots of stories just have a young child in them.

It is 25 degrees here today!

Get an Alexa show, set daily/weekly reminders for everything (mine include ‘full water bottles’ and ‘PE day’).

Have a wall calendar. Write notable days in red (dress up days or whatever), put a note in for 2 weeks before said day to order (or make… 😬) a costume.

Ask on your local mum group or school whats app
I've given so much uniform away this week as my son is now 7 and it was all 4/5 yrs
Or ask the teacher if you can send him in cotton navy/ black shorts if you have some gym shorts

Roald Dahl can be easy.
Any character out of Matilda.
Animals from the enormous crocodile.
Danny from Danny the champion of the world.
Most of his books just have a kid in that he can be.

Wow so much hate for the pan both my kids were George and went in with a pan and a wooden spoon

@PeonyTime

Not reception, but shorts? Suncream?? Where are you all? I got a message from school today to bring my coat when I needed to cover someone downstairs!!!! Water bottles never get put away - rinsed and left on the side so I see it.

Costumes! Already!!! That's a bit tough. A pan and you are George? I've also seen someone with 42 shoes printed off and pinned on their clothes as the centipede. But lots of stories just have a young child in them.

It's 27° in London right now.

If you've got the space, a set of draws /boxes whatever for each day of the week. Load them up every weekend ready for the week ahead. I. E if Wednesday is p. E. Day, the pe kit goes in the Wednesday box.

Not sure what the problem with the pan is - I'm a teacher and wouldn't care.

Not reception, but shorts? Suncream?? Where are you all? London. 27 degrees! Going to be 30 tomorrow! And at our school it’s actually short trousers year round for the boys with no trouser option.

Thank you! Some wonderful suggestions here. Was really beating myself up for sending him in black instead of grey. We're in the north west and it's been super hot today. 27 tomorrow

Sainsbury’s have black gym shorts in, super cheap which could get you through this little heat wave.

Mathilda?
All you need is a pretend library book?

@inmyslippers

Bought the wrong coloured trousers can't find the right ones anywhere. Now we're due a heatwave and can't get shorts either. First day forgot his water bottle. Forgot his Sun cream today. Is there a knack to this school stuff. Nursery seemed soo much more chilled. Got to put together a roald Dahl costume next week and can't think of anything worse. Like I've not got enough to do I now have to track down a costume.

I know bloody Roald Dahl I've ordered a sweatshirt so it can be worn again!!

https://www.marksandspencer.com/l/kids/roald-dahl-and-natural-history-museum?extid=psps-genngglkwwchroalddahldresss-UKK---Grow&cqsrc=GOOGLE&cqqcmp=M&S-UK-G-Exa-All-SE-Kidswear-Clothing-Dresses-Grow-XX&cqcon=roald%20dahl%20dress&cqqterm=roald%20dahl%20dress&cqnet=g&cqqplt=gp&cqgclid=EAIaIQobChMIp8D379rq8gIVgrrtCh0pxA-fEAAYASAAEgIiwvDDBwE&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp8D379rq8gIVgrrtCh0pxA-fEAAYASAAEgIiwvDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds