Feeling sad about the end of the pre-school years

[Achurchi]

Hi everyone, I think I am just looking for others who feel the same and/or may have been through the same and might have any tips on how to navigate my feelings and also any practical solution/s please....

My youngest is starting Reception in September and since my eldest was a baby I have had a day/two days a week off work to spend with both of them. I feel really luck to have been able to do this as my work have been very flexible with me and allowed me to compress my working hours to enable me to have days off on a regular basis.

Once my youngest starts Reception there will be no more days together (other than weekends) and I am going to up my hours at work to bring in a bit more income as we are moving house and need the money.

I have really loved my days off together, firstly with my eldest and then with my youngest (there's 4 years between them so when my eldest started school, my youngest was born so I have had a pre-schooler for the last 8 years and it has provided lovely 121 time on my days off during the week).

After this week, it will be the summer holidays so this is my last week of having the 121 time with my daughter. How do people manage this sadness of not having any more of this time together? I realise there will still be the holidays, but owing to work schedules, it will be very rare to have 121 time as I will have both children, apart from the odd holiday club.

Does anyone have any suggestions of how to carve out 121 time on a regular basis when both parents work full time? I really value it, and think it is really good for the children to have 121 time with me and their Dad but struggling to think how to make it happen on a regular basis.

I am also just sad at the end of this era. I know lots of people find the pre-school era hard work, and I totally get that, but I have also really loved this special time together as well as being able to do activities during the week at venues which would normally be very busy at the weekends etc. I think I am probably just struggling with my youngest getting bigger TBH! Any guidance on how to stop myself dwelling on this would be much appreciated! It has been playing on my mind for months and now it is actually happening I am feeling really really sad :-(

I have no advice, but I have exactly the same age gap between my daughters. My littlest is about to start school too. I also have loved these years, and the special time I spend with them during my days off. I am desperately sad they are over. I just wanted to let you know you aren’t alone.

We just have to suck it up and be excited for them I guess. It will become our new normal soon enough and life will move into a new stage. I’m sure there will be new and unexpected type of joy to be found in that too (even if I will always remember this time so fondly).

Let yourself feel the feelings, it doesn’t help bottling it up. I often have a little cry to myself when they aren’t around about the end of this era of my life, and that’s OK. It means I’ve loved them well and hard and made the most of it! You can do it.

I remember feeling that way and telling my H through sobs that the best days of my life were ending! He was absolutely baffled, but it was definitely the end of an era. But you will get used to having a bit of your grown up self back, and the people they become are so funny and interesting that the time you spend together starts to be more actual fun, and less about doing things for them.
For one to one time there will soon be an array of hobbies to take them to, so standing on soggy playing fields, sitting in leisure centres waiting, you'll have some one to one with the child whose hobby it isn't!
Chapters closing are a bittersweet sorrow, so have a little wallow, and look forward to the new chapter that is starting xx

I’m feeling similar. I have an only and she starts school in late Aug. I don’t work Monday’s and we have lovely days out together. I have absolutely adored it.

I am so bloody sad about it (although won’t miss the nursery bill).

I am not returning to full time yet as my employer can’t fund it. But we will only have school hols together now which will be split with DH. I am going to try and do something nice after school on Monday’s though, even if just park and ice cream.

I have love the pre-school years. Absolutely loved it.

No suggestions @Achurchi but I feel you!

Thank you everyone, your messages have just made me cry (in a good way!). Sending love to you all too, it's such a bittersweet time, isn't it!

I am a long way down the line from you, my ds is 22 and about to move out permanently 😢. All through each stage of his life I made sure to make some personal 1:1 time, days out when he was a teenager, regular visits when he was at University. It was sometimes challenging, particularly in the teen years but ultimately I have fantastic memories and we still have a very close relationship.
So no real suggestions, it doesn't get easier!

I have the same age gap and like you I've loved having one to one time with both my dc. My youngest is only 2 so we still have a few years before school, but she is starting at morning preschool in September so I will lose that quality time with her when we'd do classes (she naps after lunch and then I have the school run for older DD, so our time together won't be as focused).

At weekends we tend to spend our time as a family with DH and both dcs, but that leaves time for one to one time with each parent as one of us will take the older one to parties, classes or just an older bit of the playground/soft play. In school holidays I often don't work but the eldest chooses to do activity camps so I'm still having some one to one time with my toddler. I expect when they're older and both are old enough for camps, I might alternate camps so I can have some one to one time with each child. I appreciate that's quite a luxury as they are expensive when not being used for childcare.

I feel the same, my LO starts reception in September and is on her last ever week in preschool. We currently have a 'Mummy day' together every week on my non-working day, a coffee / cake date on my half day every week, I am just going to miss these times so much.
I feel ridiculously sad at the end of this special chapter of our lives, I keep tearing up thinking about it! OH thinks I am being ridiculous but it feels like the end of her 'baby' era!

(obviously I am well aware that she is not actually a baby anymore lol)