June 2013 - the terrible twos aren't so terrible

[Biscuitswithtea]

Here goes with a new thread!

Yes though school applications round here are all a bit pointless. You only get the one you live on top of!

School will be exciting though it will be very weird to have just the small one at home on my day off. I am confident she will drop her nap approx two weeks after Polly starts school thus freeing me from having actual time to myself:)

Happy new year!

9th Jan deadline here and I have to keep checking my application confirmation email to reassure myself that I have actually applied and that I didn't just do it in my dreams.

DS had better not drop his naps when DD starts school!

Ha ha, Cup...I've been back into the website to check I've applied too! 😂 I've somehow lost the email, which wasn't helpful (especially when the application website was down for a few days at the point I realised I'd lost it!).

I can't believe we then have to wait 3 months for the result. I'm not sure it should actually take that long!

Lily dropped her naps approximately 2 weeks after DD2 was born so I can guarantee your number 2 children will also drop their naps otherwise the law of sod is not working properly.

Still haven't worked out the logistics of 1 at nursery and 1 at school and my working hours. Thankfully I get to stick my head in the sand for another year or so!

I imagine I'll be logging in (and getting my husband to double check!) on the 8th too! It is a long time to wait. 18th April here - and they make you wait till 4pm! I imagine them putting applications in order as they receive them (I'd find that quite a satisfying job!) but in reality it's probably a mad rush starting after the closing date.

Nooooo! Two years till DS starts nursery and I'm guaranteed 2 hours to myself each day (I get that in the evenings but it's not the same knowing they're there and you still have to listen out etc).

It seems impossible that our little lot could start school this year (we have another year to go with being Scotland)!

I get 3 hours to myself on Thursdays and Fridays now due to school nursery (I work the other three days) and its bloody brilliant. Don't think I fancy ever being full time again!

When do we need to register for school, btw, Scots? Is it November? That rings a bell?

I have been in and resubmitted several times! I've changed the order of the back up schools several times which is pointless as all of them are impracticable. I'm troubled by the absence of a 'well done you've completed everything' pop up, but of course they don't know that you might have social or care needs that need to be mentioned somewhere so they can't say you are definitely done. My current panic is that the recent bank statement submitted in October Is no longer recent enough.

The logistics are horrifying. Already getting two out the door to nursery in the morning kills me. To go to two separate locations will absolutely finish me off.

Even if the nap goes I will introduce the same system we have now. She gets an hour of tv while I hit the cross trainer 😃😃

We haven't had to submit any evidence here which I know is unusual. For the nursery application we just had to give our council tax number as proof of address and they took a copy of her birth certificate when she started. They already had all her details on the system for the primary school application, we just had to check everything, pick the school and submit. It just states that if there are too many applicants they'll ask for recent proof of address.

Sunbeam, does your ds go to a nursery attached to the primary school? That's what we will do in August. We applied for his nursery space as soon as he turned 3, ready to start in August 2017. The private nursery we currently use will provide wrap-around care to the school nursery and primary school on the days I am at work. Otherwise we would be totally screwed.

Not to mention the crazy thing that our local authority does of making EVERY FRIDAY a half day in the schools. Yep, finish at lunchtime EVERY SINGLE WEEK.

Hi Biscuits, yes, he goes to the nursery attached to the school he will go to. We are really happy with it. Yep, school finishes at lunchtime on Fridays here too (though weirdly the nursery doesn't)

We're at a private nursery but they stick a note on the wall and in your kids tray when it's time to apply. I have therefore abdicated all responsibility for remembering until then. Also there is zero issue on choice for me - there is a brand new primary school being built in the village for all the children with a tiny waiting list outside of the village for people who can be arsed driving their kid into school.

I go back to work tomorrow after 10 months off. Yeee heeee!

Good luck today, Sunny!

I'm back at work today which means a 5am start and the commute to Glasgow. I'm knackered! Must have an early night tonight. Probably won't though...I'm my own worst enemy!

How was your first day back Sunny? Can't believe how quickly that has come around!

It was decidedly boring. My line manager isn't back til Monday. No one seemed to know I was coming back. There was nothing left for me - no note, no indication that there is any work for me.

So I spent the first day deleting 4000 emails and reading things. The rest of the team are circling like sharks though and keep trying to get me to do their shit work including a Junior that suggested I do her filing. Er no that'll not be happening

Fingers crossed something crops up next week or I might be looking at the job pages for something to do...

So who watches Countryfile?? They contacted me yesterday to ask if they could make a short film about us and how we met! So it's called Countryfile diaries and will be a seven minute film shown on Valentine's Day. We will be interviewed about how we met in a hiking group and had a walking themed wedding and hen do. They will film us out walking with friends and then interview some others about how hiking is a great way to meet people! I trust you will all be watching:)

Ooh! How did they find out about you, Bean?

I can't wait to see it! We don't tend to watch anything for us during the day so I haven't seen it properly since I left home! The mention is bringing back memories of my mum eagerly waiting for weather for the week.

Now DS is older I am seriously thinking about trying out a rambling/ hiking group, despite meeting people being the last thing I want to do! There are some good walks around here, DH isn't keen and the only person I know who loves walking is my mum, and she's too far away (actually, FIL does too but he's always playing golf). And I'm useless at maps and directions. Saw that a local group had done a walk that I fancy doing two days too late - annoying!

Oh my Bean - Countryfile is quite literally DHs favourite TV show. He postpones Lilys bedtime on a Sunday so they can watch it together. He'll be very jealous that you're on there

Ok so it's actually Countryfile stories which is a series of five short films in the week as opposed to the main event on a Sunday! But that still counts as Countryfile as far as I'm concerned:)

When we got married Ramblers did a feature on us which was picked up elsewhere including by woman's own! So their researcher found us through that. Because of how we met we are a good bet for their human interest angle on Valentine's Day!

Love Countryfile! Please remind us closer to airing dates!

So I know primary school is a little way off yet, but it feels closer and closer all the time.
I've been wondering about the logistics of both me and DH working long days once DS starts school. Whilst we have wrap around care between 7.30 and 6pm if we need it (we will), it does mean that we won't get home home until shortly before 6pm. That seems a tough ask for a tired child to then fit in dinner and homework. What will you lot do?
I'm currently considering the wisdom of restructuring my days so that I work my 3 days over 4 or something like that.

DH is going to work in school hours or, if he has to do more / work away, we will get the in laws involved with sorting the kids / I'll work from home. We are lucky that we can be flexible / have retired family nearby.

That sounds ideal Hungry.
I can't restrict myself to school hours once the commute is factored in but I think we will need to do some planning so that the children are home at a slightly more reasonable time.

Quite a few people in my old office did condensed hours or part time (and term time only!). That is a lot to fit in a short time.

I'd have had to go part time if I'd gone back (I was on a career break after having DD but resigned last year). Even cutting my hours significantly it would have been too stressful. Public transport here isn't always the most reliable! My husband works away a lot so I need to be available at short notice really (in laws are in the area now but regularly go away and are usually doing their own thing).