June 2013 - the thread that lasts us a while

[Sunbeam18]

Starting our new one!

My two generally avoid each other at preschool! 😂 He's just jealous that she's getting to do something that he's not. Just something else to get possessive over...sigh!

Let's play who has the most ridiculous settling in period. She starts at 2.10pm on the 22nd September. That's an hour before the end of the week. The following week it's 1130 finishes and then a week of 130 finishes. Full time from 9th October!

And this is the shortest period. Some kids start a week or two earlier and have THREE weeks of 1130 finishes. I know school is not childcare and not about my convenience but it's pretty hard to have to find so much leave. We will gloss over the fact I've made it worse by having her leave nursery on 8th so we can have a week at centre parcs. I thought we would be back for her to start on 18th, not this faffing around bollocks!

She's having mini meltdowns about it at the mo. Really worried that she won't make friends!

That's ridiculous!

Straight to full days here! Which I expected, as the headteacher said he believed in throwing them straight into it when she started nursery.

I'm sure she'll be fine. Has she had a classroom taster session yet?

We have had another one. At the first DD went without us and the class was exactly as it will be when she starts. She came out very happy which was a relief. At the second we were allowed to attend, so we got to look around her new classroom and chat to her new teacher while she and DS (they won't forget him!) took part in some activities that had been set up for the children. Her new teacher will also spend a bit of time in the nursery so they can get to know each other a bit more in advance (the nursery teacher has also already sat down and discussed each child with the new teacher).

That's crazy. We are full time from 7th Sept!

That's DD's first day (the school is having a few inset days in a row that week before term starts)!

All we've done so far is take her in for a look around and to meet her teacher. We get a home visit the day before she starts.

It's certainly not unusual round here to have that length of settling in period. In some schools the summer borns have it stretched out over six weeks! What's unusual to me is how late this starts. Most of her friends start two weeks prior and have this period finished by the end of September

It does seem very late. DD will have been full time for a month by then. Where I'm originally from children start in August, so with the inset days added on our start date seemed late to me!

It's pretty rubbish having to use leave for that.

Good grief, that's almost Christmas! Our term starts on 16 August! Do they assume nobody has been to nursery?

We've had our first school report! Glowing in every area, from academic ability to physical skills to personality and ability to make friends. I was very surprised how long and detailed it is - mine were always brief, even at secondary school! Respect to the teacher who had almost 60 to write and put together (and included lovely photos and pictures to make it even more special).

Our preschool doesn't do a report. Maybe because it's private rather than attached to a school?

To be honest, I'm really not too concerned about the things it would cover, as I think it's a touch premature (unless there's significant, potential difficulty-type issues being picked up).

All I'm concentrating on is whether she's emotionally ready for school. The rest will follow from there!

Probably. It's signed off with a really nice message from the headteacher. It's a lovely thing to have and confirms she's more than ready for reception in all respects. The nursery teacher has discussed the children with the reception teacher however I guess this also puts exactly where they are with everything in black and white - so for example I imagine she'll carry on at her current reading level rather than having to go back to the beginning.

We have reports every month or so. I agree that I've no real interest in what she can and can't do right now. I'm much more concerned with whether she's happy, kind to others etc. I really dread formalising education and do wish we didn't have to do it.

At our parents evening someone put their hand up and said 'my child is exceptionally gifted and I'd like to know how he will be accommodated'. The teachers were a bit we will deal with that when it happens. The mother wasn't satisfied. She wanted him to go straight into year one. Because he 'will be bored otherwise'. Can you imagine?! We now think she's a dick. As do the teachers. And I of course am exceptionally interested to discover how exceptionally gifted this child is!

I know someone whose child has to stay in nursery for another year - their child was born in the first week of September. They asked if she can start reception this year (no!)! To be fair, she is very bright, however she won't be held back by being in nursery for another year. And the cut-off has to be somewhere.

I made a conscious decision not to try to teach DD certain things like how to read. If she asked questions (and she is inquisitive!) then I would answer. However the nursery teacher (having taught older years too) knows what she's doing so I've relaxed and we're going along with it. DD has a passion for learning (they've said she's eager to learn and loves to be challenged) so it would be silly not to.

We know what she's capable of, and we know what she's like at home but we are really happy that's she's also kind, caring and considerate at nursery. They said she's always well behaved and has impeccable manners. Those are the things that make us the proudest. I hope DS is the same!

I was a bright, studious, diligent child. I then grew up and rebelled something rotten! 😂

I'm not counting any chickens as to what DD will be like in later years, regardless of her promise right now. (After all, karma is a bitch, yes?!)

Haha!

I've always been quiet and boring.

We can only take each year (or month or even week!) as it comes.

I have always been loud, gregarious, driven to aim high career wise and sociable with a tendency towards ever changing hair colour, tattoos, body piercings and veganism.

My children are going to secretly eat steak, accept their natural hair colour and quit work at earliest opportunity.

How are you all? Had some horrible news the last couple of weeks so could do with some cheering up.

Tell me about your silly lovely 4 year olds. Mine learned last week to cycle a bike properly so is now a fiend for bike rides which both the dog, baby and me are very pleased about as we're going on long bike adventures again

I'm sorry to hear that, Sunny, I hope you're ok.

Aww, DD loves going on bike rides too, though she has to wait till the weekend when my husband is home as I can't keep an eye on her on her bike at the same time as DS, who runs off when given the slightest opportunity. There was a funny moment a couple of weeks back when she rang her bell in the local country park and a couple quite a bit further down the path literally jumped in the air to the side to escape the threat of being run over (she was nowhere near them)! She picked cycling up surprisingly quickly - it could have gone either way as apparently DH had no coordination as a child!

Sorry to hear that you've had a duff couple of weeks Sunny.

Bike riding is great fun! DS took to his like a duck to water and is so speedy too! We just need DD to get a smidgy bit bigger then she can go in the bike seat and family bike rides could become a possibility!

DS declared last week that I was going to be his wife when he grows up 🤣 I suggested that DH might be sad about that...he said that DD could be daddy's wife 🤣🤣

I think we will stick with plan A...DH & I will stay married to each other and the children can marry whoever they please (should they wish to!)

Am shattered here. DD had her 1yr immunisations this week and so we are working through thr hangover of that. I go back to work next month so trying to get as organised as possible.

Ps- Sunny- we have finally stopped using the bed guard that we borrowed from you many moons ago - would you like it back?

Now this is good distraction!

Biscuits I've had babies in my bike seat since 9 months - is yours different? Same with our bike trailer? Though it appears to involve narcolepsy for both children when they go in it.

And yes ! I was thinking I needed to get the bed gaurd back soon.

DH had the joy of trying to explain congenital defects to Lil tonight. She was upset that she doesn't get to have medicine (antibiotics) every night like DD2. She's loved coming to watch DD2 get her scans at the hospital but trying to explain kidneys (especially defective ones) is proving challenging

That does sound tricky Sunny. I hope DD2 is okay...

We have a Topeak carrier. DD was just a bit short for the straps to be totally secure when we tried her a few wks ago. Will try again soon though.

I'll send you a message re bed guard....I am still on mat leave for another few wks so plenty of opportunity to drop it off x

Morning!

DD has her last transition session at school today (the attached children's centre organised 2 school holiday sessions) and is excited. Though she's now very matter of fact about it all too, which is great.

I can recommend Hush Puppies if people are considering shoes. They have different insoles to give 3 widths (E, F and G) and have lovely sturdy soles too. None of that flimsy shoe nonsense!

Still need to buy plimsoles and some PE kit. Might see if DH can do that today!

Ooh, action on the thread! Good afternoon!

That's good, Fluffy.

We really struggle to get shoes for ours ours as they're both H width. We went into town a couple of months back and not one store had shoes to fit DD! We had to go home and buy online which was very disappointing for DD. One independent store out of town had one pair to fit DS.

Sainsbury's has never failed us for plimsolls - they do a nice style for £3! And they last until she outgrows them. Reviews complain they're wide but obviously that's great for us - they fit DD perfectly! I stock up a few sizes ahead just in case.

The children have already been told which 'house' they'll be in; they wear a t-shirt in their house colour for PE. We've gone for the school logo one as they're a reasonable price.

I think we're all set, I just need to stick the name stickers on everything (they're fab - lasted the whole of nursery and are still in perfect condition after being washed numerous times).

Ooo, what company did you use for the name stickers?

Stikins. Would highly recommend. Can stick them on anything, and they last.