Is ANY child absolutely fine with starting Reception?

[Elf]

I've been reading a few threads here and as it is that time of year I was interested to hear not about the children who are finding it tough starting school but those who are apparently fine.

In my opinion, most schools prefer the 'leave her and she'll be fine in five minutes' approach which frankly I don't buy into as it can go on for days/weeks etc.

Anyway, please let me know if your child started Reception with no worries. And any opinions as to why that was. Thanks.

DS1 and 2 were fine when they started both School and Nursery. I have to admit I was surprised - Ds1 went to a CM between the age of 7 months and 2 years, and cried pretty much every morning (which is why I stopped working during the day after I had DS2). Neither of them are hugely sociable children, they were quite shy really, but they seemed to find school quite comfortable. Actually thinking about it, DS2 cried once, because he thought he would be going into DS1s class with him when he started but once I explained he had his own class he was fine.

DD started Nursery a few weeks ago, and she's been fine too. She loves it.

DS is generally quite a steady boy though. I veer between wondering whether we will struggle with DD who does occasionally have her moments at day nursery (clingy rather than crying though) or whether she will be so proud of herself as a big girl that she will march in with her best friend without a backward glance. And DH thinks I am mad for voicing such thoughts a full year ahead of time.

dt's have had no problems whatsoever- they went to the attached playgroup and found the move incredibly easy, they babble on about 'school' all the time they're at home and we have lively discussions about their day. they are in different reception classes so that they can be individuals rather than 'the twins' so it wasn't made easier because they were a pair!

I tend to agree that often parents are a factor, there is a mum at recpetion 1 who hangs around so that lo can give her a kiss and a cuddle (and won't leave until she gets it even if lo is already engrossed in something) then she stands outside the classroom while the child screams looking through the glass- i mean fgs!!!! dt's sometimes say goodbye but if they walk straight into an activity then so be it and i sneak off, we never have tears

both of mine started fine

ds has never had a problem about going in

dd, periodically, makes a stance against going (she's in yr3 now and has done so every year since reception) but she has always had a bit of an anti-school stance .

The TAs at our school are VERY good at removing a tearful child from the person dropping off and jollying them along!

oh olive

now I think dd2 will be fine as she is a COMPLETELY different character than dd1

but she is an August birthday (dd1 October) so may find it hard being the youngest

who knows

DS was fine, I was really worried as he was 4 year 1 month when he started, so very young. A little bit nervous the first day but then fine and no tears at all. I think it helped enormously that it was a small class (12) and all of the 12 had been to preschool together which was in the school grounds, they also spent an hour a week for the last month of the summer term in the reception classroom. And also the reception teacher is wonderful, so much fun, she is really young and really played with them.

Ooh yes - the parents who peer in at the window SHOULD be shot.

There is absolutely no benefit to the child. You are either in the classroom settling them, or you are going home. Peering in must be soooo confusing.

yes, dd is August and we did get some tears from pure overtiredness (more than anything else) but I think all children find it tiring tbh

I don't think blaming it on the parents is particulalry constructive though if you are a parent who is having problems. I knpw that when my dd had problems it was nothing to dow ith me its just the child she is.

we're not aiming things at you- just that window peering makes the situation worse!!!

aiming things at me would be rather silly, my ds is fine! But sometimes its the parenst, sometimes its the kids, and this can be down to many factors. window peering is wierd, never seen people doing that!

DD breezes in every day as so most of her contemporaries

They all went to the adjoing pre school together and they ahve always gone into the school for jump start

Also dd is very laid back and embraces change...
somewhat oddly IMO

i think it makes a major difference if the child has been introduced to the school before being thrust into it every day- ie a pre-school or playgroup joined to the school.

Olive don't let me start you worrying about DD2 yet. As you already know age doesn't necessarily mean anything.

DS is fine (so far) He is 4.9 yrs - so middling old for his cohort.
He knows most of his class from nursery - and he had no problems there either. He knew some of them from playgroup (and the Mums deliberately had several playdates over the summer).
The transition arrangements were brilliant - they all visited reception, and spent half a day there. The teachers came into nursery on several occasions to do things with the nursery class.
I deliberately DIDN'T build up school as something special - 'just like nursery, but you stay a bit longer', which it is - we based our choice of school largely on the brilliant child-centered, play based approach to the foundation stage that this school has.

Hi, had meeting with the head today.

She was very nice and she spoke to ds today. She went into the dining hall at lunch and he was crying. She took him out for a chat. Has told all the lunch staff to be aware and look out for him. She checked him before our meeting too and said he was happy doing circle time.

She said he could go home for lunch and come back for the afternoon or just go home and have the afternoon off, but she thinks its prob best to wait a bit more. He has got better and is now only really getting upset at lunchtime. Its not a tiredness thing its just the fact he's away from me for so long.

Twig we do LOADS of playdates. Have been for a year with the nursery children who are now in reception with him.

I know how you feel olive

He was so happy this afternoon. We went to a friends for tea and he had a great time.
teacher said he'd got upset at lunch but that was it. He had a certificate again too. She's is trying her best with him.

My DS was fine starting Yr R - he loved it so much that one day, when they said he couldn't stay because he had conjunctivitis, he cried his eyes out for the whole morning and demanded to go back to school.

YR 1 was harder as they pretty quickly realised they had to do real work and there was very little playing any more. He didn't cry but made sure I knew every single morning that he didn't want to go.

Thanks for the interesting responses. There are so many factors of course and I am interested to hear different people's experiences. Sorry, my brain just won't allow me to comment further at the moment (bad night).

Luckily we didn't have any problems with DD starting school. She didn't know the school well, had visited once in the summer term before starting, once the November before for assessment and once on an open day before that. But she was so eager to go and so excited. Fortunately it worked out well.

DD was the same at nursery too - straight in with no problems.

DD1 started Reception last year, only knew two other children and she settled in quick and was full of news everyday. She's not keen on the academic side but loves art, music & sport. She's quite confident, talked early and never had a baby-voice and that helped her mix well socially - especially with adults.

DS1 started Reception 3 weeks ago. He's been tired but hasn't been reluctant to go. In fact, he's out of the car and off up the drive like lightning! He only knew one other child but has his big sis in the classroom nextdoor and knows most of her classmates. He also mixes well socially but his language skills aren't great. He's already getting invites to play at his 'new' friends houses.

I'm confident and positive and chat with the teachers & other parents, it is a really friendly environment, which probably gives a good impression to the DCs. But it may just be luck!

Dd has had no problems at all - totally happy. A few tears at home due to being tired, but fine. She is familiar with the school, as ds1 is there already (Y2), she is VERY ready for school, and has been bored at playgroup, she just needed the extra stimulation.

DS1 walked in like he'd been going all his life and settled straight away.

For those children that did have tears they didn't last long with the "say goodbye....and bugger off" (parents that is) approach.