Reception-what to expect?!

[Pleasenomorecheese]

My dd is starting reception and I have few worries and wondered what others have experienced …

• she only did 15 hrs a week at preschool. Full time is going to be a massive shock. Worried she’ll be utterly exhausted
• lunch - I think she’s might be so overwhelmed in the hall
• shes really good at loo etc but poo wipes are not always brilliant 🫢

how did other kids get on?

The reception staff are well versed in all new starter issues and will make sure she's fine. They'll have kids that are fully toilet trained, and kids still in nappies or having regular accidents, kids that can write and kids that won't even hold a pencil, kids that will sit still and kids that just want to roam and explore - they've seen it all, honestly!!

Tiredness - yeah, she'll be tired - we are after a working week I guess but it's a good tired. With ds1 I made sure he only did his school day for the first term so he could settle in. No brekkie club of after school club, no activities in the evening etc. it set him up well but obvs, many parents can't do that as they have to work - I was just lucky my boss sorted out my teaching time so I was always off first and last period so I was able to drop off and collect.

Lunch - you'd be amazed. Children that won't eat certain foods will suddenly eat all sorts when they're friends are. At DS's school they have some of the Y6's going in to help reception at lunch time and the reception children love it.

She will be absolutely fine - while you're at home thinking how she's doing all day every day and fretting. They get them into the swing of the day really really quickly!!

Great to hear. Thank you!

I'm a midday supervisor for Reception children, we keep an eye on the new children and will spend time getting them settled in the hall. Usually after a week or so you'd think they had been doing it for years.

Toilet accidents are pretty common to start with, we will help clean them up if needed, find them clean clothes if they don't have spares, etc.

Tiredness is to be expected but she might surprise you, my dgd was really tired for a couple of weeks but after that she adjusted to it all. Mind you, she's 8 now and still needs 10 hours a night to function properly 🙂

My daughter started reception last week and she only turned 4 a couple of weeks ago.

I was worried about the tiredness, but she came running out every day absolutely full of beans and had crazy time until finally giving in to sleep at 8pm 😆

I was worried about the other things you mentioned but I feel so much better now. She absolutely loves it and wanted to go in this weekend!

They get pretty tired, but it just meant earlier and easier bedtime for a while.

If it's a poo disaster the staff are great at sorting it, though mine do/did come home with minor skids quite often through reception and into year 1.

The school will have a plan for the lunch hall, our school gets all the new starters in for lunch a little earlier for the first few weeks, so they've mostly finished before the other year groups come in. They also offer fruit snacks, mainly for morning break, but if a child didn't eat well and is hungry after lunch, then they will be offered an apple or whatever to see them through. I'd also offer a snack as soon as you get home, or even take it with you if it's a long walk.

These had really allayed some of my concerns. It’s definitely my worries and not hers!

Glad you're feeling a little more settled - it's a big step for you both.

I remember going from pre school where they told me about every wee, drink or activity he did in minute detail to going to school and getting next to nothing apart from what he told me himself!! Now we're coming to the end of primary and the emphasis is more on him taking responsibility and remembering things for himself rather than us being told beforehand (obvs we get told the big stuff but you get the gist!)

I still remember taking him on the playground that first day and shedding a little year because I wasn't quite ready to lose my little sidekick - but, I know we've been lucky, but we've had 6 years so far where he's skipped into school every day and absolutely loves to learn!!

Good luck to you both as you both settle into your new routine. You'll be back on here in no time asking how to get the sodding "washable" paint out of her uniform!!! 😂