were into september not long now frantic label sewing, shoe buying and general getting organised and breath!!

[bodenaddict]

hi ladies here is our new thread

Awww.... well done your ds.

dd starts staying for lunch next week, and she is just starting to baulk at it. She says she would rather have lunch with me.

oh aranea that would make me cry. Is she having a packed lunch or a school lunch? My dd cheered up immeasurably on her first lunchtime this term apparently when she had lunch and found a little card to her from my mil (who had put it in the previous night as a surprise?). Might that make your dd a little happier

I've been sleeping so badly this week I'm more tired than dd! I'm slightly ashamed to admit I tried to settle dd with Cbeebies this afternoon and she would have none of it - insisting I play with her .

Aranea - dd begged me to give her a packed lunch on Monday but has (mostly) enjoyed her school dinners (someone has to help cutting her food up though - I hope they don't stop doing that too soon).

All this school stuff is tiring isn't it!?!

• FAB day had over here!

The teacher came to the door and opened it. DD said "Hurray it is open." Shortly followed by "I gotta go taw sca-oowl naow!" And then she just ran in!!! - let's hope it is as good tomorrow!!!

Today was the first day that sandwiches have been eaten - could it be a coincidence that Daddy made them? I see an opportunity for delegation arising "but he only eats them if you do it, dear".

Still one more day until the weekend, but he seems to have been enjoying himself. First party invitation arrived today, along with a letter about a class toy which you get for the weekend, and have to do exciting things with it. I can imagine I'll be crossing my fingers hoping it doesn't come home with us!

hi ladies

dd1 starts school a week today

She'll be having school dinners unless something goes badly wrong... I can't face the idea of making packed lunches, and she isn't a fussy eater really. I don't know why she's suddenly changed her mind, but I don't think it's to do with the food iyswim. Sweet idea about the card though, moodlum.

Great that it's going so well, tea and golgi!

Oh bugger, dd2 is awake. gotta go.

bodenaddict - all will be fine! Your name reminds me of a lurverly school coat from your addiction shop this thread led me to want to buy for dd. Has anyone here bought winter coats ready or are you waiting until it gets cold?

I think one of the great things about DDs school day is that it doesn't start until 1.30pm.

We have been slowly getting ready. We spent over an hour in bed reading and listening to music yesterday. Then dd spent ages in the bath followed by spending a longtime getting dressed herself. She was very proud of her new putting on socks and shoes skills!!!

We have a year of this routine before next September when she will go full-time and we will cross the park her school is in bleary-eyed and confused by the sun!

Is anyone here in an afternoon group? How do you find it?

Also I thought it would be fun to ask how people are getting their los to and from school so I can imagine you all on your 'school run' a bit clearer...

We walk a bit, take the metro a bit then walk again. DD often ends up having a little shoulder carry here and there because she is very lazy and I am far too soft as it is a long way for lickle legs.

We have a 15-20 minute walk to the village school. The junior school is a bit too far and we'll need to drive when she goes up there.

I have bought a weather proof and a lighter raincoat already for dd - I just need to sew those blasted labels on so thank goodness for the mild weather.

I do wish I could get dd to put her own socks on!

Hi can I join in the thread?

My dd1 starts school mon. They do first week half days, second week stay until lunch, third week all day.

I cried reading that poem by Roger McGough.

My dd is nearly 4 and 6 months, she looks like she is in year 1 she is very tall and also very advanced she can already read and write as i have taught her myself.

she went to the nursery at the school which was 2 1/2 hrs a day and even has her nursery teacher moving to the reception to teach so she will have the same teacher. She loves the school and can not wait to start.

I probably should be feeling fine about it but i just keep crying and i am dreading it. Its not as if I have never left her before she went to the school nursey she was in a full time nursery while i was studying. However I felt guilty every day i left her and ds there.

I deffered my degree and took that year to spend quality time as I new she would start school and then i would not have a choice to keep her at home.

Now the time has come I dont want to loose her. I enjoy taking her to playgroups and she is my baby. And my son is going back to nursery as I restart my degree.

I just keep worrying about the playground its so busy and she is so accident prone. I am sorry to go on I feel like i should not need to be worried but i feel like sending her to school with a video camera connected to the internet so I could just check in on her all day.

My DS won't put his socks on either...I thought it was a boy thing but obviously not lol!

Well after a great start to the week its all gone a bit downhill and I have got a very very sad little boy at the moment. After his wobble yesterday morning he apparently had a lovely day and really enjoyed it and was all happy when I picked him up. We literally got home and within 2 minutes he was crying and saying he didn't want to go back.

I brushed it off and just carried on as normal but the crying etc literally went on all evening...and it was the first thing he said when he opened his eyes this morning. Managed to get out of him on the walk to school this morning(which is about 20 mins!) that he doesn't like it because most of the class are part time and get to go home at before lunch and he can't understand why he can't come home as well but obviously there isn't a great deal I can do about that. Went in this morning and he just burst into tears so the teacher comforted him (who I am so pleased with cause she really is lovely) and sat him down with some of the others but he was not a happy boy.

I could totally understand him crying at the school when I leave etc but this horrible sadness all the time at home is awful and is really not him...he is usually this happy confident little boy and its just like all the life has been taken out of him which is awful. He has already made a lovely friend which Im very pleased about and during the summer was so excited about going...and now all he wants to do is be with me which is most unlike him!
I really hope it gets better because I can't cope with him being this sad all the time.

norfolklass that must have been so hard for you and not to mention your ds.

Why do half of the class go home?

I hope he will be better when you pick him up today that must be really hard for a little one missing their mum seeing a heap of children being picked up and some left behind.

Rather than the younger ones starting after christmas they start them all in september but if they are born after March 1st they can only go part time which is basically up until lunchtime until after christmas. He actually missed out for part-time by 2 days cause his birthday is the end of feb.

He is more than ready to go full time but I can totally see where he is coming from because he see's more than half the class going home and as much as he is enjoying it he wants to come home as well. Doesn't help either that most of his friends who he went to nursery with are the ones going home so think he feels a bit abandoned.

Its so not like him to be like this though so its all been a bit of a shock! I was thinking of asking if he could go part time as well but I know deep down he does need to be there all day, in the end it will be the best for him but all logic seems to go out of my head when he is indoors sobbing that he doesn't want to go.

I can see how that system would cause this kind of problem norfolklass. I hope he gets used to it soon.

This will be dd's first full day (and she's a July baby). I think she finds school more interesting than being at home as I have been gently but firmly encorouging her to entertain herself for whole minutes at a time!

oh norfolklass, how awful for you. I was just thinking - they don't actually have to be in school at all till they're 5, do they? So presumably you would be well within your rights to send him for half-days for now?

Hello msdevine - I'm sure your dd will have a ball. It's lovely that she'll already know her teacher. And it sounds like a nice gentle start, too - just the same as my dd's school, which I think is so well organised.

tea - we walk up to the school. It's about 15 mins away. Your journey sounds like hard work!

Dd is quite jolly but we just ahve a couple of issues to work on.

So, dd still can't answer at reception so teacher moved her name from the sunshine to the cloud. She's the only child on the cloud! As she was diong this dd says she 'a few tears came out but I didn't make any noise'

And we had to stop and use the travel potty on the way home - and be passed by a dozen other kids and parents!

Grrr - for the little problems popping up here and there.... we have a little one ourselves....

dds teacher started the week looking a little 'cuddly podgy'. Over the course of the week the tummy has become rounder and firmer and looks like there may well be a baby inside. Lovely for her and wowza - lucky baby having such a lovely Mummy... but I felt a little sad at loosing such a smashing teacher... I am guessing from bump size she will go on leave at or around Christmas.... but seeing as no announcement has been made yet I do keep secretly hoping she has just overdone it on the cakes this week!!!!

Oh Acinonyx

Are you going to speak to the teacher about it?

Acinonyx - The more I think about it the more I feel you should arrange a meeting with the teacher to find out her ideas on this register confusion and how to move forward.

Acinonyx, oh your poor DD being so brave. I just can't understand why the teacher is making an such an issue out of this so early on.

teafortwo, ooo watch this space then eh?
Actually I wouldn't be too surprised if my DD's teacher were to have a maternity leave later in the year. She has a toddler and just got married...it's just a hunch.

norfolklass, that's the way they're doing it here too. I don't know what to suggest.

Well I think it's TFI Friday as far as DD's concerned. She's a weekend warrior now. It's going to be great to stay in pjs in the morning.

We are gong to practise more over the weekend and dd will try closing her eyes and pretending she's at home with bunny. If that doesn't work I will talk to the teacher.

We're having a barbecue lunch tomorrow - 8 adults and 8 kids so no lounging around over here.

Acinonyx, you've made me cry. Your poor dd. Can I come and give your teacher a good shake please?

Thanks Aranea. Can you give my dh a shake too? He's totally devoted to dd but doesn't seem to 'get' her anxieties - he thinks the teacher is right

I haven't been at all sad about dd starting school but I must say this business does bother me. I suppose the teacher thought dd would just do it - but I know how she can be paralysed in these kinds of situations.

I'll consult the other mummies tomorrow as well (all with kids starting different schools).

I just think the teacher's main focus at the moment should be on getting the children to want to be in school and to want to learn. In the long term surely that's what will make the most difference. I don't see how getting heavy with discipline at this stage can be a good thing.

Sorry if I'm speaking out of turn.