Oh! Oh! My firstborn starts secondary school in September. Surely that warrants a support thread?

[Cadelaide]

Am I a bit too early for this?

I mean it's months away yet, isn't it?

Just signing in again for the final countdown :)

I've got uniform sorted but need to name it all.

Bus pass has not arrived yet which I'm stressing about - can't go on the bus without the pass (although as DH reminded me this morning - he doesn't need it for another 2 weeks!)

Those of you whose DC are going on the bus, are you sending them on the bus on the first day? The other two kids in our village who are starting the same school as DS1 are having their mums take them on the first day or two - I was going to send DS1 on the bus from the first day (This is what he wants to do) Am I being cruel??

3plus, I don't think you're being cruel - lucky you for having a DS who is keen to be independent

I am hoping to start the rule of come in, have snack, start homework. No TV till it's done. Does that sound harsh?

Dd starts on 10th september, ages away! We're going away next week, and then we'll have 4 days before she goes in for a second morning induction, with just year 7s, all in their new uniform. I still have to get one more skirt, some tights and socks and a PE bag, other than that all name tags have been done so I am v impressed with myself!
She's excited but worried about being in the youngest year group again. I'm worried about the morning run and the traffic. She's had a good summer though so far and has grown up quite a bit I find, in her behaviour. We've re-arranged her bedroom and it looks very grown up now, she helped loads with it and is very proud of it, let's hope it remains tidy....

Glad you don't think I'm being cruel!
To be honest I do have a logical reason for sending him on the bus on the first day - when I asked about it at the school they said that they are expecting loads of new year 7s on the buses on the first day so will have extra staff on bus duty to help out but by the end of the first week they will have expected them all to be used to it, so, if I take him the first week and he has his first day on the bus during the second week there will be less people to help if he does get stuck....

Also, selfishly, I'm 30 wks pregnant and have two other DCs to get to pre-school and primary so DC1 going on the bus will be much easier for me!

trefusis I'm sure the shoes that you have got her will be just fine. Did she like them when you chose them? Was it the clarks ballet flats? I thought they were lovely :) I don't think the shoe problem is quite so bad in yr7, I think it escalates as they go up the school.

Not cruel at all 3plusbump.
DS is at a 2 day summer school this week at new school- came back yesterday with the numbers of 3 boys he liked, and they are planning to meet up later this week.
Today they are going to Fulham FC training ground- the school has strong links with the club.
I drove him yesterday, but he came home and went today on the bus.
He'll be going in on the 1st day by bus- meeting about 4 friends at the end of the road.
He is my youngest, so I have been through this before- he is bright and lazy, and lacks self confidence at times.
But it is a brand new adventure- I have joined the PFA (that's 2 secondary schools I'll be doing!).
Homework for the first few days is a lot of sticky back plasticking of books- and they certainly get detentions from the first week in our school. Mind you, it makes them think twice about forgetting things!

Thanks Pixie - that's good of you :)

Just off to make tea but will think about anything that's been niggling me and message you later

Arghh - labelling the uniform - torture!!!

Not only do I have to label the normal stuff but the games stuff all has to be labelled in a particular spot on each thing - they've given us a diagram !!!!!

Yes, SoupDragon - young Master Dragon and Caoimhain will be at the same school - small world!! > What did you make of the rugby shirt? Why is it huge? And nasty looking?

Can't believe I only just found this thread! Where have I BEEN?!
We have a fly in the ointment of starting Year 7. I am already having bad dreams about it. DD has landed a part in a show- chance of a lifetime, dreams come true etc etc but it means she will miss about 75% of the first two weeks of school. After that, once she is no longer rehearsing she will only miss one Wednesday pm a fortnight.
I am VERY worried about the whole making friends thing and the fact that she will automatically be disliked by lots of people because of the show thing. She has asked not to tell anyone but obv. I have had to get school's permission for the license.
I am scared it's going to be an awful start.

please tell me Caoimhain isn't in 1L... I'm not sure I could stand the coincidence of that!! It would also mean i may have spoken to you at the new starters morning which would be a little freaky :o.
Rugby shirt is fine. Provided i don't touch it... nasty!
I think I made them bring him a size smaller when the one they chose came to his knees.

I think i still have to label the lab coat, tracksuit jacket (both huge - they'll last him till he leaves), the locker bag and the elusive rugby socks which a friend picked up yesterday. Why on earth do I have to put name tags on the outside of his rugby socks? Is it so they can identify his legs if they get ripped off during a particularly rough game? [wibble]

has anyone else had to have intensive tie tying lessons? Thankfully I wore a tie at school so I have been able to teach DS.

Spud, she'll be fine. It's only two weeks out of a good few years at the school. I think provided she's not the type to be boastful and talk incessantly about it, nothing will happen.

To make matters worse, my PLB starts Reception in 2 weeks too [sob] it's a tough year for me!

Thanks for the sense SoupDragon. She's resilient and not a boasty girl. I always think the worst is going to happen. I'm more worried about it than she is. I will get a grip.
We have had the tie tying lesson. Not so easy to explain when you are looking at it upside down. I got my lefts and rights muddled up.

i had to practise tying one on myself back to front so DS could copy! :o

Fear not, SoupDragon - he has the pleasure of having the head of rugby as his form tutor!!!! That should be hilarious as ds is not built for rugby (to put it mildly).

The smallest rugby shirt was still enormous on him - the words "they will look like a bunch of clowns in those" may have passed my lips in the shop!!!

Luckily ds is used to the tie business.

i think one of DSs friends is in the rugby man's class. he is also not built for the sport :)

Luckily ds has one friend in his class - the rest have been split up and are all over the shop (he was a bit miffed about that at the beginning).

How is your name labelling going? I know one mum has got a local seamstress to do the games kit as she was so concerned about doing it wrong!!!!

I think i have 5 things left to label. my fingertips are shredded, although i did sew the big tags on with my sewing machine.

DS has one boy from his school ( from a different class) and two boys he met at a friend's birthday party last week who were in the junior year in his class.

I have done no labelling at all !!! I'm in big trouble!!

Actually today is a good day to label things as the weather is going to be crap.
I was going to pay one of dd's friends to do the sewing, but she's on holiday.

You'll get a detention, made to stay in at lunchtime with a needle and thread.

how inconsiderate of your proposed sewing friend to be away!

DS1 is booked for his pre- school haircut on Monday. He'll lose all his sun bleached locks. [sigh]