Back to School

 

Well the title says it all. This is the week. Our 12 weeks of summer are over once again. They have honestly been good. A lot of fun but also a lot of hard work and I still think they are at least 3 weeks too long!

Mumming full time to 3 kids that now have opinions, wants and attitudes is not easy and that’s without any of the issues I’ve had with Poppy. These 3 kids though as they grow they’re so loving, inquisitive, imaginative and eager to please that they can be an absolute pleasure when they want to be!

I find it amazing how our 3 can all be so different. The day of going into school will be a completely unique experience for each of them.

Poppy – heading into a new special school for her 6th year of full time education. Excited and ready but really having no clue where she is going on her 35 minute commute – on the school bus. No expectations of the school or her class.

Izzy – Onto 3rd grade. She realises this will be real school. A decent amount of responsibility and state testing for the 1st year of many. She’s heading in happy, confident and excited to meet new friends but I can tell she has a sense of uneasiness about how this year will go.

Leo – He’s undecided as to whether he wants to bother with school now! After longingly watching his sisters go into school every day he now thinks staying with mummy is a good option. When we moved to Florida I got an extra year with Leo. Children start at age 5 as opposed to 4 in the UK. Initially I was kind of disappointed I would be delayed my ‘freedom’ by a year but I am so grateful to have had his wonderful company for the extra time. Maybe it’s me who’s not sure he should bother with school!

New school year means a new routine. My do’s & don’ts:

Do’s

• I’ve decided in terms of extra curricular activities we will lay low until Autumn. Girls will cheer and attend brownies but nothing more. I feel like there will be a big adjustment period for each of them.
• Set bedtimes with a story for both Leo & Poppy. I forgot the power of reading to a child with the late summer nights, both still need to be exposed to stories, words & letters
• I will blow dry all 3’s hair after showers, mega task but hopefully prevent the wet hair tangles and tears in the morning
• Take breakfast orders at bedtime – save me shouting up the stairs repeatedly trying to sort it
• I’ll keep reminding the kids they are capable of making their own beds!!
• Be strict with homework and leave time to actually be there helping. Izzy is really the only 1 that had homework so far and was self sufficient so I’d hover around but was always busy. They all need me there to encourage and help
• Volunteer at both schools
• Join Izzy & Leo once a month for their lunch – parents can go in any day and eat with their child. So cute but incredibly noisy!
• Be as organised as possible to ensure a smooth morning. I’m talking shoes at door, bags packed etc

Don’ts

• I will not set expectations of grand lunches by making butterflies out of cheese, ain’t gonna happen!
• I will not be the last parent to pay for the field trip – Izzy was always left in a panic about this
• Don’t miss a thing. I will be home for the next few months at least. All the events that sometimes to me, seem unimportant, mean the world to our kids I have no excuse to not be there
• Don’t expect. I will keep an open mind and embrace where this academic year takes the kids

So we’ve done meet the teachers, taken in bags & bags of school supplies. Walked the corridors and classrooms of both schools, we’re ready to go!

All the kids are starting on different days so next week i will write about how their 1st days went.