School beckons again – Farewell sun, sand, surf and sanity!

Where did those six weeks go? How is it already time for the kids to go back to school? NO! I’m not ready!

We have thoroughly enjoyed the sun, surf and sand this Summer. Summer has really spoilt us this year and I for one am certainly not ready to give that up yet.

But alas, the time has come. Back to book labels, packed lunches, lost shoes and late notes.

My oldest “baby” starts his final year of Primary School which sees me in a fit of panic and fear of the unknown approaching around the corner.

When did he grow up so much? How is he still not my little boy holding hands as we cross the road, and running to me when he scrapes a knee?

So not cool anymore!

As I say goodbye to Summer holidays, I also need to prepare myself for a whole new chapter that we will be writing very soon. That scares me no end.

I am nervous for him. But maybe I am more nervous for me. It dawned on me recently that maybe it is actually ME that needs the reassurance and security more than the kids. It’s me that doesn’t feel confident not him. They seem to adapt easily and go with the flow. As a parent we seem to put all this unnecessary angst into upcoming changes.

Maybe it’s a trust thing? Do these people really have my child’s best interest at heart like I do? They can’t do that for all the kids. Surely not?

Maybe I am just one of those “helicopter mums” that doesn’t like it when things are out of my control. For those of you who read my story recently about the birth of my first baby that fact may have you nodding understanding why that is most likely the truth.

Either way I have to make a big decision for my child. What if I screw that up?

What if I end up ruining his life? Is that really even possible?

As Lori wrote on Babble, Bigger kids = bigger problems. Much. Much. BIGGER. Why can’t they stay little forever?

You know your children are growing up when….

• You go shopping for new “school shoes” only to discover they now wear grown up shoes. MENS shoes! When did that happen? He is still a baby though!
• You’ll need to hide food or risk going hungry. You know that shopping you did ready for back to school? Yeah. It’s gone!
• Snack choices are not so quick and easy anymore. It takes a four course “snack” to fill them up. No more quick and easy school lunches.
• You’ll struggle to get any information out of them about their day. Keep trying though.
• You’ll have to beg them to wash their hands and face. More like beg them to shower, at all!
• Everything is embarrassing and/or not cool anymore. Including mum
• They’ll need you and sometimes resent you for it. Story of my life.
• They won’t tell you when they’re hurting and it’ll both hurt and scare you. I hate this part.
•  You can’t fix everything anymore. Although you still try ’til it kills you.
• They won’t need you when you think they will and will need you when you think they probably shouldn’t. What is with that?
• They’re smart enough to be dangerous …  and just dumb enough to be really dangerous. OH YEAH!
• You’ll blame yourself for every foolish mistake your kid makes. And they’ll know it. And maybe even work it to their advantage. Smarty pants. That’s not fair dude!
• You’ll get weird glimpses of the man they’ll soon become. And feel so proud and worried all at once.
•  You’ll get weird glimpses of the child they once were. And miss that tiny baby soooo bad.

The most important one….

• They’re going to be fine. No, really. AND you’re doing an awesome job. NO. REALLY.

I guess it’s lucky for me I have a pretty big age gap between my oldest and my “baby”, so as Mr Tween starts his final year of Primary School, Junior starts grade one. I have a while yet before I can kiss the Primary School years goodbye for good.

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