The Adventures of Big School

I shudder to think how my emotions will be holding up come Australia Day eve 2009. I mean, it’s not every day that your first born toddles off to school for the very first time. Byron’s first day of school has always been a distant event…never really on the horizon, until now. It is officially 365 days until he puts on that little uniform and heads out of my arms and into the realm of formal education.

The countdown is officially on! For every month that disappears in to the abyss of 2008 it’s one month closer to ‘big’ school.

*sigh*

I’m a working mum and have been for most of my kids’ young lives. So, I have had the opportunity to deal with separation anxiety (me not them) long ago. That said there is a huge difference between sending your children off to kindy (where they are cuddled, babied and nurtured) to sending them into a classroom of up to 30 children, with one adult minder. For the last three odd years I have been content in the care Byron has been receiving. I am completely reassured in my self that he is well looked after and enjoys where he goes. Dropping him off to Kindy is part of our routine; a routine I would prefer not to change. I’m scared of change – especially change this huge.

As I made the kids lunches for kindy this evening, I couldn’t help but wonder what it will be like to make Byron’s first day of school lunch – how will it stay cold? Who will make sure he eats it all? What happens if he loses it, or someone tries to steal it?

If I’m thinking about this type of stuff now, how will I manage in 365 days time? What hope do I really have?

If truth be told, we haven’t yet decided 100% which school Byron will attend next year, although we are fairly certain. It will be a public school that’s for sure. We decided that we are happy with a public primary education…we’re comfortable in the education he will receive in a public school. That said, we’re pretty sure (ok 99% sure) he will be attending a private high school (again, we’re just not quite sure where yet).

Formal education is such a huge step in a child’s life. It represents the formative years...the foundation if you will. We all attend school at some point in our life – some for longer then others. I know the schooling years will bring much joy into our lives or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. Look, don’t get me wrong…It’s a big milestone heading off to school and I’ll embrace it for all it’s worth, but, I’m just glad I have 365 days before I have to let the embracing begin.

I’m definitely not ready to call myself a mother of a school aged child – that would mean I am getting older (I think turning 30 and sending my first born off to school all in the same year would have been way to much to take...he he he).

For now, I still have my two 'babies' and no school aged children to speak of! I better make the most of it while I can. I can see those 365 days counting down in my head already.