It's kinda snuck up on me but DD starts school in a week! She's ready for school in lots of ways and it's a positive thing. But I feel kinda sad at the same time!

What did you all do on their first day? How did you feel? We've had a busy time the last couple of years and part of me wishes I'd spent more time with her while she was just at kindy. I spent lots of time with her, but you know, not a lot of un-rushed time. It feels so weird knowing I'm no longer a Mum to a preschooler!

Not looking forward to it, to be honest. Just an end of an era I know it will be cool as well, int he starting of a new one, but I just think of that song fromMama mia whenever I think of school, and that song always makes me tear up, so then I get teary - not a good look, lol.

Will be taking her on her first day, then heading into school, at least that will distract me.

My dd starts in term 2, and I'm dreading it. I know she's ready in a lot of ways, but I reckon they will change and grow up so much once they start school It's not always easy being at home with preschoolers, but I can see me looking back on these years as the best of my life. Why do they have to grow up so fast

Would love to hear from anyone who has anything positive to say about this milestone

It's very bitter sweet I think. J was at a school where they had a special ceremony for their first day. I cried! I don't really remember with C, but I daresay I felt a bit sad. I walked M on her first day, in August and I felt very lonely walking back home down the road. I get another one this year, C is going back to school after 5 years homeschooling and I'm sure it will be a big day for both of us.

Oh my, will be interesting to see how I feel in June - it will be the first time in 10 years there hasn't been an under five in the house. For the other boys I had two or one at home to keep me occupied on the first day. It sure is an end of an era for me.

I do find it does feel funny for a while at the start as it's not like kindy or daycare where there is plenty of feedback at the end of each day - they sort of go off and do their thing and then what they tell you is as much as you know about their day without talking to the teacher. It's weird.

The first five years seem an eternity at when they are babies yet looking back it is such a short time in their lives.

But on the other hand I'm sort of looking forward to the next phase of our lives with older children. Looking forward to doing more grown up stuff

Yes bitter sweet is a good description.

I can imagine that when there is no other child still at home it would be hard. I still had two others at home when DS started so I imagine number four is going to be the tricky one.

I found the first few days the longest in my life. Just waiting for them to come home, not knowing what they were doing. DS got a bit sad the first week and it was really hard to leave him and it took a few weeks for him to settle in which I found a bit stressful, but he was okay and loves school now.

I'd probably organise a few things to do to keep busy. A friend told me that on her youngest child's first day she was in the bank and suddenly thought "OMG where's X?!" and then remembered... I guess its like your first time out without your baby and you feel like you've forgotten something really important.

I haven't actually been sad yet at all (does that make me a bad mother ) Liam so beyond being ready and excited to go that I was thrilled for him more than anything. Connor we both needed him to start school so I was excited for all of us that we were moving onto a good thing, that would be positive for us as a family and looking forward to him settling in.

I might feel different with my last one, but so far starting school has only been a positive exciting thing, no tears or sadness at all. Just joy in watching these beautiful children grow in the dreams I had for them as a newborn

DD1 was so ready for school, and I thought I was ready for her to start too. I had waves of emotion in the weeks leading up to school, but we both got through the school visits ok, DD was happy for me to leave her right from the first visit, and that was great. Last day of kindy I thought I'd be really upset, but we got through her farewell and I felt really fine with her leaving. Then, at 10pm that night, it hit me and I felt so sad that she wouldn't be bringing me home random kindy drawings, or having all that free time and now she was moving into the big wide world of school. Boy did I blub. Then on her first official day at school she got upset for the first time when the bell went, and all I could do was give her a quick cuddle then turn and leave. I got to the car and just cried and cried. All my plans of going out with DD2 to fill in the day went out the window as I felt too drained, so I went home and did housework instead. Day two of school was much better, and neither of us have looked back. The first few days of school felt so long, but now it's just second nature.

DD2 starts kindy tomorrow and I feel a bit sad in some ways about that, so I dread to think how I'll feel in two years when it's her turn to start school.

Yeah, bittersweet IS a good description. I'm looking forward to our next chapter as a family and I know DD will enjoy the routine of school and we are a learning family, so we are looking forward to school in a positive way. But yeah, they seem so little to be off and doing their own thing (in a large school where there is no gate lol!!) and I will miss our fun afternoon trips to pick berries, go to the beach, go visit ppl etc etc. It's just going to be a transition. But I do have heaps to look forward to this year too - but it is like you're finally kissing your little fuzzy caterpillar goodbye because they've grown their wings to fly. All of a sudden, someone else gets to do a lot of the "influence on my DD" thing, perhaps I'd feel differently if she'd been a daycare kid, I dunno...

Actually Astro Pie, that's been something that I've struggled with a bit is that DS is exposed to a heap of stuff that he hadn't before. Even at preschool, which is a small, Christian one, he didn't get a lot of the commercial exposure that he gets at school. Its not necessarily all bad but it is an adjustment to have more influences from other children and the teacher. Well it was for me

What has amazed me is how much DS has grown up, got so confident and has really pushed himself to do things. Its been lovely to see the growth and development.

It was bittersweet for me too with DD. It'll be really hard when DS goes though. Not having a child at home will be a huge shift for me. Not looking forward to it at all!

In the same boat here too....DD1 starts next Wednesday. She is so ready (was at Monte pre-school fulltime last year) and I thought I was so ok with it until her 2nd visit at the end of last year She just did a morning on her first visit then wanted to stay the whole day for her 2nd. I found myself very fidgety at lunchtime hoping she wasn't hanging by herself etc. She seemed happy as when I picked her up and wanted to stay for another swim after school. Was a bit of a silly time to do visits because it was the 2nd to last week and they were pretty much jsut doing practise for their end of year performance. She said it was 'a bit boring because she couldn't do any work' as she didn' have the books and 'they just did singing'

Its going to be tough those first proper days. I so hope she loves it like she did pre-school And that no one is mean to her

Will be great to hear back from everyone with new starters next week as to how it goes

ETA: It will be nice to still have the 2 pre-schoolers to keep me busy, butI think the first will be hard!

there - DD went to daycare from 18 months, DS to Kindy/daycare from 2 1/2 years so they are exposed to a lot of other stuff (but good like making friends, sharing with people other than siblings, learning how to play and do and so much more). Its not all about picking up swearwords, punching lessons and other not so nice learning

DS might start in November when he is five (or maybe next February, we'll see) and weirdly in the last two months has gone from "I'm NEVER going to school!" to us not being able to say Kindy (we have to call it School) and he can't wait to turn five and start... even had a bit of a meltdown when we went to get DDs school stationery because HE wanted some too!

I had my boy in kohanga 9am-4pm before he started school but moving on to school was still a HUGE deal for us.

I delayed him until he was 5y7m. Originally I had decided to delay until 6yo but he became ready and was keen to go so started last October.

I REALLY didn't want to, wasn't looking forward to it at all. For us school meant a 1 hour bus ride each way as well (to get to the school both he and I wanted to go to). So he is picked up at 7:45 and gets off at 4pm. But then I need that time b/cos I'm a full-time working solo mum. Unfortch when you are in the position of being on your own (esp financially), luxuries like being a SAHM largely go out the window. So it's not ideal, but it works for us (it's got to).

So yeah lots of conflicting emotions. I wasn't too worried about the influence thing, cos I'm aiming for influence - he's at a kaupapa Maori school to learn the reo and engage in all the other stuff like kapahaka and whakanga (meditation) and so on. His teacher is his (paternal) grandfather who is the SOLE positive male influence in his life so that helps as well.

If it wasn't this, I would have moved heaven and earth to get him into Steiner. I personally wouldn't touch mainstream with a ten foot pole. I find heaps of the mainstream stuff... well, just so unexamined? in terms of beliefs, assumptions, and general social control type stuff. I also don'think mainstream on the whole adequately caters for the needs of "minorities" (for want of a beter word) and IMO that isn't something we as a society should be teaching our children. I also think mainstream misses out sooooooooooooooo much of what kids really need to know to get a long in life, like emotional intelligence, HOW to think, etc. It's a system that fails many many people and relies on people following the status quo... jmo.

Not that any system is exempt!

Oh and on his first day, I walked him to the bus stop, he was so nervous, but also keen, and the bus pulled away and I walked home crying my eyes out. It just felt so big.

I have REALLY missed the tight-knit world of kohanga, of picking veges from the garden, painting with the kids, knowing all the other parents by first name basis. Really sad about that.

THe other issue I have is with the generally unmonitored lunchtimes - and the influence of other kids, the bullying and fighting aspects. Not quite ure what to do about this. The school has really good policies around aggression, but my DS is really sensitve (something I consider a strength) and kids will be kids and all that but I still hate it and wish he didn't have to be there for lunchtime.

I thought I would be okay has DS had been in FT daycare since he was 4 months old - BUT - school is a whole new kettle of fish, its quite different. At daycare you can enter whenever you want, talk to the teachers daily, casually etc. School, you can't enter the class when you want and you can't always get to talk to the teacher if you want and the expectations are far above those at daycare - don't get me wrong, I think daycare helped with the transition (for me AND DS) but it was still huge.

I now have little clue as to what DS has been up to all day (whereas daycare I'd get a daily wrap-up from the teacher)... its a strange feeling, letting go to needing to know what he's up to... I did/do struggle with it....

They grow up HEAPS in the first couple of months at school, it is quite amazing and wonderful but also bittersweet (as you all described it) as they really do gain so much independence as well as influence from so many other people (pupils and teachers).... good luck - its an exciting time, but totally normal to have mixed feelings about it

That's a good idea, let's do that.

I too hope she's not teased or bullied and has ppl to hang out with. The child I thought would look after her (a year ahead) since starting school has changed a lot and there is no way she will take DD under her arm now. She has one other kid from kindy starting 1st day with her, so that's good but she has a big sis there and will play with her. I might have a word to said kid if I get a chance and ask her to make sure DD has someone to play with so she's not lonely. I'm sure the teachers sort some of that though and not just leave them to it?

You're right QueenK, I see being sensitive as a positive thing too which is why I chose this school (out of zone) over the other one (among other reasons). I share your perspective about mainstream too but Steiner wasn't quite the right fit for us after having looked in to it. We are making a huge effort to make up for the lack of emotional IQ training, I agree, it's sadly so lacking.

I think the thing for me, we only had a 1hr visit to school before the hol's, she's forgotten it all, we didn't get told anything (so I don't even know what to send her with, like will they swim on day 1 or not, etc etc). She doesn't even know where the toilets are. I guess if we turn up 20 mins before school starts we should be right. She's very good at making friends/ asking if she can join in, but she's largely lost this skill over the hol's too. I'm getting myself worked up lol.

Don't worry too much - the teacher will be there to meet you and show you and C where her bag should go. It's all quite relaxed (or at least it is in our school). Arriving about 20 mins before is a good idea so you can go over the toilet/bag/lunch thing and the bell will go and after a bit of watching them on the mat the teacher sends you off. You won't be the only newbie and the teacher won't throw her to the wolves on her first day at lunch. She will probably surprise you with how well she copes. She'll be tired though - it is an indescribable tired.

DS's new teacher rang our home the other day to see whether I had any concerns or questions, which I thought was a great start to the year.

DS was so tired today, melted down at 4pm, goodness knows what he'll be like after school lol