Sunday night... the night before school starts again. The last 10 weeks of the school year.
It's such a change in thinking patterns. No more getting up at 7.30am, not caring about the time, lack of routines and letting things slip and slide along at their own pace.
I must admit while this life is fine for a little while. I do crave routines. Some sense of order to my day. I guess I like being busy. I like knowing where I am going and what I am doing.
This term we have three weeks of swimming for Miss 8 to look forward to. Changing home readers every morning, changing the school sign on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Prep enrollment day for Master 4.
One thing I have done and I feel rather proud of myself, I have cleaned the girls bags. Three and five years worth of crumbs, bits of paper, and collectively $9.30 worth of spare change in the bottom! Bonus!
This term I begin the delicate dance of finding what all the 'good' teachers plans are for next year. Do you choose the best teachers based on your children's personalities? Or do you take a more relaxed approach and leave it to chance. I know that Miss 9 cannot have a shouty teacher, she will cower into a corner and stay there for the rest of the year. They will not get anything out of her at all and she has so much to give. Miss 8 is a bit more forgiving but still needs a teacher who notices her as she is quiet and will tend to disappear into the background. The Prep teachers all seem nice and kind. So Master 4 should do well.
I need teachers who understand what a huge privilege they have got, what a special job teaching is. I am entrusting my precious little gems into your care for a year and you need to nurture them and allow them to grow and blossom.
Anyway, time to get their clothes ready and make sure there are bowls and spoons for breakfast. It all starts again for the next 10 weeks.
I have feelings of sadness at losing my girls for 6 hours through the day and relief at getting back into routine again.
If your children start school again tomorrow, do you have mixed feelings too?
Melanie