One Term In

It felt at times like they would never return to school.  The six months we had was wonderful and exhausting, full of joy and fear and we all learned so much (definitely more about life than the national curriculum).  We adapted, slowly at first to this 'new normal' that was thrust upon us.  I got my babies back after losing part of them to school, I got time to invest in myself, which is strange to admit when I was also parenting full time, mostly alone with little respite. I went from a state of worry to one of acceptance and we found our way through those long days together.

And then September came and everything changed.  It was wonderful and exhausting all over again, full of joy and fear and we all had to adapt to a new routine, new expectations, things being a little bit like they were 'before' but not quite the same.  We all took to it differently.  Two children happy to be back to school, something they had been counting down to for weeks, one excited to start Reception at big school and one who really isn't convinced school is for him.  I was nervous about the new starter and overwhelmed by the multiple school runs and the different rules between the schools (One are allowed to bring books home, one aren't.  One school allows school bags, one doesn't. . . ) and then everything fell into place. I remembered which children had packed lunch on which days (all three boys have different lunch/school dinner requests), I remembered which children had to wear pe kits in on which days and then Cora started doing full days at school rather than 2 hour sessions and all of a sudden we were there.

After months of not having to worry about getting ready and leaving the house very much, we also had to start getting things ready for the transition. Buying supplies, new clothes, new shoes, doctor’s appointments, and new glasses. Luckily you can visit website to try on glasses to make the process easier. But finally we were ready to begin.

For 9 years I have had a child at home and this moment felt like it would never arrive, but it did and all four children were happy in full time school.  I thought I would be more emotional than I was but I think after those long six months, I was ready for a break, some time for me, time to get through the to do list that I had been putting off for six months.  

Today the bigger two break up for a two week half term and next Thursday the smaller two will join them and it can't come soon enough.  Those first weeks were hard, I had to meet them at school with a sugary snack and hope they didn't crash before they got home.  Their brains were working hard, they were having to be social with people they didn't live with and it all combined to completely exhaust them.  After a while they seemed better able to function (just in time for swimming lessons to recommence) and we had a short period of everything feeling settled but now they are getting harder to wake in the morning, I can see how much they need a break and I am excited to spend some quality time with them again rather than just trying to get through the afternoons after school without too much drama.  We are going to relax, take the mornings slowly and as everyone starts to regain energy, we will get out more and have our own covid-compliant adventures. 

This first term has shown me how resilient my children are, how well they can adapt, how much they can learn when they have a teacher who isn't also trying to be a parent, dinner lady, cook and cleaner and how much we all needed a little time apart to make our time together feel more special.  I have learned how short those 6 hours really are when you are trying to get things done, and also that having time for myself during the day doesn't magically make me a more patient parent when they get home.  I have learned that the worst thing I can do as a parent is not meet them at the school gate with a snack and that it doesn't matter how big a packed lunch I send them in with, they will be starving every moment from when school ends until their eyes finally close for the night.  I feel sad that their first terms back were not everything they were looking forward to, something Archie has found particularly difficult with starting a new school.  He looked round on the open day, saw so much he wanted to do but with Covid measures, the only part of the school he has seen this term is his classroom.  I am sad that Finn can't show Cora round after being so excited that his little sister is starting his school as they are in different bubbles and so can't mix.  

The countdown is on now until I pick up Dylan and Archie and the half term holidays start for them.  It has been a really long and also super quick first term and it has been good for all of us.  Now just 4 more days until I can turn off the morning alarm!

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All at School - A New Era

It has been 9 years and 2 months since Dylan was born and made me a mother and ever since, I have had a baby or toddler at home.  They all did 2 days at nursery from the term after they turned 3 but they were still at home more than in any other setting.  Last week Cora started full time school and it feels like the beginning of a new era, one where I have free time, one where I can work, clean, shop, read and even nap in peace.  It feels like even more of a big thing after six months of having the children at home and I thought I would be more emotional about it all than I am.  The reality is, that I was just so tired that it was a welcome change and I spent the first week doing very little!

Cora seems so small starting school, she is shorter than her peers and a summer born baby but in other ways she is so ready and she has run in happily after a cuddle and a kiss since the first day.  She has friends there and she is ready to learn.  She wants to be able to read and write like her brothers and I think she is going to thrive. 

I have plans for this time, a mixture of working during the days rather than trying to fit everything in during the evenings and spending some time looking after me, going for walks and reading.  I am so ready for this new chapter though.  The start of having them all at school means the school holidays being more special than ever, it means watching their personalities develop even more, watching them learn independently and hopefully having more energy to enjoy them after a little time out during the day.

Every step forward that we take at the moment makes me more sure in our decision that four children is the right number for us.  I am looking forward to the future and watching these four grow up, the things we can do, the places we can go.  There is nothing very profound in this blog post, just an acknowledgement that this is a new chapter and whilst it is bittersweet letting go a little bit, watching them leaving the baby and toddler years behind, it is wonderful watching them becoming themselves.

Now to count down to October half term when I get some special time with these babies of mine!

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The First Term of School

The first term of school will be over soon and the Christmas chaos/countdown will begin.  It has been the first time I have had all the children in school/nursery and it has been a real change for us all.

Finn had a slow start to school and there were a few days where he did everything to delay going through his classroom doors but it didn't take long for that to change and he now runs in each day happily.  He loves learning to read and spending time with his friends every day and it honestly feels like he has been there longer.  He spent three days a week at nursery so it is only an extra two but it was definitely the right time for us and I enjoy the weekends more with him.

Cora loved nursery from the moment she started and she has made lots of friends.  I was worried that she would struggle as she has always been quite clingy with me, but she is so confident and I love the way she whispers 'You are my best friend Mummy' in my ear as I pick her up.  She does two school days and one morning and it feels like a great mix of time with her friends and time at home with me.

And as for me, I haven't found it nearly as hard as I thought I might, in fact I have come to realise that the school day isn't that long! It is nearly 9.30 before I get home from the triple school run and I have to leave at 2.45 to start picking them all up again.  I have two days of freedom though and I have loved spending more time with friends, spending more time reading my books and getting some work done during the day rather than staying up late each evening.  I am still scared at the prospect of full time school for all four of them in September but this slow transition has made me cherish the weekends more and I love watching how much they are growing and learning at school and nursery.

It feels like a whole new chapter in my life is starting, where they each become a little more independent, they need me a little bit less for the everyday things and it is so bittersweet watching them become little people.  After eight years of having a baby or small toddler at home full time though I feel like it is my time to have some more freedom for me and it has made me even more certain that four children is enough! I don't think I could go back to having a baby at home after tasting those few hours every week where each child is at school or nursery!

These photos are from an afternoon out with just the little two.  The bigger boys love having a day at home at the weekend but these two still need to run off their energy every afternoon and we spent a chilly few hours at the beach and having hot chocolate.  Cora's dress and both of their sherpa fleece jackets were gifted to us from Little Green Radicals.

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It's All Change

It is a strange time after having small children at home for eight years to be finding myself with some free time.  Having them so close together meant there was always a new baby before the elder one started nursery but my final baby has just started nursery and a new chapter is unfurling.

Finn is still only part time at school but as of next Monday, he will be doing five school days a week and Cora will be doing two which means for two days between the hours of nine and three I will have no children at home.  It feels odd, but right at the same time.  I feel so ready to have some more time for me, to rediscover what I want to do and how I want to do it and the little taster sessions, those 2 hours when Finn is at school already and Cora at nursery have been wonderful.

I am so excited for this time to rediscover me, but of course it is strange giving away so much of these little people to their schools.  Suddenly there is a whole part of their life that I don't get to see, they make friendships without my influence and when they fall it is someone else offering the magic cuddles that fix it all.  I don't think letting go is ever easy, even if it is just in small doses but it feels like the right time.

Cora has always been clingy, she has always wanted to be close to me and I wondered whether she would ever be ready for this day, but attachment does seem to breed independence and she walked in on her first day without really looking back.  She looks forward to her nursery days and she is so happy and settled which assures me that I have made the right decision. 

Finn is so excited for next week when all his friends will be at school and he can play out on the playground like his brother.  He looks so small and smart in his school uniform and I want to remember this as I know how quickly they grow, how much older the year 2 children look from the reception ones and how much he will change once he is full time in school.

And I have decided for the first week of having all my babies out the house for 2 days that I am going to spend it doing nothing productive at all. There will be plenty of time for all that, but this time has been eight years coming and I deserve to spend a whole day lying in bed watching Netflix and eating chocolate buttons, surely?

These photos are from one of our last mornings with just these little two.  Maxomorra, one of my favourite organic kids brands sent them these outfits and I just love the bright autumnal colours.

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The Last Summer Before School

There are only 3 more nursery days left and then a long 6 weeks awaits us. We have plenty of plans both for bigger adventures and smaller ones and I know August will be full of laughter, sunshine, late evenings and far too much ice cream.

And then September will arrive and it is all change.  Dylan heads into year four (year four, seriously, how have I got a child that big?), Archie enters his last year at his Infant School and my baby boy is off to big school.

In all honesty, I can't wait.  He is so ready, so far past ready sometimes and his nursery agrees.  He knows the school so well, he knows the building and the playground, the staff and the uniform, he has been in the playground almost every day since he was tiny and he is so confident following his brothers there.  I have already put aside some trousers that haven't given up yet and bought him some polo shirts in the size up from what he wears just incase of a growth spurt / to get him through the first year and we will be completely ready by the time September arrives.

Us both being ready for this new adventure doesn't make it any less though. I still watched him run into his new classroom during the transition sessions and I saw that teeny tiny baby who spent his first weeks in special care with tubes and wires coming in all directions.  I remember vividly the moment I was told why he was poorly and what his prognosis was.  I can feel the emotions from those first weeks and months and I am utterly amazed that we made it all this way and that both of us are the people we are now.  Finn is fearless, strong, determined, smart, loving and full of ideas. It isn't just my world he will change. It is still a miracle that the little baby has become this big boy and I have so much pride, just the same as all the other parents stood their with their first borns, last borns, only children. 

Nothing about the school feels new to me, I have been sending my children there for four years, I am on the PTFA, I am a school governor, I know my way around but it is a whole new experience being the parent of Finn there and this three year journey will be different to the others.  

In the meantime, I have one summer left with him, those long six weeks to cement in my mind who he is before these new influences.  Finn is so absolutely full of character, he doesn't conform, he is himself.  He is funny, so incredibly confident, so sure of himself and I want his teachers to see this, to nurture these parts of him whilst also maybe helping him to conform a little bit too.  This is the last summer before school to enjoy him as a preschooler.  In September we have a staggered start so Archie will go back for two weeks before Finn starts and then he is part time for a couple of weeks too, but it is all rolling into that full time school that will dominate the next few years and this is our last window of freedom beforehand.

I won't be dreading September or considering other options, Finn is so ready for school and I have confidence that they can handle him too. We can't wait for this new chapter in his life, but it certainly doesn't mean any less because of that and if the tears writing this post are anything to go by, I am sure I will crying with the other parents on his first day still!

Finn wears a gifted Maxomorra romper from Nolu 

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Reading Eggs Review

Dylan is back at school tomorrow and Archie won't be long behind him, although their school waits another week and a half before the reception class begins.  We then have two weeks of part time hours and it will be October before I have two boys in full time school.  Archie is so ready for it, his brain and his body need something more and he can't wait to queue up outside the purple class door.

We discovered Reading Eggs at the beginning of the summer, but it is now as we prepare the boys to stimulate their minds in different ways again that we are really making the most of it.  The website is aimed at children from 2 to 13 years and consists of fun activities that help them learn.  The boys aren't allowed on the tablets or laptops often so they consider anything on there a treat and they have been really enjoying the reading eggs challenges.

Archie has started the 3-7 year old program on lesson 1 as we haven't really don't much phonics with him yet.  He is hurtling through these early levels though, picking up skills as he goes and it has been great to watch his concentration grow as sitting still is something he really struggles with.  The levels are just the right length that he can concentrate for one and then he needs a run around. The program is easy for him to follow without my help as everything is read aloud and it works really well on my touch screen laptop.

Dylan took a proficiency test at the beginning as he has just turned six and already has a good base of knowledge.  He started just a couple of lessons short of finishing the 3-7 year old section and is now ready to begin the next stage. The lessons are challenging him without being too difficult and are perfect for him to do independently.  Being that little bit older he can do two in a row with ease and he has been enjoying doing something academic before diving in to year two on Wednesday. 

As a parent, I like how Reading Eggs fits in perfectly with what they are learning at school, and it is used in many schools all over the country.  I can see their 'reading age' and offer them a fun way to learn alongside school and during the holidays.  I want the children to enjoy being at home and I like the fact their small school doesn't really give out homework, but this is a fun game for them and I don't think they really notice how much they are learning at the same time.

I think once Dylan and Archie are both at school, we will try out the toddler section with Finn as he hasn't really used technology much before and I think he will enjoy something different.  

 You can currently get a 5 week free trial (if you join before the end of September) and you don't have to put in any credit card details either.  If you want to test out the junior edition then click here instead
 .  We are really impresssed with it and I am hoping it keeps Archie occupied for the long two month ahead before he starts school full time.

Collaborative post

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5 Steps for Starting School

My second born baby is about to start school for the first time, and there is so much I wish I knew the first time around.  Starting school is such an exciting and nerve wracking time and with September right around the corner, I have written our five steps for starting school.

- Get them feeling positive about school

A lot of how they react is down to how we do as parents, so speaking about school with positive language, sending them in for taster days where they can experience all the fun they will be having and even buying books about starting school can help them see it as the next big adventure.  Dylan loves school and it has helped Archie look forward to it hearing his brother so enthusiastic about learning.

- Teach them the life skills

Schools expect pupils to be independent in many ways they may not be used to and every teacher I have spoken to says the important things to teach them before September are not letters or numbers, but how to dress themselves, how to put on their own shoes and how to eat with a knife and fork.  The teachers are more trained than us in academics, but they aren't able to individually help 30 children get ready for a P.E lesson.

- Buy the uniform

We made the mistake of thinking Dylan may get a couple of days wear out of a polo shirt before it needed a wash.  I now know better, I now know how messy a four year old can be eating lasagne, how badly marker pens stain and how dirty a reception year child manages to get at the end of every day.  We now have five complete sets of uniform for him and we will get the same for Archie.

- Find the perfect school shoes

Everyone has a different opinion on where the best school shoes come from and we have been sent these two pairs from Startrite ahead of the new school year.  Archie's have a large rubber front which I think he will need as it should protect them from scuffs and both pairs are velcro (essential unless your child can tie laces themselves).  I am really impressed with how they look and feel and I have high hopes for the year.

- Let them go

This is the toughest step, I still remember sobbing as I dropped Dylan off on his first day.  He loved every minute though, his teacher was fantastic and caring and he is growing and learning and so interested in everything.  Archie is ready for school in so many ways and my last step to helping him settle in is to let him go.



If you have a little one about to start school, are you feeling ready?

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Two in School with Pep and Co

There are only three weeks until I have two school boys.  Archie will be joining his big brother at our local infant school and he can't wait.  He had outgrown the nursery by the time he left and he is excited for the new challenges, although I think once he remembers that it is everyday he may change his mind.  Archie has the same teacher that Dylan had in his first terms and I think she is going to be in for a shock.

Two school boys means two sets of uniform, two little blue book bags, two pairs of smart black shoes and two to get out the door on time five mornings a week.  School uniform can get really expensive and we are very impressed with these bits from Pep and Co which are ridiculously cheap.

It took me £3.20 each child AND a kinder egg to bribe them into their school uniform in the middle of the holidays and they then refused to take it off for the rest of the day.  The polo shirts start at £1, the trousers from £3 and the jumpers from £2.  Archie could buy his trousers and polo with the money I paid him and still have change!

Of course no amount of money would actually persuade them to stay still or pull a nice smile for the camera, so I have funny thumbs up and some zombie poses. The trousers look a little long on both boys so definitely don't size up unless you are happy to turn them up as well. I am hoping the boys finish their growth spurt by early September so that these fit a little better. 

The trousers have an adjustable waist which is good news for those with slim kids like Archie and the polo shirts have a really great fit.  Pep and Co have expanded their range and many items are 100% cotton as well as having  Teflon® and Always Smart® technology in the fabrics to make them easy care.  As I know all too well what a white polo shirt looks like after a 4 year old has eaten a school lunch in it, this is excellent news!

With the Pep and Co uniform you can definitely get More for Less which is going to make the sting of four after school clubs a bit easier (we have been letting Dylan pick two each term so Archie will get to do the same).  It is available in 289 Pep and Co stores including selected Poundland stores.  You can find your nearest store here

 This post is in collaboration with Pep and Co

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The Ordinary Moments // Settling in Sessions

There are only 6 more sessions of nursery and then he has finished, for the summer, forever.  Next September Archie will be joining his big brother at school and he is pretty excited.  This week we had the final one of his three settling in sessions and I left him in his classroom for two hours.

The first two sessions involved me sitting in the hall listening to the head teacher and other members of staff and PTFA talking to us about the school and what to expect whilst Archie went off to his new classroom for an hour.  This final one was two hours though and I dropped him off and left the school.  

Archie never wavered, never looked back and I think (I hope) September will be just the same.  Unlike his brother who only turned 4 a month before he started school, Archie will be four and a half and that bit more ready.  I heard others speak of the boredom when Dylan was coming towards the end of preschool, but with a summer born baby I never really understood.  With my February son I get it though.  Archie seems to have outgrown preschool in many ways, he seems bored, ready for the next stage and I think school will challenge and encourage him in the right ways.

I didn't feel nearly as emotional when I dropped him.  I remember the worry with Dylan, counting down until I could collect him and constantly checking the time.  With Archie it felt easier and I don't know if it is because he is the second baby, or because he is that bit older, but we both enjoyed the session.

That was the last session until September now.  We need to buy uniform, shoes and a schoolbag and I know the time will fly until this baby boy of mine will be joining his big brother in the school playground at 9am.

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Top picks for Starting School

Somehow the time has come to start getting everything ready for school.  There are only a few weeks left until we have to get out the navy sweatshirt and smart black shoes and send Dylan off to school and I am not feeling ready in the slightest emotionally.  I am trying to make sure that I am physically prepared though, so that all I have to worry about as it gets even closer is the supply of tissues I will need as I leave him in his classroom.

Lunchtime

Whilst Dylan will be enjoying school dinners, many children will be taking packed lunches, and Archie will be carrying his lunchbox into nursery.   Here are some of our top picks for lunchtime buys

We know Little Life for their toddler backpacks, but they also make brilliant lunchboxes and bottles. Their animal characters work across the ranges and the lunchbags are easy to carry and insulated.  Archie will be taking his new crocodile lunchbag (£9.99) to nursery packed with all his favourite snacks, and his crocodile bottle (£6.99) will be on hand all day to keep him hydrated.  The straw flips out and it is easy for a toddler to open and close the lid independantly.

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Dylan and I

He is the one who made me a mama, and for that he will always be not only my son, but my teacher. He is so big in so many ways, and still so small in others and I have to remind myself so regularly that he is only three.

Before him, I didn't exist, not as the person I am now anyway.  He was born to a twenty three year old girl who hadn't really held a baby before.  She hadn't changed a nappy, pushed a pram or felt that love that takes over every cell in your body before.  I held him for the first time, I knew his name  - we knew his name even though we hadn't agreed on it until that moment, and somehow nearly four years have passed.

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The Last Two Months

We have less than two months left, fifty five days, until Dylan starts school.  It has come around far too fast, it feels like only last week I was holding this small person in my arms, not knowing what to do with him, overcome with amazement.  I can still hold him in my arms, but he doesn't sit so neatly anymore.  There are longs limbs hanging over the side, a head full of hair, and a weight I struggle to carry.  He is tall, broad and smart.  He is nearly four, and we have two months of freedom left.

When he was born, we had all the time in the world.  I would waste days just walking with the pram, just laying next to him on the floor, just cuddling in bed, refusing to get up.  He was my baby, my first born, and I couldn't imagine him being any older than he already was.  These four years seem to have crept up on us, and I now have a 'preschooler'.  I can no longer call him a toddler.  He will always be my baby, but this boy, my son, is a child now.  

It is two months until he will be dressing in a little white polo shirt, smart grey trousers and a navy sweater, a bookbag in hand and excitement in his eyes.  Two months until he marches off into his classroom, full of children he doesn't know, and although he will do it confidently, it is such a big change for him.  He started preschool in a class of friends, but he starts school alone.

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