Starting school is such a major milestone for any family that we thought it would be worth sharing some of our and your experiences.

If you would like to share your experiences please email the site at contributions@forparentsbyparents.co.uk.

"Our son Ryan has already had 8 weeks summer holiday, as he lives in Scotland they break up sooner and have longer off as they've less holidays during the year than in England! As many parents know any child starting school for the first time will have the worry of whether or not the child will settle in at school without any problems or just scream blue murder at the thought of being left alone!

Ryan's just spent the the last year at pre-school preparing him for primary school and now we've found out his first month at school will only be for half days to break him in! So what was pre-school for?

On the morning of first day at school it was quite a battle to persuade Ryan not to get dressed for 'Big boys school' as 'coco-pops' and white shirts just don't mix! The next problem is Ryan's two brothers start school at 9am and Ryan's starting at 9.45 as part of a filtering system, so the teachers aren't overwhelmed!

Ryan's mam has come home from work to witness this occasion and also record the event on still camera. As we pull up at the school Ryan falls out of the car in such a rush, he almost get's up again in one movement as if it never happened. Walking into cloakroom he's still telling everyone that he's in 'Big boys school', the teacher gives him his name badge and we usher him into his chair and show him his book drawer, and he sits down. As we leave we bid him farewell and get scarcely a second glance, the only tears are from mam. These leaves us to wonder, is it more of an event for parents or do children only remember this occasion when they're older?"

Alan

"My daughter is now in her second week at school staying all day having spent the previous two weeks joining her classmates for the afternoon session. At first I thought this was a really good idea but aside from the inconvenience to us parents who had given up places at pre-schools and then had to take time off work or find short term care, I think the majority of the children were ready to start all day. Certainly in my daughter's case she was bursting with excitement. If anything this prolonged start meant that when she really needed her adrenalin to last all day she had run out of steam and the novelty of school uniform, dressing herself, walking to school through the park with mummy and everything else had almost worn off.

We have found it most difficult bringing her bedtime forward as she has always had a lot of independence being allowed to play out of bed (in her room) until tuck in time which is often after our chores and evening meal are done. If we don't though we pay the price with a very grumpy little girl the following morning.

I was a bit worried that she wasn't being challenged enough as she had been a bit excitable and got into trouble (unusual for her) for throwing a teddy in the air and hitting another child. Before I had time to speak to the teachers about it though she came home all buzzed up with her reading book so all is well.

I agree with one of the other parents comments that this isn't so much a milestone for them as for us as parents. I surprised myself by not shedding a tear (as predicted by friends and family) on the first day of school as I walked out of the school gates. Instead I sobbed like a baby watching my husband iron her new white blouses alongside his white shirts for work! It catches you when you least expect it doesn't it?

Karen

"Looking back starting school was so easy compared to what I'd expected. Adam had always been really clingy at Nursery and never really settled without lots of persuasion and often lots of tears or a quivering lip! I was not looking forward to experiencing the same sick feeling in my stomach every morning!

To my great surprise and relief he just went to school without any fuss at all! I think that being part of 'Big School' and being with all the older children was such a huge excitement. Much better than being at Nursery with all the younger children!

What did take some getting used to was the getting out for 8.45am o'clock every morning. The constant chivvying along to eat his breakfast, get dressed, do his teeth plus the preparing of the packed lunch! Two years on and some days it's still a stuggle!

We did have a very difficult time though this time last year when Adam went into Year 1. It was a though he completely lost his confidence and he found it very difficult to leave me in the mornings. For about 6 weeks we had tears as soon as he woke up on a school morning and every morning was so stressful. Just trying to get him to school was awful and I felt so guilty for leaving him upset. At first I thought that something must be going on to have upset him so much but there was nothing that me, his dad, teacher or friends could come up with.

I was getting to the end of my tether when things just started to improve - some mornings he'd be OK, others not and slowly the tears stopped. By complete chance I've just recently happened upon a child development book and what should I read but that it's not uncommon for children between 5 and 6 to appear to lose their confidence and become very clingy again. Almost as though they suddenly realise again that they are separate to mum! So looking back maybe it was just another one of those 'phases'.

As for starting Year 2 - now I barely get a goodbye wave and definately no kiss! It's back to the slightly sick feeling in my stomach for me, knowing that he really is growing up!"

Janet

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