I’m about two weeks late on this post, but given this is the new ‘normal’ for the next 13 years, I’m relatively punctual actually 🙂 Two weeks ago, Sam started school. In NSW it’s kindergarten, but I think in other Australian states it’s known as prep. Basically, it’s the year before Year 1.

Can you believe he’s in school? I mean, do you remember this post which I wrote after the hardest six months of my life, when I didn’t think I’d ever survive the hell that is having a non-sleeping newborn baby? I really didn’t think I would make it. But made it I did, and now he’s five (“I’m five and more than a quarter,” he tells me) and he Goes To School.

I’ve made it. This far.

Everyone first asks how Sam’s doing. The transition into school has been super easy for Sam. The daycare he attended is located right next to the school, so 90% of the kids from that daycare are all going to the same place. And for them, it’s more playtime, in a bigger play space, five days a week (he used to only have three concurring days with his bestie in daycare and he’s most excited that now they get to play Every Single Day!). So yeah, Sam is a-ok.

Then everyone asks how we’re doing. Look, he’s been going to daycare since he was one, so the transition has also been pretty ok for us. If I’d been a stay-at-home-mum with him for five years, that would probably be a very different story (with equal extremes of elation and grief I’m sure). Aside from a few emotional minutes when he happily went off with his friends that first day, we’re doing ok.

But no one ever asks how Sofi is coping. And out of all of us, she took this change the hardest. No one really considers the sibling in all of this, but on Sam’s first day, Sofi told me through (genuine) tears that she was sad because Sam’s not going to be at preschool with her any more (they’d shared one month together in the preschool room at daycare). 

And it made me take stock for a moment – he’d been to daycare for two years without her, but for Sofi, her entire daycare experience involves him being there. They may not always be in the same room, but she always knew that they were there together, and that her big brother was just in the next room, close by, close enough that it made her feel safe.

And now, he’s not.

Now, when we drop her off, instead of me waving bye at them both, Sam and I both wave at her from the outside, while she’s on the inside (and yes, logistically I have to drop her off first). 

But let’s not kid ourselves, this is also Sofi we’re talking about. Probably the toughest person in our little family. The first few days were a bit rough for her, but two weeks on she seems to be fine. I used to have them both with me on Fridays and last week she spent the whole Friday sullen and asking where Sam was. Today? Sam who? 

Anyway, overall the transition to school has been great for us. So now let’s just settle in for the next 13 years of our lives 🙂 I think I put it most eloquently in my Instagram post: 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Post Navigation