My daughter starts school next week. I’m not sure who is more nervous. It’s been many years since I had a First Day Of School – my eldest son is 13 – but I remember his (and my own) VIVIDLY. It was nerve-wracking, full of anxiety and tears. And that was me. Writer and Mamamia contributor, Kate Hunter is also doing the First Day thing (again) this year and has helpfully compiled this list for the benefit of anyone who wishes to read it.
Kate writes:
By Kate Hunter*
In To Kill A Mockingbird, 6 year-old Scout Finch is escorted to her first day of school by her 12 year-old brother, Jem. Their mother had died years earlier and their father was busy that day. Scout suspected some money had changed hands in this arrangement, as she heard the, ‘unfamiliar jingle of coins in Jem’s pocket that day.’
I thought of Scout as I got the last few things my littlest needs for her first day. Imagine what would happen if I sent Sally along with her big sister, a molasses sandwich and said, ‘Be good. Don’t get a whipping on your first day.’
I’m tempted, but I won’t. I’m not worried about Sally – she’ll be fine. These days it’s the parents who have to toe the line more than the kids. I’m a veteran of first days. I know the ropes and I know the rules and I know that if you become tarred with the stigma of sending your kid along with the wrong kind of drink bottle, well, memories are long.
This is not Kate Hunter. Her hair is shorter.
Sally will be the third (and last) of our kids to start school. She went there before she came home – we picked up our eldest on the way home from hospital. There’s nothing about the place she doesn’t know. At three, Sally could tell you where the library is, what day the Year 2s have swimming and that you can’t make a right hand turn into the roundabout at drop-off.
What I’d like to share now is my view of the practicalities of school life. What’s worth worrying about, and what – in my opinion, isn’t.
1. Labeling.
This occupies many parent’s thoughts and the almost the entire month of January. When our eldest started school, I ordered the Ultra Mega Deluxe Pack of custom labels, complete with rocket motif. There were special shoe labels, (supposedly) dishwasher and nuclear-war-proof lunchbox labels, sew-on fabric labels and skinny little sticky ones for pencils. Risking libel from label companies, can I say that no label sticks forever. I took a permanent marker to Sally’s stuff.
2. Book Covering.
But whatever happened to Perkins Paste?
This is an antiquated practice from the time when one Macquarie dictionary would be used by 6 siblings. In my opinion, there’s no need to cover an exercise book. If you (or the school) insists, be aware that with Con-Tact, you get what you pay for. The cheaper stuff and is like Glad Wrap coated with a film of glue.
3. Stationery supplies.
You may think sending 8 glue sticks with your kid on the first day is excessive. It is not. By August you will get a note along the lines of, ‘We have been so busy in Prep C, we have used all our glue sticks! Could mums, dads and carers please send in 6 more?’ You will wonder if the teacher has been sniffing them, but take it from me, it’s best not to ask.
4. Pick up and drop off.
The arrangements for the youngest students are very complicated. Surely it’s easier to spring an inmate from Pentridge Prison than it is to pick up a five year old from school in 2011. I have no advice here, it’s just an observation.
5. Lunch boxes.
If you ever watched Littlest House On The Prairie, you’ll know that Mary and Laura took their sangers to school in a bucket. The bucket was made of tin and had no compartment for an ice brick. I watched every minute of 9 seasons and never saw a fridge in the schoolhouse. Nor did I see either of the girls hooked up to a drip in Doc Baker’s office. Why did Mary and Laura not die of food poisoning? Come to think of it, why didn’t I? Mum was always bunging leftover bits of Saturday’s barbecued chicken into Monday’s sandwich. It spent the day in a steamy schoolbag, sometimes being eaten on the walk home. Buy the simplest lunchbox that will do the job and try not to worry.
6. Lunches.
Imagine if your child ate this.
In my experience, the gorgeous lunches you see in the magazine ‘Back To School’ specials are no match for a banana and a vegemite sandwich (note: not a banana AND Vegemite sandwich). But when my son started school, like many, I thought, ‘You know, he might enjoy a seasonal vegetable risotto in a little Tupperware tub, or a cottage cheese, turkey and raisin wrap, but oddly, he didn’t. I asked him, ‘Does Joel have mini chicken pasties? Does Sarah’s mummy make her cheesy zucchini muffins?’ He had no idea. His focus was on scoffing lunch as quickly as possible and getting out to play. I stopped worrying about it and he’s had a Vegemite sandwich every day for 5 years and DOCS hasn’t been around yet.
7. Recording The Big Day.
Even at the height of her fame, Princess Diana didn’t attract the same attention as the average child on her first day of school. Classrooms built for 25 kids become saunas as 50 adults jostle for the perfect camera angle. Often grandparents are there too, adding to the fun. Make friends with the other parents – maybe they got a picture of your kid? Lord knows no one gets a decent shot of their own.
What are your tips for sending kids off on their first day of school?
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Comments
223 Comments so far
I’m an 11 year old girl about to face the transition to high school. It is 3 days before I start yr 7. I am already worrying about what books i should take on the first day. Should i take all of them or just a notepad and write down notes?
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My son starts school next this – this article was great! I had a vegemite sandwich every day for my entire school life. Long live vegemite!
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As a secondary teacher beginning a new school year tomorrow this list couldn’t have come at a better time – for ME!!! I’ve nearly ticked all of the boxes for my school bag, although I love a school lunch special and do need to do some serious shopping for my risotto cakes. Have a great year everyone! It’s never as scary as you think it will be.
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Great tips thank you. My eldest is about to start school and I have to say, all the anxiety seems to be tied up with me…. not him! His teacher sent him a little package in the mail last week – it included a letter saying how excited she was for him to be starting school, a little home made board game about starting, and a little book made by Grade 6 kids all about him starting school – complete with photos of all his different teachers and of him! Cute idea? Absolutely! Strategic? Hell yes! It is very clear that the most delighted person in the house was ME! It’s him that’s starting school Bree, not you, HIM…. Breathe…
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Like Scout, I went to my first day with an older sibling (my sister). But in my case it was because my parents were on a cruise (it was the ’70s)… I actually now aspire to being as casual about this stuff as my parents were!
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i love school lunch specials, not because i have kids (HA!…no) but because all the wanky foods featured make great lunches for me to take to uni and work
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As a (high school) teacher all I can say to parents is PLEASE send your child to school equipped to learn. Yes, they will need a book AND a pen AND lunch. It sounds unbelievable but each and every day at least 5 kids that are in my classes are without all three of those and they’re just the ones that tell me!
I understand that it must seem a little overwhelming to get the big ‘back to school’ list (and bill!) but it is also very overwhelming for the teachers who have to provide books and pens for those kids whose parents don’t bother (my faculty bought 2000 exercise books this year – with teachers’ personal funds, no school money – and all will be used by the end of the year).
I remember being excited to start the new school year – with the new pencil case that I was invariably given each Christmas, my books covered in comics or pictures printed from the computer – usually a holiday project that I bet my dad would have done much quicker without my ‘help’ – and all my stationery items ready to go! It amazes me the sheer number of kids who come to school on their first day (and every day after that) without books, pens or anything required in the classroom. It costs me a fortune!
So, good luck to all those littlies and their families for their first day at school!
By the by, Big W has awesome deals on exercise books (2c each!) for those who shudder at newsagency prices like me!
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Ash, let me just say a quick Thank You, for spending your own hard-earned cash on these kids.
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On the last day of Kindy last year, my son’s teacher handed out to parents textas, crayons and pencils, that they had in surplus, which hadn’t been used all year! No glue though funnily enough. This year for Preschool its 5 glue sticks, specifically, 5 bostik blu 35g variety. My husband put it beautifully as to why they need so many: 1 for stick’n, 1 for sniff’n and 3 for eat’n!!
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Don’t forget the ‘firsts’ who are starting their first day at high school.
I am a high school teacher about to welcome a tribe of Year 7 newbs – who will be only 11-12 years old and who go from being head of the pack to bottom of the heap. It’s daunting for them to be sharing corridors and playgrounds with gigantic seventeen year old boys with deep voices and beards!
They huddle together in their primary school packs looking scared and overwhelmed – but soon settle in – as do the little ones in kindergarten/prep.
My own son is changing schools this year and his is a ‘first day’ as well – with new faces and teachers.
My thoughts go out to all families at this huge time of transition – hope it goes well for you all
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I am a secondary school teacher too and this year for the first time I will be a year 7 homeroom teacher. I cant wait to meet the kids. I have been spending the last few days looking through their passports they created so that their secondary school teachers can learn about them.
I am sure that on the first day with students I will be just as anxious as they will. It happens to me every year!
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Totally with you on the best wishes for all – parents & students as the move from Primary to High School occurs.. All the very best to you in your dual role!
This was a reply to Kathy W.. Sorry
Now, I think it’s awesome that you, the Year 7 homeroom teacher is a bit nervous too! And you are already getting to know the kids!
For you all who may be starting at school as a new student or staff member.. Good luck & remember there will be no more first days .. You have done the hard bit ..cheers!
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As a grade three teacher I will share my bewilderment at the amount of UHU sticks I go through.
As a mother I am with Kate on the lunch boxes. I used to send way too much food and go way too fancy with it. Learned the error of my ways and lunch boxes are now way less stressful.
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As a high school teacher, my advice is to PLEASE let your year 7 (and 8,9,10,11 and 12) student do their own homework and assignments. By all means, help them out and keep up to date with what they are doing, but you are doing them no favours by completing the whole project yourself.
(and, importantly, let them have fun doing the projects, even if they turn out a mess!)
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I knew one teacher who would write WDM on suspect assignments. Well Done Mum.
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OMG that is totally awesome. I’ll be cataloging WDM to be used one day when needed.
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When my brother began prep the Principal said that there are only two tips he has:
1. Dont carry your childs bag for them on the first day of prep or you’ll be carrying it on the last day of yr 12.
2. Where they put their school bag down at home after the first day of school is where they will put it down for the rest of their lives. (Make them put it in their room, or a designated bag area).
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love it
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Whatever you buy in stationary supplies, buy double of and keep half of it in a drawer or file box in next to the computer desk. Everything from copy paper to glue sticks, pens and pencils, compasses, a ruler, plastic sleeves, books or folders and at least one large sheet of cardboard should be kept on hand for the inevitable time your children announce a) a last minute homework project or b) that they are missing half their supplies and can’t finish their homework tonight.
Also, get into the habit, as soon as they get home, of making children empty their bags in the hallway and bring their lunchboxes – and school notes – into the kitchen BEFORE they head off to play/watch TV/get changed. Once the afternoon/evening activities start you will all forget to do it and never notice that squashed banana in the bottom of the bag.
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As a Kindergarten teacher preparing for my own bunch of newbies to arrive next week may I also offer the following words of guidance to mums and dads:
Leave them at the door- One big hug and a wave is all they need. The prolonged farewell and extended drop off in the classroom only make it harder for the child…the less drama you create when leaving, the less it will worry your child.
Do not expect your child’s teacher to chat to you when you drop them off at school on the first day….we have 20+ five years olds to settle into the classroom and as much as we want to get to know you, now is not the time. Wait until pick up time to strike up conversation.
Please do not tell your child’s teacher how ‘gifted’ they are….you can be assured that we will identify the truely gifted very quickly ourselves and our observations are far more objective….and yes, we can also pick up the difference between intelligent and pushed by parents at home.
Get into good ‘at home’ routines before school. You can tell the difference between children who have a structured morning of getting ready for school and those who throw a bowl of cornflakes down their throat in the car 5 minutes before the bell. This is particularly important for children who are anxious.
Make sure your child can open their own lunch box and drink bottle…also make sure they know what to eat for morning tea and what to eat for lunch- separate containers are a great idea…you’d be surprised how much stress this can cause children. There’s always someone who eats everything at recess and then cries because ‘mum didn’t give me any lunch today’.
From day one ask your child to pack their OWN school bag and do up the zips….you’d be surprised how greatly learning how to zip up a bag will prevent lost possessions.
DO NOT buy your child lace up shoes unless they can independently tie them up themselves.
Let our child rest when they get home….they need to sleep, play and relax. Starting school is very exhausting and the last thing they need is mum and dad asking them to do school work at home.
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Luella, I love the faux pas in your last paragraph – “Let our child rest when they get home…..”. I really believe that my children are only mine until they start school. From then they belong to both their teacher and I. They spend more than half of their waking hours with their teacher so they belong to her just as much as they do to me.
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I LOL’d at your third point, Luella. My eldest starts school on Tues, and just today I was talking to another mum who has decided (to my, um, regret – but that’s another story) to send their only child to the same school. She was telling me very seriously how she and her husband will be “working closely with” the kindy teacher to make sure she understands how “truly special” their boy is. I barely resisted the temptation to tell that I think my girl is special too, and I’ve no doubt every parent thinks the same because that’s our JOB. My silent sympathies to the teacher.
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Great advice Luella and ooooh yes, Bowerbird, the ‘Your kid might be special but mine is exceptional,’ mums. They are a whole other post, aren’t they? Hope you and your girl have a happy day on Tuesday.
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I have become a retired teacher with a problem finger tonight.. My replies are headed to different people than those intended!! Other one was for you dear Bowerbird!
So, Kate, is your youngest just too cool for school because she’s been going as a baby .. Accompanying her siblings. Still it’s a landmark for you as parents ..all kids at school!
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Am guessing that the week coming will bring all sorts of new things into your child’s and the family’s life…wishing you all a great time..xx
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truly special… oh jeez
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Such sound advice! Why don’t they include a handy “teachers tip sheet” when they send out the book list? I committed one faux pas last year, bought my son lace up shoes, with the intention of teaching him how to tie his laces! Whoops
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My first child starts school next week and my beautiful bestie sent me a link to this article. Great article and funny but here I am still crying. Can’t help but think this is the first of many giant leaps that takes my little princess further from me.
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My eldest is starting school next week and I am excited and nervous and relieved. He graduated kinder with an honorable mention! Yippee! He is looking forward to school. I hope he can keep up with the other kids and be a good all rounder. The teacher looked suitably unimpressed when I asked when he would be able to read? I am hopeful he will be a school captain, very popular amongst his peers and achieve academic excellence! No pressure of course. As long as he is well adjusted and happy ……….I should be too!
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Wish I’d read this before I labelled everything!
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I completely agree with this article. My last starts school and my eldest starts highschool. Labels are for saps, use markers for everything. Labels not only fall off but the odd desperate parent (who has already paid for 5 replacement school hats in 6 mths) will not be adverse to ripping off the label and passing the item off as their childs. So while you may suspect that little Johnny is wearing your childs expensive missing hat(insert jumper, lunchbox or textas in here) you will have no proof unless you have branded it with a laundry marker on the inside.
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After dropping my daughter at school for her first day of Kindergarten on Tuesday I will be walking down the hill with all the other parents to the pub for “BEERS and TEARS” really just lunch and a champagne or two!
Really relaxed way to chat to the other parents. When it was my eldest daughters first day we stayed there till the school bell rang at 3 and all had to run back up to get there before the little ones knew we were late!
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I love that- beers and tears!
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LOVE IT!
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Great advice. My little one is due to start prep next week- we were all prepared uniforms/booklists etc, and now something no one prepares for-a broken leg four days before starting prep. Any advice on what others have done if faced with this would be really appreciated. We have an above knee plaster, have hired a wheelchair, as crutches were too difficult to use today. Things I keep thinking about are
- will he manage, and when will be the right time to start.
- I don’t want him to feel left behind if he does not start when all his kinder friends do.
-plan to talk to the teacher on monday and hopefully she can offer some reassurring advise.
- already trying to promote his independence to help him prepare, toileting, moving himself in the wheelchair, etc.
I am sure that the next few days will help to drive what we do, but this is really not what was in the planning for starting school.
It will work out, but any advice would really help..Thanks
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hi,
i haven’t had an above knee plaster to deal with but a broken arm, which isn’t as bad. i would say stick with shorter days as he is recovering from surgery etc. so start at the normal time, but pick him up at lunch. or even morning tea. be guided by him as he might be keen to stay longer. i found starting at the same time as everyone was much better than coming in later, which i had to do after doctor’s appointments, that was MUCH more unsettling.
remember also when you were a child and kids that had plasters were sort of like celebrities? the other kids will look out for him, and he will be fine. other kids will want to push his chair and help him.
the teachers will have done it before and will have good advice and will be a good support for your son.
all the best, it is hard but it will be off before you know it,
xx
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I agree Rainbow. Start him with everyone else, and maybe do a half day. If he struggles or is uncomfortable The teacher will notice, and maybe ask them to give you a ring if they think he’s not doing well.
In my teaching career my worst injury for a kindergarten starter was a girl with broken arms… yes plural. She fell off the trampoline 3 days before school and had both arms in plaster. The kids loved helping her with her food, pencils and paste.
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thanks a lot. the start time advice really makes sense.
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My 4 year old started Prep this week. I was so proud of how he took it all in his stride, I wasn’t sure how he would go being one of the youngest in his class. He didn’t even mind going to before school care for 2 days. In fact, this morning he was excited about going because they have Rice Bubbles there (they provide breakfast).
My advice would be, if you are driving – get there really early. We walk to school but some poor kids were late as their parents couldn’t find a park.
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Kate, as usual, you are right on the money! My eldest goes into year 6 this year, and, truly, she has pretty much only ever had Vegemite or Ham and Cheese sandwiches. Maybe a salad once. Se maybe eats half because, and I quote “eating cuts into my playing time” . She eats a big breakfast and a healthy afternoon snack. I can live with that. I have no time for parents who make traffic light sandwiches, riissottos etc and I laugh at all the Back to School specials in recipe magazines.
I am with you 100% on the contact. The best you can afford.
Take a quick phot at home and don’t prolong the kindy farewell, it will only end in tears. A quick confident kiss and a hug and off you go. Don’t bring the grandparents. Our school ushers the kidney mums and dads into a big room for a glass of champagne and a box of tissues. Gold. I can’t wait till my youngest starts next year lol.
Teachers must sniff the glue sticks. How else would they survive lol. I have stacks in my cupboard bought on sale. Don’t tell the kids they are there though.
As for Kiss and Ride, as my school calls it, it is fraught with danger and yummy mummies in their 4 wheel drives who arrive 2 hrs before the bell rings and save spots for each other. Teach you child independence from an early age. Make them wait till 20 mins after the bells rings, maximize the teacher supervision, then waltz in with a big hug and smile. They will love the extra playtime. And get them to walk home as soon as you can lol.
Monday, here we come!!!!!
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Teachers don’t sniff the glue sticks ….ummm but maybe that ‘s a …. No, I won’t go there!!
And dear & lovely parents who do have glue & boxes of tissues for the classroom THANK YOU for your kindness….you make up for the surprising many who don’t
What school allows alcohol on the premises with kids (champagne??!! )
NSW DET schools are not allowed to have alcohol served at school functions unless there are no children on the premises!
Don’t answer this here as you may not get the champers LOL
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That’s not fair making the teacher supervise for 20 minutes after the bell. Yes, I’m a teacher and I know how often we are just waiting for the bell for the students to go home and having to supervise for an extra 20 minutes is just not fair after having 6 hours of supervising/teaching with 20-30 students, especially as there are often parents waiting to speak to us after school and meetings to go to. On Thursday I had no time for a toilet break between the parents and the meeting and that wasn’t with having to supervise students for extra time. I have been working 6-6 at school and more in the evening. The time with the students is full on but it doesn’t end there. Don’t get me wrong, I love teaching but sometimes I get frustrated when people just don’t understand. It is understandable if there emergency and you just couldn’t get there on time but if it is just waiting til the rush is over IS JUST NOT FAIR.
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Yes agree totally —I just re read that..teachers often having meetings to attend and other in-school responsibilities…but in saying that I think Meerkath was meaning kids could wait..BUT, they can only wait with TEACHER supervision… Sorry not on!
Parents’ Carers’ need to ensure children are collected unless those kids walk home or attend after school care.
BTW.. Another point about supervision. Parents who drop their kids at school much much earlier than the half hour before school starts..because they don’t want to pay for before school care. Am sure it’s rare but it occurred frequntly with a small number at my last school.
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wow what state are you in, our playground is fully supervised 40 mins before school and 30 mins after as are all the schools in our area.
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Last time I taught -2009- & has been the case in NSW Govt Schools for as long as I can recall..that’s a v long time.
Mornings
supervision of students in the school playground commences 30 minutes before the Morning Assembly/Line Up
afternoons.
Teachers will use the it class as they leave for the day.ensuring kids go to correct gate exit, wait for parent or walk home independently.
Once all children have left teacher’s supervision, the only “formal” supervision after the first 10 mins at dismissal will be where the Principal & DP direct traffic (kiss & drop) children who haven’t been collected once all cars have gone, go into Front Office admin for parents to be called.
Teachers have staff and other meetings to attend at least 2 if not 3 once children leave. These are for another 2-3 hours .
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teachers WILL SUPERVISE .. Not what iPad spell check did..1st par “afternoon”
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Ugh, teachers detest people like you. I am a teacher-in-training, and work in outside school hours care. I once had to wait 30 minutes past our closing time for a parent who just couldn’t be bothered. I missed out on a romantic dinner my partner had planned for me, and I got all of $10 overtime pay. Be considerate. Teachers do not have the privilege of being stay at home housewives who can swan in as they please, and many teachers certainly do not enjoy being around kids more than they need to be (as much as I love kids, I like my own time too). We do not get paid to look after your spawn after hours, and certainly do not enjoy it.
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Enjoy it….because before you know it the year will be over…and your sweet little preppies (ect) will be big grown up Grade Ones..
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Kate- awesome, amusing and right on the money with this post!!
May I add, the retired Principal recommendations? Thanks in advance.
Please do your best as parents/guardians/grandparents NOT to load the Kindergarten(Prep) starter with your feelings.
This is one time to “leave the full gamet of emotions at home”.
Please imagine, for a moment, how it feels to be preparing for your first day in a new workplace? Nervy..tummy tingling..need to know where the loo is..what if I don’t know what to do/say etc
The school starter does not have a mature way of looking at what’s ahead and indeed will “act” according to that child’s personality. Yet, some are particularly cool and calm ..until
Now, you can’t plan for the child’s reactions … Except to know the school teachers will be able to handle it..but try try to manage yours and those who may accompany you.
I know it’s such a landmark day but photos at home and maybe one at the school gate or near the name of the school is enough. There will be other days!
A couple of anecdotes from my days of enrolling the probably thousand or more kids on their first days:
- one family, three generations all hyped for the big event ..for one sweet and calm little girl, poured into my office and proceeded to video me as I asked questions, completed info sheets and welcomed them to the school …ummm put the camera down!!
- one child, enrolled the year before so I was not part of checking her date of birth and other stats, needed to “go home for another year” about a month after K started..her teacher wondered why she was developmentally slow..turns out she was 3 not 4. Mum’s excuse “oh I did it so I didn’t have to pay for pre school”
- a day at school, especially for the starters and in Summer, is like a full day at work. After complying with rules, new people, voices that are different to mum’s, and doing (hopefully) what you are told..allow for not wanting to recount the day..and for food not eaten(tummy at school different to tummy at home)…and no after school activities yet such as swimming dancing ballet etc these kids are exhausted ..and they will possibly be over-tired and revert to less mature ways…it’s a HUGE thing to start school!!
As Kate would attest I’m sure though, it’s a different ball game entirely starting #1 child at school to #3.
Oh yes, simple food and familiar food please. Children in NSW schools generally have a sit down eating time of 10 mins at Recess and the same at lunch. Food not eaten during this time, is taken with them into the play areas where they can sit & complete it. I must say, mostly it’s eaten quickly, coz they just want to play!!!
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SUCH A FUNNY WRITER! I LOVED IT
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Thanks Carrie. It’s so much fun writing here and reading the comments.
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I think each family and school is different, so my only tip would be to look around and see what other families are doing…then do whatever works for you.
I do send my daughter off with vegemite sandwiches in a tupperware container (which she has been using since she was 3…she’s now 8…so they’ve been great value).
My daughter is in Year 3, yet I still like to walk her into school at pickup and drop off times, just because it helps keep me in touch with her teacher, what’s going on in the classroom, and meeting other parents. It works for us (at least at the moment….I’m sure things will change as she gets older) so we just keep doing it.
I have well and truly been sucked into the joys of covering, contacting and labelling. I know I do it because it makes my daughter happy and feel special. But it drives me insane.
I am also a huge snapper of first day photos!!!
In fact I wrote a blog post about these last two “issues” on Tuesday this week:
http://showandtellideas.blogspot.com/2011/01/paparazzi-and-school-booklists.html
Trish
xx
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Teachers prefer it if you don’t cover books (well me and the teachers I work with). If they are covered the students, mainly girls, get upset if we then cover them again. If all of the books are the same colour we can say things like “Get your blue books out” rather than “Get your blue books out but Mary get the one with the butterflies and Tom get the one with the trucks and Jessica get the one with the green patterns…” there are less tears in the long run this way.
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Ha! If there was a nice big note in the booklist saying “DO NOT COVER- we’ll do it at school”, you could be damned sure I wouldn’t have wasted countless mindnumbingly tedious & boring hours covering the millions of books I’ve covered for my tribe over the years! (and I’d wager Mary, Tom & Jessica’s parents wouldn’t have either!) lol
I may have even baked you cupcakes (and possibly named my fifth child after you) as a thankyou!
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Re: the “”Imagine if your child ate this” caption. HILARIOUS ROFL
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I don’t have kids but found this story HILARIOUS!!!! LMAO!! thanks Kate!
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There was a fabulous discussion on ABC radio the other day, about parenting and allowing teachers to do their thing in the classroom, amongst a whole group of so called “paranoid parents”…an interesting alternative perspective.
I’ve found the link and attached it here:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2011/3066793.htm
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Take the first day photos at home, in the house, or near the car. Definitely use the permanent marker for name labels, or if inventive a bit of masking tape with the same marker on it. Use poppers that you get in the shop with “juice”, you don’t know yet whether your child loses everything or not. Get there in time for a good parking spot, something I’ve never achieved in 17 years. Oh and don’t drag out the goodbye, particularly if they’re a bit emotional, or you are, it doesn’t help anyone.
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The photos of me on my first day of school (in, eep, 1987) are in our front yard with my brother and the cat. I don’t think mum even came into the classroom with me. I was a bit clingy so I think she was trying not to drag it out.
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Well I feel old now, gaarh
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I am not sure if anyone has mentioned it below, but if little lunch and big lunch are placed into separate containers ( and clearly marked) the teacher can help your child make sure they don’t eat all their food at 11am. It means that there are no hungry children at second break.
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Clag over Perkins Paste all the way. I have a feeling our year was the last to use Perkins and the spirit-copies (was in Kindergarten in 1988 – we got special medals for the Bicentennial).
Just one question: has anyone worked out a way to wrap a sandwich and not have it attain that horrible, warm, plasticy taste from gladwrap that’s been in a hot bag?
Oh, and to the first day of uni person – double recommend the clubs and societies recommendation. Forget high school, this is a lot cooler.
N
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We don’t bother with gladwrap – we use those decor plastic tubs that come in different sizes and colours from the supermarket. They last for years and years (if the kids don’t lose them first!) and even the cheaper disposable ones are just as good and can be reused over and over.
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We use glad sandwich bags. Reinforce to the kids to bring them back home. I wash and reuse them until they’re falling apart and put them in a big box to stop them getting crushed.
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I had one of those bicentennial medals too – I kept it for ages!!
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So did I. In Year 12 (boy do I feel old when compared to the poster getting it in kindy!)
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Hee hee I was in year 5, we also went to Expo 88!
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I was in year 1. We had a day where we all dressed up in old fashioned clothes and did ‘Australian’ stuff (I seem to remember a lagerphone, Rip Rip Woodchip and bush dancing).
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I Still have mine!
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I still have my Bicentennial medal!
Are spirit copies those purple ones that smelled funny? I remember those!
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Mini cleo has been using a tupperware sandwich keeper plus for the last 3 years – has been through kindergarten/pre-school, prep and about to embark on grade one. Keeps the sandwiches fresh and I manage to avoid the glad wrap dance! If it breaks it will be replaced for free by tupperware. Makes the initial outlay worth it. As long as it doesn’t get lost!
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Yep my two boys have been using theirs since 3 yr old prep an dthey are still going! eldest is in grade 4 and hes very rough on his stuff!they are a godsend!
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it may be indicative of the amount of funding our school had but from kindy to about year 2 (sooo….’93-’95) we had some spirit copied worksheets used in class. that is a gateway drug, i loved it!
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Best tip I can give is to do your kids a favour – kiss them goodbye and leave the school. And dont turn up until the bell is about to ring in the afternoon. The last thing they need is a control freak smother mother stalking their every move. Give them some privacy.
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this does the teachers a favour too!
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Yes, yes and yes. I hovered a bit for the first year – and then what a relief it was to finally step back and let go of all that angst.
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Perkins Paste……..I love it! Whatever happened to that stuff??
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Clag was how I rolled at kindy, and remember photocopies having that great smell? Or was that just me?
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I don’t remember photocopies smelling, but I remember the other sort of purple inked stencils (Gestetner?) smelling awesome. I think it was metho!
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I’m showing my age here, but are you referring to the roneo copy process?
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Yes, I think so from looking at Wiki. Also called a ‘spirit duplicator’, I guess because of the metho. no wonder the women who worked in the office were always a bit spacey!
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D’oh, that Anonymous was me.
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OMG Stencils were the best part of getting a handout!!! LOVE that smell (the whole class did!)
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Yes! I loved the smell of those copies. Sort of purply ink. Were they called ‘roneos’ or something?
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Yes I think so!!
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Oh I too loved the roneoed copies. Especially when they were still a bit warm.
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And how about those fabric book bags your mum sewed which sat over the back of your chair in kindy- so cool, I want one now!
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Those chair bags still exsist in prep and year one. Thank god I didn’t have to make it but we did have to make it “personal” with a name, embroider, iron thingy’s or whatever. I just bought some iron letters in spotlight to spell their names and they chose some extra little motives to make a bit funky.
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Yeah clag glue & the blue photo copies still remember that even now lol!
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Miss12 starts high school next Friday, first day of school seems so long ago!
She is beside herself with excitement about moving from a school of 300 pupils to a school of 1000 girls, all the new friends she is going to make and all the new stuff to do…
I just worry about the mean girls and that she will be on the bus and the train. Deep breaths…
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I’m with you Fashionista. Big boy starting high school on Monday. We are prepared but nervous.
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Just remind yourself, the mean girls peak in highschool. At her 20 year reunion they’ll be the bitter old bags who dont smile!
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My boy starts high school on monday, actually he goes to camp for the first 3 days, (good way to start),after that I’m a bit nervous as he will be catching a bus.
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My experience with the mean girls is that they’re only really mean to their friends/aquaintances. Stay away from them, make nice friends and you’ll be fine! Just don’t get tricked by the illusion that they’re ‘cool’ or ‘more popular’… of course they’re not popular, they’re called the mean girls for a reason!
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If you’re worried about bitchy girls, the best advice you can give your daughter is not to tie herself down to one group too early. Advise her to establish a few solid friendships early on, as a support system, but also to try and make friends with many girls from many different ‘cliques’.
I’m going into Year 11 this year, and I remember what girls are like in the beginning of high school. Most girls will naturally cling to a particular group and forget that they can (and should) make many friends from different groups.
Once she’s established who the nice girls are (and, just as importantly, who to avoid) she can make well-informed decisions about her friendship groups.
I was lucky enough to move to high school with a solid group of about five good friends, but I didn’t let that tie me down and this group has now expanded to 10 or 11 girls.
Also, and I know that she will hear this every day for the next six years (believe me. I’ve had teachers drilling this into me for years now!), but avoid friends who pressure you into things. Not only are they usually a bad influence, but they don’t have your best interests at heart. Advise her to get out of these toxic friendships as soon as possible, and avoid these people at all costs.
I’m sure your daughter will really enjoy high school; I’ve absolutely loved my time at school, and she sounds really enthusiastic about this next phase of her life. Good luck!
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Caitlin – you sound like such a lovely, mature and wise person. I wouldn’t have guessed you were only going into year 11 this year. Such wonderful advice x
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Thank you, that’s lovely!
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My first day of highschool was disastrous.
My parents made me catch the bus. Not the school bus, the public one.
I missed it.
When I got to school 10 minutes after the bell I had no idea where anything was or where I was supposed to be.
Was in so much trouble when I finally found my english class which was near over and made the monumental mistake of asking when my very fat and so not pregnant bitch of a teacher when her baby was due to try and break the ice.
oops.
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Refer to the Australian sayings post – time to learn the expression “Rack off”. Worked for me to get the mean girls out of my face. Only wish I had known it at primary school! Good luck Fashionista!
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Kate, you have hit the nail on the head.
I have two at school and one at home still. In previous years the school has had a stationery levy payable at the beginning of the year. It’s great – the kids share all the stationery in the classroom and I don’t have to prepare a booklist. The booklist starts from Year 3. I thought I’d be resourceful (read: cheap) and use stuff I already had at home, then buy the rest from Big W, only purchasing the textbooks from the newsagency because I couldn’t get them anywhere else. Then I also decided that she didn’t need 20 HB pencils, 3 glue sticks, etc on day one. I sent two pencils and one glue stick and told her to ask for more when they run out.
She came home at the end of the first day. Apparently she was missing HEAPS of things from the list (despite the fact that I had marked off everything I bought) and some things were just plain wrong. I have now visited the local newsagency and re-stocked the booklist. Next year, I will just give the bloody booklist to the newsagency and get them to fill it!
And yes, my kids live on Vegemite sandwiches most days too.
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My first starts Kinder this week and we are all pretty excited about it. As a former kindergarten teacher I’ll add another couple of points.
1. It might sound obvious but make sure your child can recognize their own name so they know how to find their lunchbox, jumper, books, tub…whatever they need to find. Include their surname in that in case there is a couple of other kids with the same name.
2. Try and make their bag easy to identify. In this day when most kids have exactly the same bags it’s important to put something colourful and individual on their bags that is easy for them to spot. Also prepare them for the fact that they will need to look out for it.
Happy school days everyone!
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That is great advice Ladybug. Thank you.
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Kate, I love it! And Joanne your comments below are excellent too!
My 4yo is going to school next year. It is the topic of much excitment at the moment for her as all her older friends are going to big school next week and she’ll be taking part in the School Readiness program at Pre School this year.
Can’t imagine how the Mums saying ‘good bye’ are feeling… I can’t believe my little girl is growing up and I”m still a year out!!!
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Fantastic advice Kate and Joanne! I have 2 at school and my only advice is if your school book packs have the option of paying extra for the books to be covered DO IT!!!! Best thing I ever did! They come delivered to my door pre covered and I have to do is write their names on them.
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Plastic sleeves!!! Gone are the days of contact, they come in different sizes and can be reused until they fall appart.
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Ah, the magazine guilt trips re the school lunch boxes! (and compounded by all the “nutritionist” suggestions in the weekend papers). Who on earth has the time to make and arrange all that stuff???
I say just try and minimise crappy food and over-processed junk and lunch-box sized mini packets of tiny teddies etc. Waste of money and hardly good for the kids. Mine go to school with salad sangas, fruit, water, occasionally home-made muffins (made up on the weekends if I can be bothered and then frozen, giving me a fortnight’s worth) or soya sticks or a tub of yoghurt (but not the spoon from the good cutlery set, instead send one from the “camping” set)
And I flatly refuse to send my kids with the entire stationery list quantities. The extras just go into a draw and get handed out to whoever asks for them. I’m sorry, but I simply cant afford to supply every child in my son’s class with glue sticks. Instead, I sent the bare minimum and I got a note for more glue only once. That’s it. Nearly 100 bucks saved between the 2 children.
Oh and don’t scrimp on shoes. Yes, they will grow out of them but if you can afford it, buy the best you can buy. You only get one set of feet and having poorly fitted or poor quality shoes affects their posture, their muscle development etc.
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Ahh first day memories.
10 feet on to school property I tripped and grazed both my knees badly. After spending considerable part of the morning in the nurses office I was no longer excited about this great place my mum had been hyping up for the past 3 months.
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I’m not a mum, but I do work as a nanny (and will soon be a teacher) and I have a few tips of my own to add!
1. Little boys are incapable of remembering their things. Now I ask “have you got your hat/drink/lunchbox/homework” before I even say hi. A retrieval mission is inevitable.
2. Mums are cliquey. If you have friends at your kid’s school and get to chat, why not include the mum/nanny/babysitter who is standing by herself and feeling as awkward as all hell. Just because you are on school premises, there is no need to act like you are 14…
3. If your kids bike or scooter to school, teach them footpath etiquette – there is nothing worse than having your toddler mown down by two six year olds having a race.
4. Teach them to carry their own bags to the car. You are not a packhorse. And establish an unpack/put away routine from the first day.
Good luck everybody!
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Yep, I’m a nanny and soon-to-be teacher as well. Totally agree with #2. I find the school pick up can sometimes be really awkward!
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Re the standoffish mothers tribes: so over them. I work full-time, I’m busy, stop giving me dirty looks because I don’t have time to stand around gasbagging until recess!
Just because I don’t ‘stay-at-home’ doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with me.
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Try saying ‘hello’ with a smile as you go past the ‘tribes’:) Maybe you are misinterpreting the looks you feel you are getting.
As a Mum who is a stay at home mum (both employed at home part time, and solely a mum) *I’d* say hi and smile back – I am sure I’d not be the only one:) The mothers I know have nothing but understanding for each other no matter their employment situation. We are, after all, just mothers trying to do our best.
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Annie, please believe me. That stay-at-home mum is not giving you a dirty look because you don’t have time to stand around “gasbagging until recess”. She may be looking like that because her toddler just kicked a piece of that bloody playground bark in her eye. More likely she isn’t looking at you at all, but staring into space wondering if she can get away with chops for dinner again or where she is going to get her thesis bound. Maybe she’s just wondering where you got your great shoes from, and when she’ll ever get to wear heels like that again. Maybe she’s focusing on enjoying her sole adult contact of the day, or maybe she’s a little tired and grumpy because she was up late teaching an evening class and then got up a couple of times to a baby overnight.
I’m pretty sure it’s not about you.
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As a Mum I can agree on the cliques, though I personally tend to float in and out of chats as I feel, and often talk to the woman on her own….unfortunately it is very often because of a language barrier, but at least we can share a smile and say ‘hi’
It is worth repeating the checklist too. Hat, lunch, water bottle, homework, tennis racquet….AND if they have a lunch order, remind them to put the order in the lunch order bag when you get to the classroom! Our children get lunch orders only for special occasions (birthday or award at school) so it’s more of an event, but I often hear from other mothers that their children forgot to put their lunch order in and have to ask a teacher to make a Vegemite sandwich for lunch.
On the bag thing, I can’t agree enough! I walk my children to school, and it is their responsibility to carry their own bag. My only variation on this is if they end up with too many activities on the same day. My daughter, in grade one last year ended up with tennis (during lunchtime), dance (right after school) and library (she always borrows the maximum quantity of books) on the same day. THEN, I will help her by carrying something!
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I said hello to someone who said hello back and then turned her back to me straight away. Ouch! She, of course wanted to talk to someone else, so that bit of advice doesn’t always work.
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Great advice from a fellow ex-nanny! I’m not interested in carrying your bags, kids!
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I find #1 a little sexist. My 3 year old has no trouble remembering what he needs to take to kinder and reminds ME about his sunscreen and hat. Suggesting that males ate “incapable” of remembering their things is not very nice or encouraging.
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I think it was tongue in cheek. Some boys of course are great at remembering. It just seems to be (certainly in our class at school) that the girls are a lot better at it and in fact often tell the boys what they should and shouldn’t be doing/having/wearing, etc. Secretly I think the girls like being bossy and the boys like not having to think about it
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Its not new that girls tend to be a little more mature than boys of the same age…thats why lost of boys are now starting school at 6 rather than the usual starting age of 5.
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I have 2 boys so I have no idea what girls are like in remembering their things. My boys (10 and 7 yrs) are very good – but I’m a very organised person as well (must have rubbed off on them!!).
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It really was not meant to be insulting (I love ALL my kids!) – it’s more just my experience (with many different kids and families) Boys of around 6-8 just seem to go through a forgetful stage, though many do grow out of it!
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Sorry Emilie, I’m just a little sensitive because I have two sons and I find people often generalise about boys’ behaviour in a negative way.
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Mum split my brother and sister after kindy because my sister remembered all their stuff for the both of them, he had no clue most of the time!
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Oh #2 is so true. I took my little one to a very popular playgroup recently and most of the Mums were very obviously wearing their “no friend vacancy” looks. The friendliest person was a gorgeous girl who was a nanny. RESPECT!
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A snippet from inside the staffroom…..teachers find it hysterically sad and pathetic when parents carry the school bag to and from school. It makes the parents look like a pack horse. It’s not that heavy for your little prince or princess to carry!!! Gives teachers a good insight into who rules the roost at home. It’s the child’s bag, let them carry it.
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So true! I was a nanny and am now a teacher. The mum’s can be cliquey, and I do think some (not all) Mums judge each other – whether the working Mums judge the SAH Mums or vice versa. I’ve noticed it a bit, e.g. Can you believe such and such missed the special assembly?, when that woman is a working Mum who probably can’t get away! Also re. the teacher saying carrying the bags is pathetic – sometimes it’s just easier to pick it up and carry it than have them stuffing around with it and whinging – has absolutely nothing to do with them being a princess!
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It was our first day today.
My son started prep and my daughter grade 1.
Last year my drama queen daughter made a bit of a fuss about first day but this year she didn’t really get a chance to because I had to quickly say goodbye and take my son to his first class. Where thankfully there were absolutely no tears or fuss. just a quick kiss and “bye mum” as he went off to make new friends in the lego corner.
The poor toddler was the one who suffered the most. he spent all morning searching through the whole house looking for his siblings calling out their names and looking a little bewildered that this particular game of hide and seek was not really much fun!
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Aww! Your kids are so cute
!
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That is the problem (with one left at home) I’ll be having this year.
I love how ‘shiny’ they look on their first day:) School shoes unscuffed, whiter-than-white sock. Gorgeous children.
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My Big Boy starts Big School on Monday … he informed me this morning that today was the last day I could call him by Baby Boy … this made me sad, so he said I could still call him my tiger cub.
I brought the fancy labels, gave up trying to iron them on and resorted to the permanent marker.. plus I couldn’t work out how to label the grey sock, so i decided that they would just get lost anyway so i didnt bother.
I also brought the fancy school shoes that are really runners, at $100 if he loses or trashes them I am going straight to Big W for a $8 pair.
The school bag and hat was finally picked up from the uniform lady’s house during the week (it has been there since before Christmas.) To my horror it is exactly the same colour as my school bag from high school … but surely as he isnt catching the train to school he wont be teased….
The pencils and textas have been labeled, the no mess lunch box purchased, the school short back and sides haircut done…
I have had many laughs reading the starting school advice this week, I think I have made every rookie new school mum mistake so bring on Monday morning, when my baby, ooops, I mean my big boy starts the next exciting adventure of his life. I’ll be the one proudly saying have a great day to my big school boy before running home to have a coffee and a bit of a cry!
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Bless you Kate, this totally made me smile and nod my head the whole way through it, esp about the lunch boxes!!
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I’m 26 and I still have the pink lunchbox my Pa gave me when I started school!
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me too!!! except mine is ‘american school bus yellow’ lol
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32 and still have my blue decor one!
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Oh Kate, you’re a card. I’m not a parent (as you well know) but this does bring back fond memories of my own school years. Mum was a freaking expert book coverer and we did indeed use the same dictionary across more than a decade. However the page including the word ‘parabola’ is now missing and that is cause for great consternation.
I insisted on covering my own binders in Grade 8 with lots of Jurassic Park dinosaurs but the effort was one of such uncompromising atrociousness that the dinosaurs all fell off in term one in what turned out to be an elaborate metaphor for their own demise 65 million years ago.
Sigh. Those were the days.
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Rick, I understand how your mum could be a freaking expert book coverer. I am obsessive about getting the pictures and name tag perfectly straight on the book, then getting the contact on without ANY bubbles or messy marks. Luckily, contact has come a long way since I was at school. Now you can peel it off the book and start again – and my life is complete!
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My first day of school was 29 years ago, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.
My mum was in hospital having my brother so my dad took me to school. Apparently he bawled his eyes out because his little girl didn’t turn around and wave goodbye. I was so eager to get there I ran inside!! Poor daddy.
I have absolutely no tips as I’m not a parent. But I LOVED Joanne’s suggestions. Made sense to me
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I don’t have children, so have never had to do the lunchbox/school thing, but I am a Preschool teacher who has talked a lot of families through the transition to school and feel I have a couple of points to add that might be helpful:
1. For pick up and drop off, always be in the one place. ‘Johnny’ complained Mum was ALWAYS late, but Dad was always right on time – that’s because one day Mum would be in one part of the playground talking to other Mums, then the next day she’d be over near the bubblers talking to other Mums, so Johnny never knew where to look… Dad was always standing just inside the gate.
2. Make sure your child can open and close their own lunchbox and drink bottle. If you’re packing muesli bars/pre-packaged items snip the tops off and show your child how to get it out of the packet. DONT USE CLING WRAP!! (unless you know your child can open it)
3. No yoghurt tubes. It’s hot and they’re had to open. The new ones with the screw top lid are okay, but loosen it a little to break the seal so they at least have a CHANCE to open it themselves.
4. Even if the school uniform says lace up shoes, no teacher is going to complain about velcro in the first few weeks – it’s MUCH better than tieing 25 sets of laces.
5. Even if your child doesn’t normally have toileting issues, make sure they have HEAPS of spare clothes tucked neatly into the bottom of their bag. Tell them they are there. Remind them where the toilets are on the first day.
6. As painful as it’s going to be, once you’ve said Goodbye, don’t go back. Don’t look back. By the time you’ve got to the car they’ve stopped crying and are looking at all the new and cool things that you don’t have. If your child is distressed, the school will call you.
7. Don’t TELL your child school is going to be awesome and fun and they’re going to make LOADS of new friends. Don’t ask them when they get in the car “So who’s your friends?” cos they’re just like: Shit! I’ve gotta have friends already? I’ve only just worked out what the bell is for!! Ask more direct questions like: Who did you sit next to today? Did you paint today? What colour was your chair? (Eventually they’ll tell you more!).
I’m sure I’ve got other things, but as it’s the end of my break time I have to wrap it up.
Good Luck
)
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Great tips. As a former kindergarten teacher I agree with all these.
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Your list is great Joanne. Can I just add to your point 4 about school shoes with laces? I have a son whose aim at the toilet is not always good. I buy school shoes with valcro, so that the teacher doesn’t have to do up his laces if he has dripped on them at the toilet!
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A teacher also told me that. No teacher wants to tie up little boys laces – as their aim is terrible at the best of times, but even worse when they are rushing to get back outside to play with their friends
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and make sure your little boy has learned how to use a urinal beforehand!
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OOOOHHHH yes!!!! As a teacher boys wet laces equals EEERRRRRRKKKKKKKKK.
Its not always that they can’t aim in the urinal either… I’ve broken up my fair share ( By bellowing in the loo door!)of ‘pee up the wall’ or ‘sword fights’ in the boys toilets.
I also have to agree with unwrapping food. Not only because it is time consuming for the teacher, it can also cause some anxiety for the kids if they can’t do it themsleves, or they can be just too scared/ intimidated to ask. It can then lead to being ‘in trouble’ for not eating.
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Kate, how spot on you are. Brilliant in its accuracy!
My children are not interested in fancy wraps and fillings, they just want to eat whatever is in their lunchbox as fast as they can, so vegemite sangers, everyday, it is. As for snacks, they must fit in the pocket so they can take it with them and eat while playing. Any fancy yoghurt, dip, etc in fancy tupperware gets left behind. A packet of tiny teddies is all they want to know about. Not great for the environment, but kids don’t care, nothing must come between them and the precious few minutes of playtime.
As for labels, nothing beats permanent marker – those labels indeed all just wash off or fade away. Or get taken off by others as they find the item that they ‘want’.
Pick up and drop off can be crazy – now we are a cycling family. I have to allow for those few more minutes to get home, get the car and get to work, but the time and sanity it saves me is worth it.
Good luck to all first time parents. Now you just have to make it through the next few years of newsletters, notes from teachers, notes from fundraising committees, notes from the P&A, homework, readers….and you thought you were getting some of your time back!
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