This summer seems to have whizzed by in the blink of an eye, and not only because the weather has not always been as kind as it could have been. So being the first day back of school I of course ensured that everything was prepared and named and I just knew, that finally this year would be the year! This year all three children would be up on time and eager to go to school for something other than their lunch, the homework would be done on time and there would be no moaning about music practice for the instruments that they claim they want to learn! This year they would remember to bring home all of their sports kit, relevant books and even make sure that they return permission slips on time. Finally they would work out how to hang up their uniform or put it in the washing basket or return it to their wardrobe when it has been lovingly washed and ironed!
At that point the alarm went off and the questions began, have you seen my… can I take a snack… etc, etc. I am sure when I collect them at the end of the day the first question will be what is for dinner. My enquiries about their first day, friends, exciting new discoveries and so on will fall on deaf ears, although they will be able to tell me in detail what they have eaten for lunch and who they played with!
A change has happened though; Hpops is now a teenager – eek and even worse is the same height as me!! Imp is not going to senior school so Pixie is the only one left in the junior school. Not that she minds proclaiming that her brother was annoying anyway! There is the usual flurry of information evenings to contend with and the setting of routines, trying to get to grips with the extra curricular activities they want to pursue and then finding an extra day in the week to fulfil all of this. Still it is an exciting time – for Imp mostly as he begins his new adventure.
I can still remember when Hpops started, banished to the school gate on the first morning as she forged ahead alone to meet a friend, the same scenario was repeated with Imp today, as it did with many other new staters. It is with a mixture of pride,fear and sadness that I watched as he (and Hpops) disappeared through the gates without so much as a look back. Pride in that they tackle the new year with confidence and have some sense of independence. Fear for the journey ahead, who knows how smooth the transition will be, newly diagnosed as being ‘on the spectrum’ means sensory overload and new routines can be problematic for Imp but I have to hope he finds his way through the first few days. Sadness, like Hpops before him he no longer needs to me to collect him and drop him off ( except of course when his school bag is too heavy!), homework is down with minimal parental involvement and friends become more important in day to day life. Of course in many ways this is all good as they slide through life and take on new challenges!
This summer they managed to pack in a lot, 2 stage schools, a bushcraft camp and a trip to Devon. I can highly recommend West end Stage School located in Guildhall, they were up, on a train and eager every single day of camp. (wish that could rub off for term time!) They met wonderful people, cast from the shows and learnt how to do make up, take a decent headshot, but most important they had fun. They got to perform on a West end stage and Imp enjoyed it saying he felt like crying when the company was given a well deserved standing ovation! They met new friends and with the wonder of modern day technology even though some go them live abroad they can keep in contact. They were reunited with friends made on holiday last year and it was like they had never been apart. (To be honest they hadn’t as they are on face time all the time!) but tears and hugs were exchanged and saying goodbye at the end of the week was hard for them.
I did feel strange this summer, my role mostly consisted of taking the children to places and collecting them again, ensuring they had lunch and drinks and sun cream and so on. We did go to some parks, a beach and spend time together but in the main the wanted to go and do things with people their own age and I guess that is how things progress. Gone are the days of toys sprawled all over the floor, dinner being pureed and yelling in the garden! I am in the main proud though, they are growing up, becoming independent, learning life skills and I get to watch!
I am still waiting for them to tidy their rooms, read the draft of the novel I gave them at the beginning of the year and actually do their homework of course but until then…
