Big first: R started reception today (that's kindergarten for the non-Brits out there). She's in school now. For the next who-knows-how-many years. Somewhere between 14 and 22 (if she's anything like me). So that's going to take a bit of time.
I walked her to her new school today. We did the obligatory stuff. A special breakfast (R2-D2 shaped porridge)). A whole bunch of pictures at home both before we left and then getting on the scooter and getting our adventure on.
We live in Stoke Newington, which is a home to organic free range children. So you can imagine the number of people doing the same thing as me. I passed a family taking pictures of their kids in front of their house. I passed 3 neighbours on the way to the school and saw at least 3 more inside. It felt like being a part of a community, not at all like the middle of a megacity. Weird. Nice, though.
One of the neighbours I passed on the way asked So who is her teacher?
Um... not sure. R, do you remember your teacher's name?
Errrrrr. No.
I should probably find that out, shouldn't I?
Yeah.
A quick SMS back and forth to the wife gave us the name of the teacher, but that didn't help the confusion I faced next.
We got the school and entered into the playground. It was full. Hundreds of children, parents, maybe teachers too. It was a bit chaotic. All I knew is that I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. I deduced from the scooter lock-up by the gate I should probably get R off her scooter. But beyond that, no clue.
I remembered the confusion I had as a kid for things like this — big masses of people and I was supposed to be somewhere specific in it, doing something. Well, turns out it's just as bad for the parent. I found the line-ups for the years 1-7, but not reception. I eventually found a neighbour and asked, and she told me where to find the reception classrooms. So I just had to dodge the queues and masses of children to make my way to the other side of the school. I picked up the girl and said, hold on tight
, and swooshed through to relative calm of the other side.
I didn't need the teacher's name after all. I kind of recognised her from her home visit. So at least I was spared the embarrassment of dropping her off in the wrong class. Just an uncomfortable Am I in the right place?
was enough.
They stagger the start day for the reception classes, so each day 6 new people start. Which means today there was R and 5 others. Not overwhelming at all, which is good. I stood around with her, helping her adjust and commiserating with the parents of another child from our street.
Her day was a bit marred by having slept on her neck funny. She woke up in the middle of the night with neck pain. By morning her neck hurt so much she was only comfortable tilting it to one side. So she was far less enthusiastic about the whole thing than I expect she normally would have been. Still, she braved her way through it. And I explained to the teacher to bear with her and she'd be more excited in time.
Her teacher dropped the hint that I should be heading out, so I and the two other remaining parents took off, leaving the kids sitting on a rug about to be addressed together for the first time.
She just turned 4 a month ago. I was 5½ when I started school. So I've no feeling at all for what she must think of all this. She's as ready as anyone else there, but that doesn't change that's it's a lot to take in.
L picked her up after school. By then her neck was ok and she was in a better mood. She spoke of the other children she met and what they played with. So that went well.
Another 3000 or so more days to go.
