COLUMNIST: Preparing for a big leap for my little boy

Well this year started much like the last one; I went through every emotion on New Year's Eve - happy tears fell as I reflected on the lovely things that had happened in 2017, then I sobbed about some not so happy moments.

There was excitement about things we have to look forward to, then I got the knot in my stomach that comes with the feeling that you’re somehow about to venture into the unknown, before my heart sank as my thoughts turned to a 2018 event that I’ve been dreading.

After a fabulous Christmas I was brought back down to earth with a bump, as I realised the deadline for returning our son’s primary school enrolment forms was looming - a job I’ve been putting off since autumn.

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As a June baby, Isaac will have not long turned four when he starts school in September, and it just seems wrong.

It isn’t that he won’t be ready for school, as he can already write his name, knows his letters and is fantastic with numbers, he is out of nappies, can dress himself and his speech and vocabulary skills are way ahead of his years, but he is a fun-loving, smiley little boy who likes playing and snuggles and quiet time when he gets tired, and in that respect, school will be a completely different environment to home and the nursery that he loves – it’s a huge leap that he will be making almost a year earlier than his big sister Jessica did, and I struggled when she started.

It seems crazy that Isaac’s friends, who are weeks younger than him, won’t start school until September 2019, and I can see why some parents in my position have chosen to delay their child’s school start date by a year.

Jessica is thriving at school, but school to home communication is nothing like I was used to from nursery, where I would receive a daily report about whether she had eaten well, details of her daily activities and lovely notes about how nicely she had played with her friends - I can’t even choose her lunch like other mums do, because she attends breakfast club...

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The fact that I am a working mum seems to make it all so much harder, but that’s a whole different column.

Jessica has had nothing but glowing reports and parents’ evenings, and I know Isaac will do us equally proud, but the lack of regular info does leave a gaping hole.

Thankfully, I am a firm believer that there is a silver lining to be found in every cloud, and one good thing about my little man starting school is that I will get to spend more time with him!

Working locally, with an early finish and not having to factor the 40 minute nursery run in to my day means I’ll get to spend more quality time with my family.

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I will still be a blubbering wreck on his first day, just like I was with Jessica, but I can take some comfort in the fact that his amazing big sister will be there looking out for him and showing him the ropes...

I can’t bring myself to worry about the fact that he might not get a place at the same school yet – someone clearly thinks parents don’t have enough on their plate!