Thursday, February 4, 2016

First Day Back




The Kids started back at school yesterday, four happy campers entering Years 2, 4, and 6, and therefore the final year my little gang of 4 will be together at the same school for a while before Eleanor heads off to High School next year. She is in the wars though - a bunged up knee from dancing, a sore mouth from having new wires on her braces the day before and not enough sleep thanks to a certain 3 year old visitor during the night who was no doubt feeding off all the new school year excitement and wanting to soak up as much time as possible before 'losing' his 4 playmates.

They all started nagging me as usual to get them to school at the earliest possible time to allow for maximum socialisation with their friends before the bell rings. "Come on Mum, we're going to be late!", they all chime in. I remind them that it's only 8.05, that they're re not even allowed to be at School until 8.10 and that School officially starts at 8,40. It's only a 3 minute drive to School so I stand at the kitchen sink and slowly pour milk into my second cup of beloved coffee. I think about the parents around the world that have to wake their children up in the mornings, who struggle to get them ready and out the door without being late. I can't even imagine. It has always been the other way around in this house. Maybe my Kids don't get out enough. "But Mum, George is on the gate on Wednesdays so we need to go now!"

Instead of lamenting the craziness of having the morning school run dictated by their desire to see their friends and scheduled down to the minute depending on whose turn it is to open and close the gate I can't help but marvel at their time management skills (obviously not from me!) and the way they have once again joined a caucus to sort an issue out and come up with their own plan where everyone is happy. "Who's on Friday then?", I ask. "There's 4 of you and 5 days in the school week so what happens on the 5th day?" "Anyone does it, we all take turns but mostly Charles does it because he's the last one in and closest to the door. We're just waiting for Flynn to grow up and take that day". They have it all sorted. I look at Flynn in the rearview mirror and figure he has another year before being destined for his new role. I also start fantasising about a week when every child takes turns cooking dinner.

I decide to abandon thoughts of drinking my coffee there and instead grab the good camera to take the obligatory first-day-of-school photo before piling the travelling circus into the car. We spend the first 10 seconds in the car flinching as school bags get chucked across the different rows to meet up with their rightful owners whilst I juggle my second cup of coffee in my right hand whilst sticking my head out the window and ordering the Whippets to 'stay'. The music gets turned up loud and "Fast Car" is playing. I say I love this song but prefer Tracy Chapman's original version that we listen to at home so much more. Eleanor agrees but insists the original is sung by a man and we have a heated debate. It doesn't often happen but I love it when I'm right. The second cup of coffee gets sipped on the way down the driveway in between dodging the potholes and then polished off while George negotiates the front gate. No Whippets escaped and no coffee was splashed on my clothes. Success.

After I dropped them off, I did what I always do. Coffee with the school mums before going home to stare out of the window for approximately two hours. I then take a deep breath and assess the post summer holiday carnage that surrounds me. It can all wait. Instead, I unwrap the new Calendar, rip off the first month and put it directly into the rubbish bin whilst wondering just what the heck happened to January. It appears my year starts on February 3. Every year. It's now 2.30 and the Whippets stand at the edge of the balcony signalling the imminent arrival of the school bus. I can't wait to hear all their first-day-back stories. I have a youtube video of the fabulous Tracy Chapman on my iphone on standby. 2016, let's go!



15 comments :

  1. Moments to treasure because before you know it, they'll have grown up. Fabulous, fabulous view and I love the whippets standing watch for the school bus. Happy days.

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  2. Your story resonates. I've got two that started school again this week, two still at home. It's 5:35am, the first one is already sitting for breakfast. After a night of tossing and turning I decided I need to ease of, this is a marathon, not a sprint. There is always so much to do, so much I want to do, all piled on top of the backlog from the holidays. I'm going to have a quiet cuppa this afternoon, enjoying my own views, with a dog on my feet. I might even turn on my old favourite Tracy for the crossroads. Happy Friday.

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  3. Such a precious memory Mel! Thanks for sharing it. x

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  4. Wonderful. Happy New Year Mel! I hope they had a good day. CJ xx

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  5. Oh I remember that song too, I loved it. I think I have the single somewhere............

    Hope that the first day went well, it is great that they are so keen to get to school!! xx

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  6. Hope they all had a wonderful first week back at school xx

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  7. Hey Mel,
    What a lovely record of your children's first day back to school! I love the idea od you drinking your second cup of coffee while negotiating the potholes. I'm often running up the hill to Olly's school force feeding him a banana!
    Leanne xx

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  8. Such a gorgeous growing team you have Mel.
    Hope it's a wonderful year for you all.

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  9. A very happy new year to you Mel - I'm not entirely sure where January goes either! Loved hearing about what the first day of school is like for you guys! xx

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  10. Simply beautiful, is that a huge lake i see on the last pic.?

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  11. I always enjoy seeing your first day back at school photos. Hope they all have a wonderful first work back at school too and the whippets get used to waiting a long time for their return! Sarah x

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  12. Love your posts Mel, whenever they come through. Ohhh I miss my coffee mums, we moved and starting the new school year without my coffee crew panged a bit.
    Seeing your sweet whippets makes me muse too, have been wondering on and off about getting one, and as a family pet inches closes, the wonderings continue. You love, love, love them right?

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  13. In that case, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Such a sweet post. I wish my year started in Feb but I get a rude awakening on January 8th... my youngest's birthday. Sneaks up on me every year. He's FIVE! - xxx Michelle

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  14. Those first day photos are just precious. We haven't had a 'first day of school' yet - but I am so looking forward to the time when we sent our brood off together - we currently have a three year old, an 18 month old and a newborn due in October. My husband is already talking about our fourth. I think that there is just something so special about growing up with lots of loving brothers and sisters.

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  15. Beautiful photos and beautiful story to match. I love hearing that all your kids love school. And I love the idea that you have enough kids that they will be able to each take turns cooking dinner. Maybe I need to have two more ... (just joking).

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