So,
the world and his dog are busy writing random lists of how to get your
kids ready for big school. My favourite tip was this one: “A week before school starts, start getting into the routine
of getting up early, getting dressed & having breakfast.”
Are you completely stark raving bonkers? My last week of not having to
get up at 7.30am for, ooh about 12 years, and I should get up early?
Voluntarily? Pah.
Flea’s starting school for the first time next term, and we’re totally gearing up for the
big day in our own special way. Here are our top tips for getting ready
for big school:
- Buy an iron. And an ironing board. I’ve manged 35 years without
an iron or an ironing board, so it’s a sad day, but I admit defeat in
the face of school shirts. I may rethink my whole school choice if I
find a local school that puts kids in polo shirts, come to think of it. - Calculate precisely what toys fit into your new school coat
pockets. Flea already knows that she can either take two burglars and a
pteradactyl to school, OR the pteradactyl and the T-Rex. I definitely
think this forward planning will avoid traumas on the big day. - Plan your menu. Flea has discovered the school menu and has
planned her first week’s lunches already. You may think I’m joking,
here, but I’m not. Meatballs on Monday, roast lamb on tuesday,
Wednesday is chicken pie, Thursday is shepherds pie and Friday is
pizza, which she’s not keen on, but it’s better than jacket potatoes,
apparently. - Stitch name tags everywhere, especially on the blazer. A top tip
from a fellow Mum – having spent the best part of 50 quid on a blazer,
the last thing you want is for someone to nab it during playtime.
Apparently, this happens all the time, then the Bad Mothers pick out
the name labels. So – put name labels where they can’t easily be seen,
including inside the pockets and a quarter of the way down the inside
of the sleeve. - Make the most of your last week of freedom. You’ve got your whole
life to get up early and put on a uniform. This week is for lie-ins,
running on the beach, staying up late and eating jelly dinosaurs until
you feel sick (that’s just me, obviously)
Did we miss anything?
Excellent list!
My son is starting on Tuesday… in a school with polo shirts. Downside: they’re sparkly white polo shirts.
You are so lucky to have school lunches like that. Mine gets a packed lunch of sandwiches, so we still need to provide crazy things like vitamins at night.
I got a labelmaker from my sister-in-law, and now I can make my own iron-on labels. You should try them they’re ea-sy.
Good luck with the big day!
How on earth do you have SPARKLY polo shirts? Although now I come to think of it, I find the idea weirdly appealing…
Flea’s school has compulsory school lunches – no packed lunches allowed – so I guess they sort of have to give them decent food!
I love how you have survived without an iron for so long, but your living proof it gets you in the end! I abhore ironing it’s such a waste of my time, i think i have a magic elf replacing every single iteam i ever iron as the pile gets bigger and bigger no matter how much time i spend slaving away.
I find it doesn’t matter how much you iron – spag bol, felt tip pen and tomato ketchup will mean the whole lot needs replacing by half term. Or have I just got the messiest child in Christendom?
@Laura – I know, I’ve been beaten by The System. I don’t think I’m going to iron anything other than shirts mind.
@Dawn – Are you TRYING to make me feel worse than I already do about the ironing??? 🙂
Great tips!! I put S in his school uniform today, all of which is a tad too big!
I have an iron but really want to get away with not doing any if I can. The creases will fall out as he plays, right?
x
@Clareybabble – “the creases will fall out as he plays”. HOW did I not think of that? Genius!
Name EVERYTHING – inside of pencil cases, school bags, shoes, nothing’s safe from the mish-mash of mixed-up items that occurs after PE, playtime, etc! We buy non-iron shirts (Sally I do have an iron and an ironing board, somewhere in the darker recesses of the cupboard under the stairs, but I never use them. Ever.)