Online version of my weekly parenting and lifestyle column in The Nationalist.
Tuesday 6 September 2016
My little girl is starting school and I’m going to miss her tremendously. She’s been my side kick pretty much 24/7 for the last five years. Of course when I told her this, it was received with a raised eyebrow and a “eh, we will still live together ya know”! And yes, I do know. I know that things are going to change and I know I’m not so good with change. While on one hand I know that she will absolutely thrive in school, reunited with some of her Montessori friends, I also know that she will find the days long. She’ll miss being able to kiss and cuddle me whenever she wants. She’ll wish her brothers were with her to see her art work or swap Lego with. And when I pick her up at the gates, I know this uniform clad girl will regale me with stories of her day and I know I’ll smile and say “wow, I wish I’d seen that”.
Starting school means she’s not my baby girl anymore. I can no longer spend a large portion of the day protecting her, explaining things, kissing away tears, laughing at her jokes and making up songs with her. Yes of course we’ll still do all of these things, but they’ll be shorter, squeezed in between homework and what-ever after school activity happens to be on. When I think of how fast these school years are going to go by, I can’t help but feel really lucky to have had so much time at home with the children. It’s been very hard at times, sometimes lonely and overwhelming but mainly it has been an honour. It’s good for me that opening The Baby Room has coincided with her starting school. In a way I can’t imagine spending my days at home without her there, chatting and looking for food incessantly! So, it’s a new beginning for all of us.
I know that holding her hand walking through the school gates, I’ll be reminded of reaching for my mother’s hand, when I walked through the same gates for the first time, so many years ago. I have such happy memories of my time in Ballon National School and I know my daughter will too. She’ll make new friends and learn so much more about the world. I’m excited for her and I take great comfort in knowing that the staff are really lovely and that she will not be short of people keeping an eye on her.
Her big brother is excited to have her with him. He’ll do a great job of keeping an eye out for her in the playground and making sure she knows the ropes. If there’s one thing he does very well, leading the way is it! I know it’s bordering on the ridiculous to be so emotional about her starting but she’s my best little buddy and I am going to miss her terribly. I am however, going to try embrace the words of her favourite Disney movie and let it go!
