Jack has now been in school for two whole weeks. At first he did half days but as of this week he is on full days. Looking back on last year and Holly starting school, the experience with Jack has been pretty different. Back then it was all new and unchartered terrirtory for the both of us - new classmates and teachers, new envirnoment, new structure and for me it was a change in routine, sussing out the mums at the schoolgates and getting my head around the fact that my eldest was starting school.
Time time I around I knew what to expect and, in a sense, so did Jack. He's come to school with us most mornings, he knows a lot of Holly's friends and he's been there when she's been doing her homework. Of course going into school and actually doing these things is a whole different thing, but he was a lot more prepared than Holly had been.
That meant that starting school this around went a lot more smoothly - he happily ran into his class with barely a backward glance, excited about going to the same school as his big sister and being able to see her. She told me he had asked his teacher for her so she'd been allowed to go into his classroom and give him a hug, and she looks for him in the playground and dinner hall to make sure he is ok.
My boy has always been pretty easy going, so I knew that starting school probably wouldn't phase him. There's been none of the moods and grumpiness afterwards that his sister had, and still does. The only challenge I was very aware that we would face would be homework. My active boy is not one for concentrating - in fact I can talk directly to him and he still can't repeat what I've said, instead focusing on everything around him and what he can dive into next. This week he was set his first task - to learnt to read three words. Between his dad and I, we've given it a go, but I'm not really sure how much he gets it. Holly has always been more academic, so I never really had to push her, but I have a feeling Jack will need a lot more encouragement and possibly extra working with, so I may be seeking help from online resources such as the Education Quizzes site, which is a brilliant resource and one I can use for both Holly and Jack as it provides quizzes that cover a whole manner of topics from Key Stage One to GCSE. It costs £9.95 a month, which can be cancelled at any time and they also offer the option of the school paying on behalf of the child at a reduced cost.
All in all, though, Jack's first couple of weeks back at school have gone as smoothly as they could. He's made a couple of friends in particular, loved being as grown up as his sister and proudly donned his uniform even on the days he wasn't going in until lunchtime. And now is the time for me to take a step back and leave them to it, until the end of school bell rings, that is!
 |
| Where have the years gone? |
