First Day At School

Today was a big day for Joanne. She officially started school as a Preppie. And unlike Joshua, she couldn't wait to go to school. She didn't have a first session until 1.30pm but insisted on coming along when I dropped Joshua at school just before 9am.

Joshua found his old buddies and quickly blended in. Joanne kept asking why she couldn't go into her classroom yet. I had to explain that the Preppies only needed to go to school for 2 hours the first 2 days and they only do it in batches. Disappointed, she came home with me, but before loudly exclaiming: "I wish I could go to school now!"

Four hours later, smartly dressed in her school uniform (a second-hand summer dress uniform that I got for only AUD10), Joanne finally made her entrance at her classroom, which actually resembled a playroom with an assortment of colourful toys, drawings and paintings, other artwork and even a pair of birds in a cage! Fabulous, just the kind of room a 5-year-old would like to be confined in.

Mrs Boyce, her class teacher, ushered us in and instructed Joanne to find her own tub to put her books, stationery, library bag, reader cover and satchel. She did it brilliantly. And without being told, she helped herself to the paper and crayons laid on the tables. Her new friend Phoebe was already there and had started drawing something.

Joanne rushed through her drawing. I didn't realise why until I saw her putting her masterpiece aside and started taking out some "masak-masak" toy from a nearby bin. She certainly knew how to keep herself amused. After arranging all her cooking utensils on the table, she turned to me and said: "Mummy, you can go now."

My jaw dropped and I was at a loss for words for a few moments. Some parents lingered on (like I did with Joshua last year) and Joanne just dismissed me! My little one is not so little after all. She certainly packs more guts than Joshua. She actually asked me to leave. I remember Joshua clinging to me timidly on his first day at school. Joanne has never been to any childcare centre, pre-school or kindergarten. Yet, she had no problem setting foot in her school on her first day.

Well and good. With my 2 kids becoming more independent, I'll have more time for myself. About time too!