It was the big “first day at school” today and I’ve been drowning under SMSes the last few days from friends asking if I’m upset and coping okay with the thought of Akra Jr going to school. I’ve felt a bit bemused, if anything. He’s been going to nursery 5 mornings a week for the last year, so until he starts going full time on the 19th, there’s not really much change in our routine – just a change in venue. I’ve been looking forward to getting back to a term-time routine again, for both the boys’ sakes and my sanity. Akra Jr has seemed quite excited to go to school and many of his friends from nursery are going to the same school as him, so no worries there.
But then this morning, Akra Jr all ready to go. We put his jumper and shoes on ready to go and suddenly he’s floods of tears. He hates his uniform – loathes it. Is convinced that everyone is going to laugh at him because it doesn’t fit properly. The jumper hurts his head as the neck is too tight (damn cheap acryllic nasty jumpers) and itches. Refuses to have a picture taken for the grandparents. We have to carry him to school with him sobbing all the way. Not the most relaxing start to his first day at school.
The teachers were brilliant. Showed him that everyone else was wearing the same thing. Sympathised with the jumper (apparently, every year they complain to the school shop that their jumpers are crap) and advised on the best way to stretch them without damaging them. Took Akra Jr in hand and found a couple of the children he knew to play with. I eventually left with him looking very subdued and waving mournfully to me out of the window.
Arrived back to pick him up at lunchtime way too early in my worry that he was really miserable and haunted the playground for about quarter of an hour. Eventually he came out of the door, all smiley – he’s had a fabulous time (thank goodness!) – he’s no longer refusing to go to school tomorrow just so he can avoid wearing the jumper! Even got a quick snap of him and his best friend on the camera phone (not an ideal quality picture – but hey, what can you do?!) We’ve had to go into town this afternoon to replace his water bottle for school, as his current one leaked all over his bag, but other than that it was a successful morning.
And no, I’m fine about him going to school, thanks for the concern!
4 responses so far ↓
1 Erin // 8th Sep 2005 at 3:34 pm
You need to post a picture! Both because I’m sure he’s adorable in his uniform and because I have NO idea what a jumper is and I’m very curious. ;)
2 wintermute // 8th Sep 2005 at 4:02 pm
A jumper is a wool sweater, basically.
http://www.one-world-is-enough.net/acatalog/blue%20multi%20jumper.jpg is as good an example as any.
3 Pewari // 8th Sep 2005 at 4:03 pm
Lol – I won’t post a picture because, with knowing my rough location, seeing a school uniform is pretty identifiable and I’m not too comfortable with that. A jumper is a knitted sweatshirt (in this case, machine knitted) – does that help? :)
4 Purple Elephant // 8th Sep 2005 at 9:33 pm
Aww bless him. On her first day at Big School my Littleone somehow managed to fall over and take a chunk out of her knee and bruise her nose. Strangely she is most proud of herself because in her own words she ‘cried and wanted Mummy only two times.’
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