Hi everyone
I trust you all had a fabulous Christmas and summer holidays. This time of year seems to go by so fast – I love summer and catching up with family and friends. I haven’t posted for ages, my computer is on the blink and I’m using an old, old one (and I can’t upload photos).
After 15 years of school life, this is the first year that we don’t have a child attending school. Weird, but looking forward to our girls’ next stage in their endeavours.
We had a few traditions that we always did around this time.
- We would either go out to dinner (cheap and cheerful restaurant) or have a special dinner at home around their first day of starting a new school year. We would then write down our dreams and goals for the year. They are really fun to look back on. Mine were and still are the same – tidy the home and lose weight. Geoff’s are also pretty similar each year haha – be organised and time management. The girls are so cute as their dreams definately and understandably changed from 2000 to 2014. Eg. take singing lessons, go to Jamberoo, practice more tennis and become really good, get braces off, learn to water ski, help dad build a flying fox in backyard, save for a Barbie caravan, go well in school. This lists go on.
- One time Geoff also asked “If you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing before you started high school, what would it be?” Here are two answers: Learn to love to learn and to live out what I learn. And – Don’t take school too seriously (obviously before the HSC year). I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading them as I’ve prepared this post and it’s interesting to see how they have changed their dreams/goals. We sticky taped the “bits of paper” in a book to keep track of them.
- When we met the teacher or had teacher/parent interviews we would focus on people skills – eg. that our girls would have empathy, that they would look an adult in the eye when communicating and be inclusive with others, which was more important than academic results (although they are as well). We also asked “What can we do to make your life easier” or “How can we help you this year”.
- Take photos – not only of the first day of the school year, but the first day of the school term. Great to have both summer, winter and sports uniforms in photos.
- If you have a niece or nephew or a close family friend’s child starting school, send them a card wishing them well as they start this great big adventure.
- When I drove the girls to school for the first day back I would tell them this was one of the saddest days of the year for me as I wouldn’t be hanging out with them all day (and I do love holidays). I tried not to make it too negative and would then say how great their school was and what lovely friends they had etc.
I hope you all have a marvellous week. I would love to know if you have a child starting kindergarten (what a big day for all the family) or indeed in our case University. Until next time, enjoy!
Love Chris xx
