.............now I should be sat around watching day time tv, eating the kids chocolate stash and gossiping with friends on the phone.................well that was all an option I guess

I am feeling sad for my 2 boys - though they were really excited to go to school this morning, one is Grade 5 and the other is Primary, so his very first day!

Its just the small things that I am worried about. The fact that the school from the outside looks like a prison (though inside is kid friendly and lovely) and the Excel programme at lunchtime (will they know where to go, what to do). Other than that, the teachers are fantastic and *I* wanted to stay and have classes with them.

They have demented me for weeks now as we have travelled here and settled in, now they arent here for the majority of the day I find I have lots of free time with the toddler, which is lovely!

Just feeling a bit shell shocked I guess, cant wait to see them and hear it all went well!

Now.......................where is that remote and the chocolate stash?????

Your first and your last starting school are the worst
I felt totally lost when my 4th started hes 6 now and still worry about him, didn't have time with the others
OH and i recently went to France for an anniversary wkend its the first time we have left him with grandparents, we missed him terribly, he didn't miss us though enjoy your little one and fill your days
It will soon be the hols again

Its killing me - I think I was more anxious when I dropped my 16 yr old off on his first day at his new High School last month than him.

THEN two weeks ago my five yr old started SK. I took him and collected him the first week; then HE insisted on coming home of "the big yellow bus" standing at the bus stop waiting for him to be drop back to me was the longest 5 minutes of my life.

SO now I'm just taking him in a morning; but HE wants to come home on the bus, I am really not ready for that.

Plus my is 3 yr old, due to start JK in September and he's my last "OH what am I going to do" no more babies?

Thats the bit im dreading is going on the bus, think we look for a house within walking distance, maybe i could work at the school

We have two in walking distanace, one Catholic (which we are not) and one French Immersion; I did not think he had the personality to deal with that, far too highly strung ! So, it has to be the bus, they did assure me that they had not lost or misplaced a child in 20 years!

Coffeepot -that's not a bad idea - at least to do some volunteering if you can. For the first couple of years my son started school, I helped out for a morning a week in the kindergarden class (even when he went onto Grade 1).

It's a great way to see the inner workings of the school, spend time in the staff room, get to know all the teachers etc. It's amazing how much more comfortable you end up feeling about the place once you get to know how it operates on a daily basis.

A word of warning though - Canadian schools are a bit more laid back (based on my experience of one school anyway ). I found the sometimes lack of supervision at various times alarming at first. In my son's English school, he had to line up for everything, stay quiet, hands up, was escorted everywhere etc. Not like that here. Took me a while to relax into the environment.

Even when they had a lock-down last year (turned out to be a young kid showing a barbeque lighter off to his mate in the field outside the school!) - I felt confident that my son was fine and being looked after.

Thats reassuring, how are you settling in now, has OH started work yet, and is he any more settled. how are you finding it all now, thats the bit that worries me, we all get so stressed in getting there then what ?

Whats a lockdown ? I do quite a lot at his school now am the lucky chair of the PTA so am involved quite a bit, we are very lucky he is in a very small school, with fab staff. I like a more laid back approach to life,and think the children learn more for themselves,

I would really like to do some voluntary work also some away from the school when we get there, got to leave time for Michael's as well though, i love art and crafts, great way to meet people as well, bet you enjoyed it

A lockdown is when there is a perceived threat to the school - like a gunman or whatever (or a teenager with a barbeque lighter ). The kids have to return to their classrooms and put themselves in some prearranged "safe" spot (not many of those in prefabs ). Each internal door and outside door is locked - until the police issue the all clear. Presents some interesting issues for kindergarden - what with the toilet situation.... There are usually procedures for a the parents in a lockdown situation too - a special number to ring for info - no parents to approach the school etc. It's regularly drilled, along with fire, tornado, moose charge etc.

Thanks for asking; yes we are little more settled, but hubby is still not working yet (well only finishing our basement ) Kids are happy at school; but we still cant get my 17 yr old step-son here. Trying to get him over with my mum - hopefully at the end of the month for a "Holiday" and maybe we can persuade him to stay.

When you first get here, you are VERY busy with all the paper work; SIN, medical, schools, house, car etc. that it doesnt feel real. We are just starting to settle down now (7 weeks in); just in time for visitors - well if he gets that basement finished!

??

I don't get it - am I the only one who was chuffed to bits to get them off to school ?

Seriously, I did worry about them, but not sufficiently to put me off my stride. I had been counting down the days. I absolutely relished the peace and quiet and five minutes to finish a cup of tea, and go to the loo without an interruption or audience. I purposefully bought magazines to lounge around and read (only lasted one day, but hey, it was worth the effort).

I mean, I do like kids, but I couldn't eat a whole one

But - my empathies are winding their way over to you poppy ! honest

Totally sympathise with you. My little baby (now 5!) started school last August at aged 41/2 and she is the youngest and smallest in the class. It just about killed me to leave her and I was crying on the way out the door I was much worse than her.

It's so hard to let them go to that big place but I guess it's always harder on us parents than it is for the kids.

Abby's already told me in no uncertain terms that she will go to Canada but won't be going to any "Canidian" (this is how she keep pronouncing it!) school. - yeah well that's what she thinks! But it will be hard and I will feel a bit like its her first day again.

I'll be the one working (if all works out) so it will be Dad who gets lots of time with our younger son. The lucky thing.

Anyway, enjoy your time with your youngest - these years are so special and yet so quick to pass.

PS - Hope you kept them some chocolate!!

oooeeeeerrrrrrrr

They still want to take the bus I've mangled this pic in trying to make it smaller, excuse the weird colours, but you can see the school and where mine gets dropped off. Takes 30mins (!) but he'd rather get the bus than have me get him after school. I'm amazed a bus service is even offered for this proximity, but apparently it's something to do with there being no sidewalks around here.

Like Manghams I take him in the morning though. I found a 4yr old sobbing alone in the playground last week because the teacher closed her usual entrance door on her, her bus was slightly late. There is supervision in getting off buses here up to a point, but this straggler kid slipped through and I'd rather avoid the worry. Putting them on buses at the end of the day however seems to be completely without incident