David Campbell reflects on son Leo starting high school: 'Can't believe it's happening'
By David Campbell|
ack to school can be a hectic time for families.
At our place, organising the three kids, Leo, 12, and twins Billy and Betty, eight, is a mission sometimes กช it takes a military-style operation to get us prepared for a new school year!
As the end of school holidays approaches, the bedtimes, which have become looser and later, need to get back on track. The morning routine needs to be remembered, the lunch boxes packed, and uniforms ironed. It's a huge adjustment, as much for us parents as for the kids.
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We're pretty much experts at the primary school pace but with Leo starting high school this year (which we can't believe is really happening) we're bracing ourselves for a soon-to-be teenager, and the new demands of senior school.
It's milestone moments like these that make Lisa and I really stop and reflect. Where did the last seven years of primary school go? It's crazy to think that that time has come to a close already for even one of our kids. I remember walking Leo into school on his first day like it was just the other day.
I remember the anxiety building up as most parents do, and thinking, how is he going to react? Is he going to be okay? Is he going to make friends? Will I cry? I remember getting to the gate, Leo, Lisa and Iกญ he turned around, waved and said 'seeya'! Off he went! And now he's about to do it all again in high school.
You see a lot of growth in primary school. To take your mind back to how they walked through those gates compared to how much they know now is huge. There's still a lot left to learn.
You want to yell at them 'you know nothing!' but here they are กช now they're learning, and they already know a lot.
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I also thought I'd share some of our top tips to help the kids กช and us! กช get ready for the new school year.
1. Don't completely stop learning over the holidays
During the break, we like to encourage little bits of work so the first day back doesn't come as such a shock. We keep the learning fun with family trips to the bookstore so the kids can pick up some chapter books to practice their reading. We also do a stock-up of craft supplies at the beginning of the break so there's always something around the house to create with.
As the kids get a little older, we've started spot testing with maths riddles to keep their brains active and sit down as a family to watch docos on everything from space to Sub-Saharan Africa which teaches us all a thing or two. We find it's much easier for them to get back into the classroom after a long break if they stay interested and keep learning.
2. Ease into the earlier bedtimes and wake-ups
We've learnt the hard way that the abrupt shock of an alarm on the first day of school is never a good idea! We start our return to the school routine a few nights before the big day.
We start getting stricter with bedtimes and get everyone up and about earlier each morning to minimise the risk of a rushed start to the first day back.
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3. Get a calendar and fill it up early
We get our monthly family planner, like this one from Officeworks, filled out early so we can map out all the important dates well in advance. We also use this as a back-to-school shopping to-do list so we can avoid the last-minute rush.
This takes the panic out of the return to school and means the whole experience is fun for the kids (and Lisa and me)!
4. Label everything
We use a combination of personalised name labels and our trusty at-home label maker to get the kids' names on all their belongings). Books, stationery, uniforms, lunchboxes, hats กช you name it, we label it. When you have multiple kids, labelling also helps empower the kids to look after their things. It also means if they lose it, the chances of it being returned are increased.
We didn't label things in the early days of Leo. The number of hats and blazers we lost - let's just say we learnt our lesson, and since then we're much more regimented with Billy and Betty. Now when they lose something (it's inevitable), we can say 'go to lost and found, it has your name on it'. So far we've only lost one or two hatsกญ it's not none, but it's a lot less.
5. Involve the kids in the process, save money and make it fun
Decorate the exercise books, pick out colourful pencil cases, and choose a cool new drink bottle. Leo also needs a laptop this year!
Although the shopping trips can sometimes feel like a real chore, we find they are far more enjoyable when we bring the kids along and let them pick their own items in their own style.
It also means they're excited and ready for school by the time the first day rolls around.
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