It’s now term three of Mr 6’s first year of school.  I feel like he is just developing and learning in leaps and bounds at the moment.  If I’m honest it is a little scary, but it does make me crazy proud too.  However Mr 6 isn’t the only one who has been learning some new things.  Here are the things school has taught me as a mum.

1. Even the most laid back class can have it’s dramas.  I’ve been really lucky and have managed to score a pretty great group of fellow mums.  Of course when you get a group of people together who who have different life experiences and parenting techniques, there are going to be times when heads but.  It’s been a pretty good test of my developing interpersonal relationship skill.
2. I’m not the only one freaking out.  As much as I enjoy the school drop off and pick up chats I have with other mums, it is also one of my biggest sources of anxiety.  It’s nothing to do with anything anyone else has done, it’s me getting caught up in my own head.  I agonise over saying the right thing.  Last week I was talking to another mum who has been a bit stand offish at pick up time and she said that she has been scared to talk to us because we all seem so close.  Proof that if you are feeling anxious because everyone seem to have it together, chances are that they are freaking out too.
3. Don’t sweat the small stuff.  This one can apply to more than just the school run and it’s an important one.  Some days it can feel like everything is overwhelming but in reality it’s all small stuff.  The world isn’t going to end if you miss a night of homework, you run out of bread and have to get a pre-made lunch on the way to school or you sleep in and don’t get to school on time.
4. Talk to your child’s teacher.  This one seems like a no brainer but I’m not talking about the passing ‘how is he doing’.  I am talking about letting them know if you have concerns.  I had a chat with Mr 6’s teacher last week and it put a lot of my worries to rest.  Teachers also need to know about this stuff so they can help your child be the best that they can be.  Mr 6’s teachers have also been an absolute asset in helping to form a united front on behaviour and consequences.
5. Restrain the Mama (or Papa) Bear.  I get it.  They’re your baby and it’s the longest time you’ve spent apart.  School is so much different to child care or kindy.  You may feel the fire of a 1000 suns when you find out that your child has been hurt or someone has been picking on them.  It’s tempting to give the child a piece of your mind, or hunt down their parents and tell them their child is a shit.  However the reality is that in most cases by the time you’ve found out about it they are back to being best friends.  Unless it’s a repeated offense, or bullying, never get involved in your kids school yard antics.  It very rarely ends well.

School can be a daunting experience at first, not just for the kids.  However watching Mr 6 learning new things and seeing his face light up when he masters something new is the best experience in the world.  Even if I still have to pinch myself some days that I am the mother of a school aged child.