2015: Eunice in School

It's been a month since I last blogged.


I do have many things to write about, but I was feeling jittery over the whole "Eunice-first-day-in-school" thingy for almost a month plus. Yes! I am serious - A MONTH. Everytime I thought about it, I felt like there's a lump in my throat.

In Victoria, a child can go into foundation (previously called prep - preparation - And I prefer this term over foundation) when he/she turns 5 years old before 30th April. Eunice is born in Feb, so she's "qualified" to go to prep this year.

While we were planning to move here, I already knew that Eunice will be going to prep in 2015, and I was pretty relief on that fact that I don't need to pay for the expensive childcare once she goes to primary school. But as the day comes nearer, I felt anxious. Going to prep is a big thing here. Everytime I tell others that Eunice is going to prep, they will show me a "O" mouth and said, REALLY? SO FAST! SHE'S NOW A BIG GIRL! Yea, 100% giving me that response. So it's a big thing!

Comparing in Malaysia, a child goes to primary school from 7am to 1pm (6 hours) when they're 7 years old, but here, my baby Eunice is not even 5yo yet (in another 2 weeks :P) when she starts to attend primary school from 9am to 3.30pm (6.5 hours). And she'll have her lunch in the school - packing lunch box is my another headache that I won't talk about.

I can't help but thinking to myself, will she be able to mix in? Will other children bully her (since she's more on the shy type)? Will she finish her lunch? During one session of 2-hr orientation last year, she told me she's hungry when I picked her up. She's supposed to have her lunch during the orientation (to let them have an idea on lunch break in school). So she went on and told me she went to toilet during the lunch break, and when she came back, everyone has finished their lunch and gone to the playground. So she went to the playground too. Imagine my horror! (101% protective mom!). Since then, we "trained" her to finish her meals at home before going toilet.

Another reason that I am anxious is because I have never attended a school here before. I do not know what to expect - when is recess time? what to pack for recess? sandwiches again? fruits? cheese? will it spoil? etc etc... (Typical worrier traits) I am glad that I met a Malaysian mum who's here for long time to answer me all my questions. Even buying uniforms stresses me out - so different from what we had in Malaysia.

And finally, I have to admit that I am not ready to let her go. I concluded that after stressing myself out for almost a month. I am just not ready to accept the fact that Eunice has grown to a big girl now.

So, the day has finally came. I couldn't sleep well the night before and I got up as early as 630am to start preparing for the BIG day. EG laughed at me asking if I am the one going to school. My baby? She's ALL EXCITED. She woke up, brushed her teeth, changed into her uniform that I took out the night before, wore her new socks, and came to the kitchen for her warm breakfast!

So we sent her off to school. I saw some mums wiping their eyes as they left the room, and another mom whom sent her son to the same kinder as Eunice standing outside of the classroom, anxiously making sure her son is settling well, just like me. I talked to her and she told me that she couldn't sleep well too. So, I am not alone! Even the principal jokingly said that there'll be a room for the mums to cry, or maybe considering serving some beer for the devastated mums!

Picking up children was another eye opener for me. I saw a mum ran and hugged the kid tightly when the kid came out from the school. Now all the articles about "sending kids to school the first time" in the internet make sense to me, and EG concluded that this is a MUM thing. For him, he thinks the school is the best place his daughter should be at, having great fun everyday.

Of course, it all went very well. Eunice came out with smiling face. I asked her if she had a good time, and she said YES. And she told me the games that they played, the little little incidents in her class, and most importantly, she finished her lunch!

So, the first day of school drama is now over. Next week onwards it'll be all rushing everyday to send her to school before I go to work, and thinking what to pack for her lunch box everyday (my most headache chore!).

My girl, Eunice, is now a preppie girl! She's a big girl now!

Getting ready to go school on the first day!

Love this picture...

Took another shot before going into the room

At the corridor

Her desk

Giving her a big tight hug before leaving.
A friend commented that it's as if she's getting married! :P

Occupying herself as we walked out of her classroom

Eunice and her good friend from kinder.
Anxious mum (ME!) peeking at the window to make sure her baby is settling well.