The realities of your kids going to "big" school.

Sure, it’s emotional and all, but they forget to mention one little thing.

Soon, very soon, I will embark on one of the biggest milestones of my parenting career thus far.

Both of my children will be at school in a matter of days.

The baby part is over. The toddler part is done. I will be a full time school mum.

It’s an emotional time of my life. I’ve done the big school transition once and felt all the ups and downs that go along with it.

Sending my youngest child to school is proving both upsetting, joyous and terrifying all at once.

I’m sad because it’s the end of an era. The end of eight years of my life where I’ve either been pregnant, had a little person at home or both at the same time. I’m saying goodbye. Five days a week is a long time to be a part from a child you love so dearly and is still so young, but as we all know is inevitable.

I’m overjoyed because: Freedom. As sad I am to be saying goodbye to this era I am also incredibly excited to see what this year brings our family. My kids will be learning and growing at school. I’ll be able to work more and pursue my own dreams and my fiancé won’t have to listen to me whinging each afternoon about the hard day I’ve had with our son at home.

But I’m also terrified.

Scared, panicking and worried. I’m all of it.

And you want to know why? Because I’ve done it before and let me tell you something...

When kids go to school they change. Oh boy do they change.

The cute cuddly baby is gone. That innocent toddler has disappeared.

For children soon become school children.

School children have attitude. School children talk back. School children think they are right. All. The. Time.

Sarah doesn’t like multigrain bread? Well guess what, your child will now stop eating multigrain bread.

Johnny plays Minecraft? You’ll soon be begging your child to take a break from it.

Let’s not forget the naughty kid in class that will teach your child a few choice words. It’s no surprise you’ll hear them slipping off their tongue in just a few weeks.

School changes kids.

They get independence and grow and learn but they also become increasingly defiant. Mummy’s boys and daddy’s girls are no more once your child is in school and they find the joy that is friendship.

So when I drop my son to his new life at big school, a part of my will be crying at the fact I’m saying goodbye to my baby. The other part will be praying he doesn’t learn a new swear word on day one.

Do you have a child starting school this year? How do you feel?

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