it's back to school

 

School started yesterday...yaay!  Even though I have to say good-bye to my sleep-ins and the-whole-day-in pjs attitude but I'm quiet happy for my Boys to go back to school again.  I love them to bit but I do think they need better education than what Mummy & Daddy can teach them at home :)

So, the first day went very well I must say.  Considering they are in year 1 now and for the first time the Boys go to different class  this year.  Yes, I asked to separate them, they used to be in the same class at Kindy and Pre-primary.  I hope I do the right thing though.  And the teachers also agree with me.  It's just so they are not always clingy to each other, and to develop their own characters and have their own friends too.  Last year, one of the boy started to speak for the other one, even though it's not his turn to speak or to be asked.  While the quiet one was happy enough for his brother to always answer for him:p

They said they enjoyed the first day at year one.  It's less work and lots of playing time, as Dylan told me.  Not yet, pumpkin :)  Wait for the second week and I bet he will start to say: "I don't like school".... as he often did last year at Pre-primary.  Nathan settles pretty good in his class according to his teacher, a bit quiet in the beginning but then mingled with his friends very easy.  As for myself, I guess I will have double stuff to do as for parents volunteer roster. Double to do the Laundry roster every friday and helping in Cooking & Art class every monday!

While I'm pretty happy that school starts again, I also prepare myself with the same routine and chaos that happen in our household almost every morning;

• making school lunches: I have two boxes to prepare every day from monday to friday.   I suppose it will be the same with other parents who have more than one kids.  I tried as best as I can to do the variety for their lunches.  And while rummaging in the fridge to look for suitable spreads I have to remember not to put something with nuts or nutella, that means no peanut butter and nutella sandwich!  Sometimes it sucks being healthy, hey? And I also told myself that it's OK to order lunch from the canteen, the kids love it, and I don't always have to be a perfect good healthy home-made mother all the time!

• getting to school:  The boys love school, they love spending the day with their friends for sure, but to get them to school?  It's another story.  There is always something on telly that they have to watch before they have to brush their teeth, some picture they have to color before they can eat their brekkie, some game they have to finish before they get in the car and some story they have to tell before get out of the car... So, really, getting up by 7 in the morning sometimes it feels still not enough time, do I have to start at 5am??

• washing uniform: Now that they are wearing uniform also make my visit to the laundry more frequently.  Yes, the good thing that I don't have to worry what they have to wear, which clothes shouldn't wear for school as it will ruined and stained, etc.  The bad thing....is I am going to lock myself in the laundry room more than I have to be.  Having twins is always double the cost, so to save money a bit I bought both of them two pairs each of uniforms that I think it should be enough.  Just one day at school yesterday, Nathan came home with dirt and stained on his top uniform....arrgghhh....can you do your own laundry, my dear son?

• supervising homework:  Last year in pre-primary they hadn't have lots of homework.  Still some alphabet or numbers to write down at home or preparing for their news lesson, that's all that I can remember as far as homework goes.  Now that they are in year 1, I got a note from the teacher that starting week 2 they will be starting to send some homeworks.  I would like to think that I am a patient , tolerant and understanding mother when it comes to supervise homework.  But I think I would leave it to my husband as he has more patient to deal with the Boys that I am.

So I guess those are my highlights of going back to school this year.  How about you? Is there any advice/suggestion to minimise all of those...feel free to write to me :) Meanwhile, I'm going to have my coffee and chocolate donut in my peace, tidy, and quiet home! I know it's not healthy to have donut, that's why I'm having it when the Boys are at school....see how good to have them back to school again :)