Rosalie's first day at school...
I'm rightly proud of her, but perhaps equally proud of myself. I did not spend the day choking back tears and wondering where all the time went.
"Ah, they grow up so fast."
But they really do. Or rather, it's not that they grow up fast, as that they grow up at all that seems to cause the lament. Just when one gets used to one phase of the life of a child, they come out the other side and rush headlong for the next episode.
As a parent, much of the time is devoted to looking forward to their first words, first steps, first picture, first paycheck, etc. The problem is, the last time they do something passes before you realise.
Now, obviously I'm not talking last steps, last words, etc. That'd be too dark even for me. What I am referring to is the time when they crawled and gargled and grinned a toothless grin as they rubbed baby rice into the sofa. You fall in love with their funny noises and cute smiles, and then they introduce a whole new package of functions to familiarise yourself with. Offspring 2.0 or somesuch.
That the day passed off more peacefully than I expected was probably largely due to my having to be anywhere at eight forty-five in the morning, which meant that I was in some kind of a daze until after the school gate farewell.
Needless to say, she cruised through the day, and answered our eager requests for information with either:
a) "fine."
or
b) "I can't remember."
Not so some of the other children. One of whom was weeping first thing this morning, and weeping at 3.20 when he came out. I can only assume that the staff had him on some kind of saline drip all day to stop him drying out and leaving the school looking like Mother Theresa. It breaks yer heart. F'sure.
I am convinced this was a false start, and day 2 will be the challenge, or day 3, day 4, etc.
I must also confess to having spent most of the day hovering by the phone, secretly hoping that the school would call to say the our best beloved was inconsolable, and unable to live without our company for a whole day. Be careful what you wish for, I suppose...
I'm rightly proud of her, but perhaps equally proud of myself. I did not spend the day choking back tears and wondering where all the time went.
"Ah, they grow up so fast."
But they really do. Or rather, it's not that they grow up fast, as that they grow up at all that seems to cause the lament. Just when one gets used to one phase of the life of a child, they come out the other side and rush headlong for the next episode.
As a parent, much of the time is devoted to looking forward to their first words, first steps, first picture, first paycheck, etc. The problem is, the last time they do something passes before you realise.
Now, obviously I'm not talking last steps, last words, etc. That'd be too dark even for me. What I am referring to is the time when they crawled and gargled and grinned a toothless grin as they rubbed baby rice into the sofa. You fall in love with their funny noises and cute smiles, and then they introduce a whole new package of functions to familiarise yourself with. Offspring 2.0 or somesuch.
That the day passed off more peacefully than I expected was probably largely due to my having to be anywhere at eight forty-five in the morning, which meant that I was in some kind of a daze until after the school gate farewell.
Needless to say, she cruised through the day, and answered our eager requests for information with either:
a) "fine."
or
b) "I can't remember."
Not so some of the other children. One of whom was weeping first thing this morning, and weeping at 3.20 when he came out. I can only assume that the staff had him on some kind of saline drip all day to stop him drying out and leaving the school looking like Mother Theresa. It breaks yer heart. F'sure.
I am convinced this was a false start, and day 2 will be the challenge, or day 3, day 4, etc.
I must also confess to having spent most of the day hovering by the phone, secretly hoping that the school would call to say the our best beloved was inconsolable, and unable to live without our company for a whole day. Be careful what you wish for, I suppose...
Hi Tim Glad to hear that there were no tears in the R-S household today. You'll be pleased to know that the stock answer of "Fine or cant remember" does peter out after several years. Jed now answers the question "Who did you play with today" ? with "people" and a quizzical look.
Kids eh...