My very special boy has started big school! He is growing up in so many ways I thought I would mark this milestone with a special post in tribute to him.
Nicky was very excited about starting school. He tried on the uniform and sports clothes beforehand and he looked super smart.
The day before school we had an orientation hour where the kids were allocated their classes and the adults had tea. For this day they could wear normal clothes.
The actual first day dawned the next day and Nicky got to put the uniform on. He had a great first day and apparently did play with a friend.
For the first two weeks we were allowed to pick him up at the classroom but after that it’s been at the gate. We’ve also made the transition to Granny picking him up as I have extended my teaching hours, and she looks after him in the afternoon upstairs while I teach downstairs.
I think one thing that has taken a bit of getting used to is the sheer size of the school. Nicky is in a class of 29 kids and there are 5 Grade One classes. I’m also very used to having the teacher’s number and Whatsapping her all the time about whatever issues but here there’s a definite distance between parent and teacher which I also have to get used to. Oh well, I guess it’s big school, and they put those boundaries in place for a reason…. I guess she can’t have 29 parents doing that…
What I am enjoying though is that we are so close to the school. It is literally up the road and we just walk there in the mornings. I drop him at the gate after a big hug.
Nicky has also recently made friends with some little dogs on our property which are quite friendly.
My little boy is really growing up and not only has he started big school, he recently went off for a weekend with his cousins without me! This was huge for me, the first night we have actually been separated, but apparently he did fine and it wasn’t such a big deal for him!
He has also started going to a Friday youth program for kids where his cousins are also involved – this is also new for us, but he is really enjoying it.
Hasn’t the loadshedding been awful? I particularly don’t like the nights because when the power comes on you have to go around switching things off and with the heatwave lately not having a fan has been brutal too. Hopefully things will improve soon!
Nicky was quite inventive when he couldn’t play his table top racing on the Playstation due to load shedding so he made his own one with a box. Very cool!
The pieces of gold and silver are for the reward coins you get as you go around.
And what’s new with me? I’ve been focusing on applying for other jobs while keeping the other one going. I have also recently started a second ESL job with kids that will also help me with experience. I’m enjoying that so far. I also attended a workshop about being an online English teacher on Saturday which was very informative plus I’ve joined a useful Facebook group. I’m building up knowledge and experience in the industry and hopefully I’ll hit the big time in due course!
The love life, sad to say, isn’t doing so great these days, but hey, I tried, and I am super grateful to this guy for setting me up in this house with all the furniture moving etc and helping me through a difficult time in my life. I miss him but keeping busy seems to be helping and I’m back on the computer at night so I guess I’m trying to distract myself.
I guess this post is really about how my little boy is growing up and taking one of those first big steps of independence. Well done Nicky!
(The pictures in the wood were taken in Joburg before we left by Daylight Photography)
Glad to hear that you have moved and are settling in. It is a big one, when the teacher is no longer so accessible. I struggled a little, but the kids do need to take greater responsibility.
Good luck with the job hunting.
thanks!