[NorthernLife]

baddmammajamma - I was a blubbering mess this year when the boys started school, and next year when DD starts I will be even worse I think because she is my baby!

strawberryfire - My boys got size 4 shorts from their school last year - so your school might have them? IF you need smaller check EBAY. I was looking on there, and it is amazing how many plain school shorts/skorts are on there.

[*littlemiracles*]

eekk thanks for reminding me about the skorts. We bought ours at the school with the uniforms but for my little miss the size 4 (and smallest they go) are WAY too big so I need to do some adjusting! Best get my butt into gear.

looked at shoes today but decision not made yet - will keep on searching - plan on buying in next few weeks!

[Bella_a1]

I can't believe how close it is and the closer it is the more teary I get. Shes just to little to be starting school. We have everything except shoes, we have to have velcro leather upper sneaker type shoes. My mum has offered to buy them and I have seen a pair of New Balance ones in Athletes Foot which look good so we will go look at them in the next couple of weeks. My DS is also starting two days in daycare so I can pick up some work so that has also made me a bit teary, I don't have babies anymore

[Bigfatbum]

Thanks for the hints — I had forgotten ebay. The school does not have them that small, sadly.

Ive been bugging dh about how he had to put in for the first off as soon as he got back to work. ANd he replied that he didn't think it was that important since he did the p/s there this year.

Excuse me I dont bloomin think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Needless to say he is now going to get the first off as soon as his work opens back.

How could you want to miss the sweet lil guy all done up with his nearly too big for him school bag on his back, and his shinny shoes and nicely done hair?

Far to cute to miss and now im getting emotional.

[cheekymonkey]

My DS#2 starts this year too. He's been ready for nearly 12 months now so was not impressed to find out he has to wait til Feb 7th to start. Especially since his big brother gets to go from the 31st Jan. To make matters worse, his first day he doesn't start til 10am! That'll be fun as DS#1 starts at 8.50 so I'll be back and forth all morning.

He has a best start assessment on Wed 2nd. I'll need to speak to the teacher about the literacy component before she starts as he's a self taught reader and already reading chapter books. He was identified at the kinderstart sessions as being one who'll be requiring enrichment sessions for reading rather than just standard like the rest of kinder (apparently there were a few who were all put into the one class to make this easier). I want to make sure they remember that. I certainly don't want him getting lax, rather continuing to be challenged. Otherwise, when he gets to a stage where the work gets more challenging, he won't know what to do.

We don't have to get pencils or books at all. We just pay a fee to the school and they buy the lot up til year 2. Makes life lots easier for me. My first lot of books to buy will be next year for DS#1 when I'm having to get 3 prepped for school. That wasn't such good planning on my part.

He has his uniform all sorted. Just needs to get a bag, lunch box and shoes. Oh, and some socks too as I buy a pack of 5 specifically for school and keep them seperately, with his uniform stuff. Easier to keep track of that way and there can be no complaints about not being able to find any.

His last day of 'pre-school' (at a LDC centre) was on Wednesday. He was disappointed when I told him to put his bag and shoes away as normal. He knows he's getting new ones for school and, at the end of last year when DS#1 finished school, DS#1 was told to put his in the bin. He's very hard on his things though and they were lucky to see the year out. DS#2's are still very much in good condition and can be used for something else. At the very least they can be gifted to vinnies or something.

Strawberryfire - thanks for the reminder. Must get DH to tell his boss he won't be in on DS#2's first day. He went in late for DS#1's first day but he started at 9 so didn't take up so much of the day. Be buggered if he's not going to be there for the others too!!

This post has been edited by cheekymonkey: 01/01/2011, 04:46 AM

[Mummalovin]

My babies start on Feb 2. Erin is excited but Aimee goes between excitment and tears at not going to preschool anymore. They have their Best Start assesmnet on Jan 31. We have found out they have a few friends in the same class

All I have to get is shoes for the 4 of them, just waiting on Payless to do "buy 1 get 2nd pair half price"

Mini vent - I am so sick of people saying " I bet your counting down the days till they are all at school" NO!!! I'm not. I have friends who are but they have their 1st going. I know I'm going to miss having young ones in the house.

[kyrrie]

Well here we are finally 2011 with my youngest starting school. I'm so excited for him but it's sad as well ending the preschool years.

DS should have no problems with starting school. One of his preschool teachers joked that he'd been ready for the past 4 years. My only worries are how he will cope if the class gets in trouble (tears are the current reaction) and how he'll deal with frustration.

Don't expect too much from Best Start testing. It may be more comprehensive than 2 years ago when DD did it. It is a prescribed test that I suspect gives the govt a baseline to calculate value added data for NAPLAN in yr 3. So like NAPLAN it's fairly limited and quite basic. The teachers will do their own testing to work out where your child is at.

Cheekymonkey DD was the same with reading. Unfortunately the first few years of school aren't great for challenging them further in reading and comprehension. It's all so focused on levels so if a child is well past those levels it's quite difficult. Luckily it's easier to extend in maths and writing. DD is really lucky to be in yr 2 next year in a 2/3/4/5 enrichment class so we're really hoping she gets a chance to work with kids at her level. It' really excellent they are putting advanced readers together but they can still be very different. DD worked with two boys last yr, one testing at about 2 years above grade level, the other 3 yrs above. There was little common ground between the two boys let alone with DD who was at a higher level again.

Anyway back to DS who is actually my FYOSer we are all ready just need to shop for shoes, socks, lunchbox and bag. Love this part of January.

[NorthernLife]

Mummalovin - I hear you! My DD is my baby and while I am excited for her to be going to school (as she can't wait), i am quite sad! It's the end of having my babies at home with me, and I will be working full time - so definitely a big change for us!

Tomorrow we are going to Target to look at the school skorts/shorts (as the kids only have to wear plain black on their bottom half), shoes and the socks. I have been hanging out for the Williams / Mathers Fusion sale as we got hte boys the Lynx joggers last year which they wore every day and they lasted really well. Just not sure which way to go as this year we need school shoes and joggers for each - and it adds up so quickly!! I am going to the school next week sometime to pay the first terms fees, and to pick up their school tops (as they are purple with a black collar and emblem), hats which also have an emblem, and a few school dresses for DD. We are fortunate we are up in Darwin so we don't need a winter uniform!! Since DH and I will both be working full time I am getting them 5 lots of uniforms each, so I only have to wash on Friday afternoons! I thought this would be the best, since they will wear them all year they should last quite well. I hate having to wash through the week!

We also need to go and get lunchboxes and bags. The kids have fridges in their rooms thank goodness, so I am just going to get the big lunch bags and use my tupperware containers to separate fruit break (which is generally a fruit salad), with their lunch, and recess. We have a ton of drink bottles which look brand new, so just need to go through them and work out if we need a few more. We have to send two bottles of water to school with the kids due to the heat, so i can see their bags being full just of food and drink!

[*littlemiracles*]

Ok feeling rather organised - book list is 90% completed and books are all covered and labelled. Drink bottle, lunch box, school bag, uniforms and now shoes all complete. Yay. DD is getting excited. She keeps wearing her shoes around house - not a bad thing atleast she will get used to them and has been helping me cover all her books. So now just a few more things to get off that list and adjust the skorts and we are good to go.

Now just need to settle my own nerves about her starting school and we'll be all good! Cannot believe my baby girl starts school THIS month!!!!!

[baddmammajamma]

I am overwhelmed by the number of items we have had to buy for my daughter's school uniform. Being American, this is all new to me -- but even my Aussie husband doesn't remember his school uniforms being so "complex." Lots of pieces! Rach, I am openly jealous that your daughter won't need a winter uniform!

Does anyone else wish that they owned stock in Clark shoes? Damn, that company must make a killing at the start of the school year!

Cheekymonkey, we spent some time with our daughter's new school this past spring so that we could get some of the acceleration issues sorted beforehand. Still, it will be interesting to see how things actually play out.

Best wishes to all as we enter countdown mode!!