School Days... Tears for all the right reasons!

So I've got through the tough week of Boy 1 starting school and Boy 2 starting preschool (at opposite ends of the village!) whilst the hubby fannies around doing those silly 12 hour shifts! My little feet are aching and Boy 3 was beginning to feel he'd been surgically attached to my front (all hail the amazing invention that is The Sling)

It's the week a lot of parents feel sad about... That they're losing their baby to the big wide world.  I've read and listened to quite a few mums over the past few weeks who have been feeling tearful about the start of school and feeling sad that it's an end of an era.
I've not felt sad about boy 1 going to school ... It's been a tough 16weeks since little boy 3 popped in to the world and I guiltily admit I was more than happy for someone else to be responsible for the boys for a few hours of the day!  Whilst a few of the mums hovered at the gates, not quite sure what to do with themselves for the next couple of hours, I skipped off with a spring in my step! That is, as springy as you can be at 16 weeks Postnatal, with a baby strapped to your chest and your 3 year old sat in the buggy! 

I was beginning to feel that I was maybe a bit cold hearted about it, but the past 3 days at the new school and preschool I've realised why... I loved school! I loved the friendships I made, my teachers, learning, playing, messing around in the school playgrounds out of hours, school uniforms (My dress sense as a child and teen was fairly crappy, so to have a uniform and save me the embarrasment of my own wardrobe was very welcome!) ... I even loved school dinners!!! And I know that my boys are going to love it too. 

The wonderful sound of hundreds of children playing in the school field... That brought a tear to my eye! 
Seeing Boy 1 embrace new buddies and playing in the trusting carefree way of a child who feels safe and happy... That brought a tear to my eye! 
Hearing Boy 2 talk about his new friends and how he enjoyed being funny... That brought a tear to my eye!  (I later learned that "Being funny" actually meant "Throwing the train track around" Yes, hahaha! Very funny, little boy...I'm sure you key workers found it hilarious! 
Seeing the boys doing rolypoly down the school bank reminded me of how my sister and I used to do the same at my nan and grandads... That brought a tear to my eye! 

So you see, I don't feel sad at all that my babies are becoming bigger boys and going to school, I feel incredibly happy and proud to be part of this exciting new chapter of our lives!  I hope I can do everything possible to make my boys enjoy school as much as I did.

As a mum, you want to be able to teach your child all about life and provide everything that they will need to become a caring, compassionate and responsible adult, but i know that there is a limit to what I can do.  I need help... You lovely teachers are just the help I need!  I adored (most of) my teachers...They were like doors to exciting new universes,  and I hope that my boys feel the same too.  

I may have had a few tears this week, but not of sadness.
Tears of Joy.... Tears of reminiscence.... Tears of happiness to be part of seeing my beautiful boys become the bigger boys and eventually well rounded adults that I hope for them to become!