New (School) Years Resolutions

Ooh I love the start of the school year. It makes me want to sharpen all my pencils and begin a new notebook. Even in the years between me finishing full time education and having school age kids, I still loved the beginning of September for all its crisp newness, the delicious promise of learning new things and stepping out on a sunny morning in a shiny new pair of shoes.

Unfortunately, this vigour and enthusiasm doesn’t tend to last. By the end of the first month back (OK, first week) we are usually late, fed up and new shoes have been scuffed and ruined. This year however, I intend to stay on the ball…

1. I will iron all school uniforms

Ironing is rather pointless in my opinion. You spend hours getting the creases out of things only for them to get all scrumpled up in messy drawers (and neat drawers is a NYR I have tried and failed to keep many, many times, so it’s time to admit defeat on that one). However, ironing school uniforms should be a bare minimum, I really don’t want my kids to get the “scruffy” label (whoops, too late) so at the very least I will endeavour to iron their uniforms instead of relying on the rather unreliable cheap supermarket school uniforms “non-iron” feature.

2. We will make it to school on time

And not dashing in five minutes late, apologising to the waiting teacher as Son One says “We’re late ‘cus Mummy was doing a poo”.

3. I will do Son One’s reading with him every day straight after school

Instead of only when I remember, and desperately trying to think of things I can fill up his reading diary with on Thursday mornings. Playing with fridge magnet letters, and reading “level one” on Angry Birds counts, right?

4. Sons will get dressed every morning in their bedroom, before coming downstairs, in clothes I have laid out the night before

No more rooting through the washing basket at 8.30am, desperately trying to find an acceptably clean school t-shirt and kids getting dressed in front of Dora. And while we’re on the subject, matching socks, every day.

5. Now that I know stain remover works I will use it

Rather than sending Son One to school in greying, dinner stained t-shirts by half term.

5. We will always walk to school

And learn more about the changing of the seasons, play games and discuss our day on the walk. No more taking the car for the two minute journey because we are either a) running late, b) thinking it might rain or c) feeling lazy. And the kids WILL love it rather than spending the whole walk moaning that their shoes are too tight, they wanted to go the other way, or they have "run out of energeeeeeeeee".

6. I will learn the rules of what is allowed in a packed lunch

I got told off by Son One for putting a packet of mini Smarties in his lunch box last year, as a treat, on his birthday. These are apparently contraband. A KitKat however, is allowable. And I really don’t know the schools standing on crisps either. All very confusing.

7. I will not shout at the kids in the mornings

I will also be strict about not being allowed to take their light sabres for the walk to school then having to face the inevitable screaming match outside the classroom when I try to take it away.

8. I will go easy on myself

No more beating myself up for taking a tin of out of date butter beans as a raffle prize and no more baking ‘til 3am creating a show-stopping cake for the bake sale (this is not the Great British Bake Off). OK, this one is definitely not going to last, especially when I remember that the pumpkin carving competition is only weeks away…

P.s. It has just dawned on me that I have now reached over ten thousand page views (and that's not counting my own)!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for reading, liking and sharing this blog, please keep it up. Here's to the next ten thousand page views :-) xxxxxxxx