'I was more upset than my daughter about starting school!'
When it was nearly time for my daughter Carly to start primary school, I found myself being snappy and short-tempered. She's my only child and I couldn't stop thinking that she'd never be a baby again and how quickly she'd grown up.
I think Carly must have picked up on it because she got clingy and kept on asking me questions like whether she could take her comfort blanket with her and what would happen if she didn't like her teacher.
I realised I had to set an example and be excited about it so I rang my friend Debbie whose daughter Megan was starting at the same school. We arranged to take the girls shopping for cool things for school, like pencil cases and pretty notepads. They also got to choose their uniforms together.
Megan's a bit more confident than Carly and it started to rub off on her. By the time term started, Carly couldn't wait to go with her new best friend! I'm really enjoying having some time to myself again too.
Jennie Kendrick, 30, South Shields, Tyneside
More help and advice
- Helping your child with their first day
- Ways to prepare your little one for school
- Expert advice: Be positive and so will your children
By Jennie Kendrick
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Where to next?
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Coping with your child's first day at school
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Dealing with the first day of school
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Helping your child cope with their first day at school
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Sharing your child's first school day with them
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Six ways to prepare your child for school
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Teething problems
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Are you overprotecting your child?
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Praise your child
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Reward good behaviour
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7 ways to teach kids big stuff
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7 ways to teach kids big stuff (continued)
