School scrum

Well it is that time of year when parents of 3-4 year olds rush round looking at schools, desperately trying to decide which school would be right for their little one and anxiously worrying their child won't get in.

Callum, my very own demon destroyer, will be 4 in November, and is therefore going to be old for his year. In fact he would be perfectly happy to be starting with his friends this term. However unless we can magically turn back time and make him born in August, he must go to school with everyone else his age next September.

I went on a school visit with him last week and I could not believe how well behaved he was. Admittedly we were being shown around by the head mistress and that is enough to make the parents behave too!! I loved the fact that she said to word to Callum and it stopped him dead in his tracks, where as if it was me, I would have been yelling until I was blue in the face before he ever decided to stop and see what the imminent danger I was screaming about was!

Callum is a friendly lad and social confidence is not his problem - holding back is a bigger problem and mixing with his own age can sometimes be a stumbling block too.

As we make these tricky choices on schooling, I am not so much worried about what he will learn at school, because we can always help him if need be, but I want him to enjoy going to school for the sense of belonging and adventure that school brings. The independance of having your own secret rules of the playground and your own world that no grown up can possibly imagine, except through their memories of theor own playground days. Each term seemed a lifetime when you are in school, and now the yeras fly by. -mmmm maybe I am starting to feel my age as it is my birthday ina few weeks.

Well the form for schools in our city has to be in by 23 October, so I had best get my skates on.